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Princess Anne's long hair

Princess Anne's rarely-seen tumbling hair at the Olympics will make you double take

Princess Anne's rarely-seen tumbling hair at the Olympics will make you double take

Georgia Brown
Senior Lifestyle & Fashion Writer
July 29, 2024
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Princess Anne continues to delight spectators in Paris as she cheers on Team GB at the Olympic Games, just weeks after suffering a concussion and a minor head injury.

The 73-year-old royal has a long affinity with the Olympics, having become the first British royal to compete in the international sporting event in 1976. 

Rewind to 1972, four years before her Olympic athlete debut, Princess Anne was amongst spectators at the Summer Olympic Games in Munich, West Germany.

In a rare unearthed photograph, the mother-of-two looks so different as she lets her rarely-seen curls fall past her shoulders.

Princess Anne wears her rarely-seen long hair down as she meets the British equestrian team at the 1972 Summer Olympics© Getty
Princess Anne wears her rarely-seen long hair down as she meets the British equestrian team at the 1972 Summer Olympics

 Wearing a fitted, collared blouse with low-slung jeans, the Princess was a cool and casual style icon as she spoke with equestrians and took photographs in the crowd. 

She wore chic, slimline sunglasses pushed back on top of her head, and appeared to go makeup free, letting her naturally radiant complexion shine through. 

Princess Anne taking a photograph at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany© Getty
Princess Anne taking a photograph at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany

Today, the Princess' neatly coiffed chignon hairstyle has become synonymous with her image - and is a hairstyle she has worn consistently for the last five decades. 

It has served the Princess Royal since the 1980s, acting as her suit of armour during her military career, her go-to for royal engagements and most importantly, the perfect base for a glittering tiara. 

The Princess royal wears a striped tshirt and sunglasses as she wears her hair down while on a yacht© Shutterstock
In the 70s, the Princess Royal often wore her hair down

At age 21, however, the daughter of Queen Elizabeth II took a far more carefree approach to styling her hair and often wore her mane loose in thick, bouncy waves. 

Princess Anne's Olympic career

The Princess Royal is renowned for her love of sport and equestrianism, which is shared by her daughter Zara Tindall, who has also competed in the Olympic Games. 

Princess Anne rode the late Queen's horse, Goodwill, in the equestrian three-day event at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games.

Princess Anne competing at the 1976 Olympics© Getty
Princess Anne competing at the 1976 Olympics

The Queen and the late Duke of Edinburgh, along with Princess Anne's brothers, then Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward, flew to Canada to support her.

princess anne olympics president© Getty
The Princess has remained a part of the Olympic committee since competing

While Anne didn't come away with any Olympic medals, her equestrian career was still a success. She won a gold medal in 1971 and two silver medals in 1975 at the European Eventing Championships.

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