Princess Anne's 1976 Olympic Games outfits were actually seriously chic

Queen Elizabeth II's only daughter competed at the 1976 Olympic Games in Canada

Fashion Features Writer

July 25, 2024Jul 25, 2024, 12:53 PM GMT+1

Honestly? Taking style inspiration from Princess Anne's 1976 Summer Olympic Games uniform wasn't on my 2024 bingo card.

As the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Princess Royal was always destined to do something great, and it’s common knowledge that Anne’s mother was a keen equestrian fanatic.

It was a passion that was clearly passed on to Anne through the late Queen's DNA - so much so that it resulted in Anne competing for Great Britain 48 years ago.

As we know all too well, the Olympics, though a sporting event, has forever also been a major fashion spectacle and an excuse for countries to show off their most prestigious designers and fashion houses. From gameday sportswear to the opening ceremony ensembles, Olympic fashion has, and forever will be, a constant source of inspiration for us style obsessives (just take Team Mongolia's 2024 Paris Olympic Uniforms as an example).

Take a look at some of Princess Anne's ultra-chic Olympics outfits...

Princess Anne competes as part of the British equestrian team in the Montreal Olympic Games on July 19, 1976 — The head scarf is truly iconic

To compete in the Three Day Event at the games - the first and so far, only Summer Olympic Games to be held in Canada, Anne, alongside her teammates was kitted out in a series of ensembles that both Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid would wear out and about on the city streets of New York City.

HRH Princess Anne, The Princess Royal aboard Goodwill during the Mixed Three-Day Event Team Cross-Country at the XXI Olympic Summer Games on 24 July 1976 — Off to Bricklane Vintage market we go to find ourselves something similar

She also donned a pair of knee-high leather riding boots, a set of nude-toned jodhpurs and a bright red tracksuit jacket which was complete with a bold blue collar and hem trim, a front zipper and ‘Great Britain’ embroidered in crisp white bold letters across the back. Little did Princess Anne, or the designer behind the athleisure look know that the now retro-inspired jacket would be one of 2024 most notable streetwear trends for cool-girls around the globe.

Princess Anne in her team uniform at Heathrow airport, where she flew off to the Montreal Olympic games with the rest of Britain's equestrian squad. The Princess is a member of the three-day event team — Imagine this 'fit with a little shaping and kitten heel *chefs kiss*

When not saddled up, Anne turned to her formal team uniform - a baby blue-toned two-piece suit with a white blouse and matching bucket hat, a style which was also worn by the male athletes.

MORE: Simone Biles' most stylish gymnastics outfits of all time

Tomorrow, Friday, July 25th marks the start of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, where the world's most acclaimed top athletes will compete for countries with the hope of bringing back a gold medal. At this stage, many countries have already unveiled their team uniforms however some have kept things under wraps, waiting for the opening ceremony to debut their squad looks, which means even if you’re not wild about sports we suggest you tune in for the fashion.

Sign up to HELLO! Fashion for style tips, cultural insights, must-have items, and more

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please click here.