Princess Anne, 73, looked gorgeous in green as she celebrated the opening of The MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences' new building at Imperial College London’s Hammersmith campus on 25 January.
Touring the £120 million state-of-the-art facilities, fans may assume that Anne would model her usual elegant and practical style. Much to their surprise, the Princess Royal ditched her sensible wardrobe and turned to a winter staple – a pair of knee-high black heeled boots.
Anne paired her boots with a fit and flare emerald dress layered underneath a matching knee-length jacket with black button-down knot clasps that tied in with her shoulder bag and winter gloves. Beauty-wise, the royal modelled her trademark look with her long hair secured in an elegant updo and minimal makeup, aside from her bold red lipstick.
During the opening of the eight-storey building, which houses 400 scientists, Anne was shown the 'fly lab', the cardiac imaging facility, and Professor David Rueda's laboratory, where ICL explained: "Researchers use video game technology to stretch a single strand of DNA (more than 30,000 times smaller than a human hair) to explore how tension and coiling affect our genes."
"We are honored and deeply grateful to Her Royal Highness for inaugurating the new home of the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences. Today's event builds upon a unique legacy, as The Princess Royal also opened the lab's first building in 1995. Her continued support for the MRC, for science, and especially championing women in STEM is truly valued," said Patrick Chinnery, Executive Chair of the MRC.
Anne's choice of outfit was particularly poignant, considering she had previously worn it at her father Prince Philip's memorial service in 2022, following his death aged 99 in April 2021. The key differences in her outfit for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Service of Thanksgiving were her patent bow heels and matching hat.
It's thought the royal family – including the late Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Camilla – all chose green, known as "Edinburgh Green", as it was Philip’s official livery colour.
Perhaps Anne's decision to recycle the outfit was a subtle nod to the fact that Prince Philip had previously been involved with the MRC. Plus, it aligns with her interests in sustainable fashion as opposed to fast fashion.
During her visit to Sri Lanka earlier this month, the Princess, who is president of the UK Fashion and Textile Association, pointed out that traditional manufacturing saw tailors and dressmakers altering outfits, and said maybe we should be returning to these values.
"Now you’ve got instant fashion which you then throw away, you don’t alter it because it wouldn’t be worthwhile," she said. "So whether we’ve got to relearn those skills, go back and say, 'Actually, we need materials that can do more than one evolution of fashion.'"
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