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ASCOT, ENGLAND - JUNE 21:  Princess Anne, the Princess Royal attends Royal Ascot 2017 at Ascot Racecourse on June 21, 2017 in Ascot, England.  (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)© Stuart C. Wilson

Princess Anne is a diamond in Dubai wearing 46-year-old dress she first wore in her twenties

The Princess Royal looked just as good as she did at 26

Georgia Brown
Senior Lifestyle & Fashion Writer
March 5, 2024
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The British royal family's "hardest working royal" has already embarked on her second tour of the year, as Princess Anne jet set to the United Arab Emirates this month in her role as President of The Mission to Seafarers. 

The Princess Royal, 73, already travelled to Sri Lanka earlier this year with her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, 69.

With King Charles taking a break from public-facing engagements amid his ongoing cancer treatment, and the Prince and Princess of Wales removing themselves largely from the spotlight while Kate recovers from "planned abdominal surgery," Princess Anne has remained a pillar of strength, stepping in to take on additional work in their place. 

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Earlier this week, Princess Anne continued engagements with a visit to the Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) hotel in Dubai, UAE.

Looking divine for the occasion, the mother-of-two slipped into a beautiful pleated dress rendered from aquamarine fabric and embellished with a statement collar and button-down detailing on the bodice. 

The royal elevated her belted dress with a smart aqua-hued blazer and bow-adorned court shoes she formerly wore to Royal Ascot in 2023. The Princess added a cream clutch bag to complete her ensemble, sweeping her hair into her signature bun style to finish her immaculate sky-blue aesthetic. 

Princess Anne attends day three of Royal Ascot© Mark Cuthbert
Princess Anne last wore the dress at Royal Ascot in 2023

Most striking about Princess Anne's outfit, however, was not the head-turning colour, but the fact her pleated dress has been in her wardrobe for nearly 50 years. 

Princess Anne white and blue outfit© Getty
The royal wore her Royal Ascot dress in Dubai

The royal's belted dress first debuted in 1978, when the then-26-year-old Princess wore it during the state visit of President Khama of Botswana in London. 

Since then, the late Queen Elizabeth II's daughter has worn the dress a handful of times - and it always remains in pristine condition. 

Princess Anne (right) wore the dress in 1978© PA Images
Princess Anne (right) wore the dress in 1978

Speaking about Princess Anne's impressive eco-credentials, Rosanna Peel, Sustainable Stylist for Green Salon, told HELLO!: "One has the impression that Princess Anne is utterly true to herself which is the hallmark of real style; her strength of personality seems to be reflected in her character and her work ethic rather than being defined by what she wears." 

As for her penchant for pre-loved clothing, Rosanna agreed: "It is great to see a woman with style and substance seemingly rejecting the fashion circus. Princess Anne has embraced beautiful and stylish clothes throughout the decades but always wears clothes that are appropriate for her role."

Princess Anne, Princess Royal arrives to attend a Rugby League Reception to thank the community for their work raising money for Motor Neuron Disease (MND) Association© Dominic Lipinski
Last week, the Princess Royal stepped out in a coat she had previously worn in 2014

Vintage clothing is seen as cool and aspirational now, amongst all generations, Princess Anne is a trailblazer of this thought," she added.

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