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Princess Beatrice, Duchess Sophie, Zara Tindall and Princess Anne in wedding guest outfits© Getty

Seriously bold wedding guest dresses: Princess Beatrice, Zara Tindall and more rebellious royals

From Princess Anne's bridal white dress to Duchess Sophie's feathers

Nichola Murphy
Deputy Lifestyle Editor
March 28, 2024
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Perfectly preened and poised at all moments, the royal family have specific fashion rules they tend to stick to, including longer hems, modest necklines and covered shoulders.

But what's life without a little rebellion? We've seen show-stealing headpieces, thigh-skimming skirts and sky-scraper heels in some unearthed wedding photos. See the rare moments that Princess Beatrice, Princess Anne and more royal ladies pushed the boundaries with their style and chose daring wedding guest outfits

Princess Kate in a white coat dress holding hands with Princess Charlotte © WPA Pool

Princess Kate's ivory ensemble

Known the world over as a style icon, the Princess of Wales has rarely ever taken a foot out of line when it comes to her fashion sense. But in a surprise high-profile appearance at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding in 2018, the former Duchess chose a rule-breaking colour. Kate stepped out in a cream Alexander McQueen silk coat dress and a Philip Treacy floral hat, colours that were very close to the bridal white guests traditionally avoid.

Princess Beatrice of York in a nude dress and fascinator at Prince William's royal wedding© Chris Jackson

Princess Beatrice's hat

Who can forget one of Princess Beatrice's most memorable style moments? Sarah Ferguson sparked controversy when she stepped out in an oversized  Philip Treacy fascinator – which some compared to a pretzel – during the royal wedding of Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in April 2011.

Princess Beatrice of York in a blue coat, yellow hat and black heels © Getty

Princess Beatrice's killer heels

Back in 2013, the late Queen's granddaughter attended Jake Warren and Zoe Stewart's nuptials at the Wren Chapel in London wearing a blue coat with a mustard fascinator. But nobody could tear their eyes away from her very unroyal footwear – towering black patent heels.

WATCH: Stylish royal wedding guest outfits that will go down in history

Princess Beatrice in trainers and a red dress at William and Kate's wedding afterparty© Getty

Princess Beatrice's trainers

Princess Beatrice wore three stunning ensembles to her cousin Prince William's nuptials. For the private wedding reception at the Goring Hotel, hosted by Carol and Michael Middleton, Beatrice prioritised comfort with her white trainers peppered with colourful fruit prints, offset by her glamorous maroon gown finished with silver embellishments.

Zara Tindall in a shirt dress at Prince Charles And Camilla Parker Bowles' wedding in 2005© Getty

Zara Tindall's knee-high boots

King Charles and Queen Camilla's 2005 was unconventional in many ways, and Zara Tindall embraced that with her psychedelic-print shirt dress and knee-high boots. Adding to her 60s-inspired ensemble, the royal added a black fedora and dangling pendant earrings.

Zara Tindall (née Phillips) stepped out the car in a pinstripe mini skirt and blazer© Getty

Zara Tindall's pin-stripe mini skirt

Aged just 17, Princess Anne's daughter made a style statement at Santa Palmer-Tomkinson and Simon Sebag-Montefiore's big day at The Liberal Jewish Synagogue in St John's Wood.

She was spotted exiting a car in a dark ebony pinstripe mini skirt and matching blazer. Square-toed black mules and a black boater hat added the finishing touches to her modern work-chic ensemble.

Princess Anne in a white ruffled dress and yellow headpiece© Max Mumby/Indigo

Princess Anne's bridal white frock

The Princess Royal channelled 60s style at Lady Rose Windsor and George Gilman's nuptials in 2008. Anne chose an ivory summer frock with a wrapover bodice, a ruffle trim and subtle jacquard polka dots interspersed with a feminine orange floral print.

While her pearl necklace and lemon-coloured floral headpiece tied in with her chosen colourway, she added a pop of colour with her bright red lipstick.

Princess Anne in a purple and green dress getting out of a car© Brooks Kraft

Princess Anne's colour-clash moment

Never one to shy away from colour, Princess Anne chose a colour-clashing ensemble for the Prince and Princess of Wales' wedding. A green floral coat was layered over the top of a purple dress in her show-stealing outfit.

Sarah Ferguson and her two daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie in wedding guest dresses© Max Mumby/Indigo

Princess Eugenie's pearlescent mini dress

Bronzed Princess Eugenie showed off her golden tan in a pearlescent dress at Chloe Delevingne and Louis Buckworth's wedding in September 2007. Pictured alongside her sister Princess Beatrice and mother Sarah Ferguson, 17-year-old Eugenie was all smiles in an ivory mini dress with a textured bandeau top and a shimmering skirt, which she teamed with a matching cream jacket with a pie-crust collar and brown embellished heels.

Duchess Sophie in 1994- exiting car in metallic jacket and hat© Getty

Duchess Sophie's statement feathers

The Duchess of Edinburgh has undergone a significant style evolution over the years. Back in 1994, Sophie joined Prince Edward, at his former flame Anastasia Cooke's wedding. A far cry from her usual tailored suits and floral dresses, she fonned an unexpected high-shine metallic cropped jacket with a mosaic print and Queen Anne neckline alongside a simple black skirt.

She went for a 'more is more' approach to her accessories, choosing fur-trim black gloves and a large saucer-shaped hat covered with feathers.

Princess Diana in a blue and white striped skirt suit with her brother-in-law Prince Edward© Princess Diana Archive

Princess Diana's stripes

Princess Diana rocked statement stripes as she attended the Sarah Brennan and Hugh Lyndsay's wedding. Designed by Roland Klein, Diana's outfit consisted of a horizontal striped navy and white skirt with a vertical striped oversized blazer, a white top and V-neck heels.

PHOTOS: Rule-breaking celebs who wore white wedding guest dresses: From Victoria Beckham to the late Queen

SHOP: 21 wedding guest outfit ideas: From beautiful dresses to chic jumpsuits

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