Princess Anne has once again proved herself the Queen of Royal recycling as she donned the same butter yellow hat for her son’s wedding as she did for her daughter’s christening 45 years ago.
The Princess Royal, 75, looked radiant as ever in the tonal ensemble she stepped out in for Peter Phillips’ marriage to Harriet Sperling on Saturday.
Her sunshine accessories, including a button-up jacket, shawl and the hat, paired perfectly with the yellow accents in her floral dress.
She was last seen wearing the same hat in 1981 for Zara Tindall’s christening at Windsor Castle.
At the time, she paired it with a dress in the same shade featuring a print of tiny strawberries.
Princess Anne has many times circled back around to her favourite coats, dresses, hats and handbags over the years – earning her the nickname the Queen of Royal recycling.
Sometimes, she goes a step further by replicating the outfit in its entirety – complete with jewellery and shoes.
Other classic examples of Anne’s recycling include the turquoise dress, which she wore for the first time during the 1978 state visit of President Khama of Botswana when she was 26.
The Princess Royal , 75, looked radiant as ever in the tonal ensemble she stepped out in for Peter Phillips’ marriage to Harriet Sperling on Saturday
Princess Anne was very cheerful at her son’s wedding as she was seen laughing and smiling, despite the weather
Princess Anne’s son, 48, and his NHS nurse bride, 45, who looked resplendent in a white Emilia Wickstead gown and the Pragnell family tiara, were the picture of wedded bliss outside All Saints Church
The dress has popped up again numerous times over the years, including at the Royal Ascot in 2013 and for a visit to the Queen Elizabeth 2 hotel in Dubai in 2024.
There is also the lilac coat, which made an appearance at least six times on royal duties between 1982 and 2004.
She once addressed the habit, asserting: ‘A good suit goes on forever.
‘If it is properly made and has a classic look, you can wear it ad infinitum. The economy was bred into me.’
Princess Anne’s son, 48, and his NHS nurse bride, 45, who looked resplendent in a white Emilia Wickstead gown and the Pragnell family tiara, were the picture of wedded bliss as they sealed their marriage with a kiss outside All Saints Church.
Harriet’s wedding train was held by her three bridesmaids, her daughter Georgina, 14, and Peter’s children, Isla, 14, and Savannah, 15, with former wife Autumn Kelly, who all looked elegant in floral garlands and matching white dresses from the same designer.
The couple’s guests included the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, as well as Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, with their respective husbands Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Jack Brooksbank.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s daughters have come under renewed public scrutiny after a report by the National Audit Office yesterday laid bare how they have been secretly subsidised for years by their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and now by their uncle, King Charles.
The sisters have never personally paid a penny in rent, despite living in exclusive properties at Kensington Palace and St James’s Palace for nearly two decades.
The Princess Royal first wore this turquoise dress during the 1978 state visit of President Khama of Botswana, in London, when she was 26. She wore it most recently during a visit to the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Dubai in March 2024
Princess Anne’s daughter Zara Tindall was a vision in blue as she beamed at the nuptials today
But despite the controversy surrounding the siblings, they seemed to be firmly back in the fold at the wedding, sharing a peck on the cheek with Prince William and Peter’s sister, Zara, who attended the service with her husband Mike Tindall.
Proving the private service was a real family affair, their daughters Mia, 12, and Lena, seven, also attended the nuptials, located in Kemble near Cirencester, not far from Princess Anne’s home at Gatcombe Park.
During the ceremony, the bride was walked down the aisle by her brother Nicholas in honour of their late father Mr Rupert Sanders.
She teamed her stunning wedding dress, featuring a square neckline and lace detailing, with Jimmy Choo shoes and Pragnell earrings. Her hair was kept in an elegant bun to best showcase the shimmering tiara she wore.
Harriet’s priceless diamond tiara is known as the ‘Pragnell’ family tiara and has been worn by generations of the British jewellery firm, including at the Coronation of both King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.
The design incorporates both the Edwardian and Deco periods and highlights a festoon of glittering leaves with floral motifs, and is very similar to a tiara owned by The Princess Royal, in the official photograph celebrating her 50th birthday in 2000.
Elsewhere, Harriet’s bridal bouquet was created by renowned floral artist Millie Richardson which included sweet peas, myrtle and lily of the valley.
The myrtle is both a family tradition in Harriet’s family and the Royal Family alike, with its symbolic meaning of love, beauty, and peace.
The service was led by the Reverend Dr Steve Bullock of All Saints Parish Church, with the marriage blessing and address by the Reverend Nicky Gumbel.
Guests included the bride and grooms parents and siblings, such as Peter’s half-sister Stephanie Hosier with her husband William, and Peter and Stephanie’s father Captain Mark Phillips, the ex husband of Princess Anne.
