It's no secret Princess Anne's ethical fashion credentials are one of her greatest sartorial assets. From leading trends with her psychedelic silky skirts of the sixties to being a three-time Vogue cover girl in the 1970s, the Princess has long been a royal trendsetter.
Yet unlike many style muses of the modern era, Princess Anne's fashion prowess is uniquely timeless. At 73, she has gained a reputation for being able to effortlessly style garments she wore in her twenties, often choosing to rewear her favourite clothes time and time again across decades.
Rewearing clothes may seem like nothing remarkable, but for a royal lady with access to the world's most coveted designers and fashion houses at her feet, Princess Anne's devotion to sustainable fashion is more than impressive.
© Tim GrahamWhen asked why she chooses to recycle outfits the Princess told Vanity Fair in 2020: "Because I'm quite mean."
She added: "I still try and buy materials and have them made up because I just think that's more fun. It also helps to support those who still manufacture in this country. We mustn't forget we've got those skills, and there are still places that do a fantastic job."
From her fit-and-flare outfits from the 80s to her Royal Ascot repeats, see the best of Princess Anne's outfit repeats below.
© GettyPrincess Anne's pink satin gown
After wearing a Barbie pink puff-sleeved gown with a contrasting chequered skirt to the BAFTAs in 1984, the thrifty royal reworked the sleeves of the dress and wore it to the Save the Children Festival of Trees more than 15 years later.
© Shutterstock / GettyPrincess Anne's cream and navy coat
The royal's everlasting love affair with her cream and navy coat started in her thirties when she wore it to Royal Ascot in June 1980. With a timeless silhouette, contrasting shoulders and a modest midi length, the versatile coat has become one of the royal's most-worn outerwear garments.
She later wore it to the Epsom Derby in 1985, then again in 2015 and 2018.
© GettyPrincess Anne's festive blue coat
While many use Christmas Day as an opportunity to wear something new, Princess Anne chose to wear the same blue coat lined with a chic faux fur collar to church in Sandringham three years in a row. It's been in her wardrobe for more than 50 years, with the royal first debuting it in 1983.
© Shutterstock / GettyPrincess Anne's poignant all-black outfit
Whilst in Edinburgh shortly after her late mother the Queen's death in 2022, Princess Anne looked poised and elegant in a sleek black jacket fastened with a pearlescent pin.
The fit-and-flare jacket carved a feminine silhouette. Elevating the royal's respectful ensemble, which consisted of a smart ebony pencil skirt, she added sheer tights and an understated black headpiece.
The mother-of-two previously wore the garment - which is at least 25 years old - at the funeral of Princess Diana in 1997.
© Shutterstock / GettyPrincess Anne's 40-year-old Royal Ascot outfit
Mustard yellow had a renaissance in recent years. Luckily for Princess Anne, an immaculate yellow dress has remained in her wardrobe for more than four decades. The unique dress has been worn to Trooping the Colour, Epsom Derby, Royal Ascot and more several times between 1980 - 2023.
© Max Mumby/IndigoPrincess Anne's forest green coat
The Princess Royal wore a sentimental green coat dress to an engagement at Imperial College London in January this year. 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.
© Getty / ShutterstockPrincess Anne's wedding guest florals
In 2008, at Lady Rose Windsor’s wedding, Princess Anne was resplendent in the frilly florals from Charles and Diana’s marriage in 1981.
