Princess Anne is a delight in fun floral dress during regal Sri Lanka dinner

Princess Anne was a vision of regal beauty on Wednesday evening, as she and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence were hosted by President Ranil Wickremesinghe of Sri Lanka. 

Princess Anne, 73, and Sir Tim, 68, are on a three-day visit to Sri Lanka at the request of the Foreign Office. Her presence at the President's official residence in Colombo on 10 January was in honour of the 75th anniversary of UK-Sri Lanka bilateral relations.

Putting on a colourful display, the Princess Royal asserted her sartorial prowess in a ravishing red shift dress adorned with blooming pastel flowers. For an additional pop of colour, the royal added a berry-red lipstick, balancing her ensemble with a draped cream scarf and white gloves. 

It's not the first time Princess Anne has worn gloves in unconventional situations. Though she looks undeniably elegant, fans have been known to question the Princess' decision to wear gloves in all weather conditions. 

"Just an observation, but the gloves seem a bit over the top for daytime," one fan wrote on X.

© Tim Graham

The Princess Royal likely had a good reason for wearing them – they help to avoid germs when meeting and shaking lots of hands. Her mother, Queen Elizabeth II, often did the same, with Princess Kate recently following suit too.

© Getty

Completing her outfit, thrifty Princess Anne wore her most-loved accessory - a set of pearl earrings and a three-strand pearl necklace, which is believed to have belonged to the late Queen.

"I love the Princess’s outfit," penned a fan on X, as another wrote: "She is amazing. Her outfit is great." 

© The Royal Family

Princess Anne previously visited Sri Lanka in 1995 where she visited projects set up by Save The Children. King Charles, then Prince of Wales, also attended the 50th anniversary of Independence Day in Sri Lanka in 1998.

In a surprising move, the down-to-earth royal - who is often named the hardest working royal each year - chose to fly commercial to Sri Lanka rather than take a private royal aircraft. 

© ISHARA S. KODIKARA

Sharing photos of Anne and Sir Tim boarding the plane, the airline penned in the caption: "A service fit for a royal! We are delighted to welcome onboard Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal on her journey from London to Colombo on a two-day official visit to mark the 75 years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the UK."