In praise of Princess Anne’s accidentally stylish Sri Lanka tour outfits

While the Princess of Wales is naturally the focus of much praise when it comes to her sartorial choices, there’s another member of the Royal family who regularly proves herself to be a style icon: Princess Anne.

This week was a case in point, as she stepped out for engagement after engagement in Sri Lanka looking practical, appropriate and, it goes without saying, chic in her own unique way.

It began when she disembarked her commercial flight (tick!) carrying her beloved Longchamp Le Pliage travel bag (an essential she is often photographed with while on these tours).

Dressed in a cream-coloured pinstripe suit, with a tailored blazer and loose-fitting trousers, she looked ready for business, while simultaneously comfortable. The pièce de résistance of the look? Her royal blue blouse with on-trend oversized collar – a surprising pop of colour that put us in mind of Prada’s retro suiting.

“The big thing to remember is that it is incredibly intentional,” explains Rosie Harte, the author of The Royal Wardrobe, published last summer.

“When you look at other royal tours in recent years, that instance of stepping off the plane is such a big moment for setting the tone for what that member of the Royal family is intending to get out of that trip, and how they want people to see them, especially back home. It’s why they disembark outside, not inside the airport, so that there are as many people and cameras there as possible.”

So what does Anne’s look signify? She’s here for business, of course. No-nonsense, as always.

The 73-year-old wore the same look to her first engagement of the day, adding a brooch and removing her beloved Adidas wrap-around sunglasses. “On other royal tours you might see other members of the family change their look to adapt to the situation, but Anne doesn’t do that,” continues Harte. “That’s really to emphasise the amount of stuff she’s getting done in one day.”

Indeed, the Princess Royal’s USP is that she’s the hardest working, racking up more engagements than other family members year in, year out, so it’s no surprise she’s simply not got time to get changed.

Her evening engagement – a reception with Sri Lanka’s prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe – required more formal attire. She dressed for the occasion in a colourful printed shift dress with long sleeves, something of a signature Anne look, which she paired with pearl jewellery (including a triple-strand necklace that is believed to have belonged to Queen Elizabeth II) and a white scarf and gloves.

The latter item – opera gloves – might seem a strange choice to many, but again it’s an example of Anne being accidentally on trend. While the Princess Royal likely wears them for etiquette reasons – her late mother was rarely seen without her gloves on – they’re actually incredibly cool among Gen Z, who style them for nights out. Indeed, there are currently 5.2 million views of the hashtag “operagloves” on TikTok – and they were of fixture on the Valentino A/W ’23 catwalk.

As Harte explains: “Principally I think Anne’s gloves serve as a reminder that her ‘old money’ style isn’t a trend like it is to so many people on social media; it’s her authentic lifestyle. Anne belongs to that older generation that lived and breathed these classic rules of etiquette, and so she still persists in wearing her gloves for formal occasions. It’s her way of showing respect for the importance of the function.”

Of course, Anne’s habit for rewearing things she’s owned forever means she’s sure to be accidentally trendy as things come back into fashion, such as the current vogue for “quiet luxury”.

“On social media there are pictures of Anne from her 20s that have got a lot of attention and gone viral,” says Harte. “In her off-duty equestrian wear or even in dressage, she looks like she’s stepped out of a Ralph Lauren advert.”

Her day two look epitomised this “old money” style, with an all-white ensemble accessorised classically with a tan belt and nude handbag (the same one she has worn throughout). The very fact of rewearing clothing also makes her au courant, as we are all in pursuit of a greener approach to fashion. It also highlights her constancy – as well as that of the monarchy – something she is keen to promote.

On her final day of engagements in Sri Lanka, Anne opted for a loose paisley printed midi skirt and shirt, which once again looked like it could have vintage Gucci but was actually a rare new purchase for her, from Cheltenham-based store Cotswold Collections, near her Gatcombe Park home.

Once again, she accessorised with her wraparound sunglasses, an offbeat sporty choice with which she has become synonymous (so much so, that The Crown’s costume designers went to great lengths to feature them in a scene from the show’s final season).

While Anne isn’t someone who particularly “enjoys” fashion – seeing it instead as a problem to be solved, there’s no denying that her equestrian cool and continual love of her own vintage wardrobe means she’s more often on trend than not.