Princess Anne, often referred to as the 'Queen of Recycling,' has once again showcased her commitment to sustainable fashion by wearing a gown that dates back to 1984. The 75-year-old royal donned the butter yellow dress, featuring pink embroidered roses and a delicate cape detail, for the Centenary Banquet of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners at Guildhall in London.
Social media users identified the gown as the same one Anne wore in 1984 during a visit to Gambia in her capacity as patron of Save the Children UK. At 34, she was pictured in the floral dress with a gold and diamond necklace, earrings, and white gloves.
Fans expressed their admiration for the Princess Royal's enduring style and wardrobe choices. Comments highlighted her ability to perfectly fit into garments worn decades apart, with some remarking on the timelessness of her fashion sense and their own struggles to fit into clothes from the previous year.
This is not the first time Princess Anne has been noted for re-wearing older garments. Earlier this year, she appeared at Royal Ascot in a pale pink skirt suit that she had previously worn 25 years ago. Additionally, she wore a butter yellow hat to her son Peter Phillips' wedding that she had also worn to her daughter Zara Tindall's christening 45 years prior. For that 1981 christening, she paired the hat with a strawberry print dress.
The Princess Royal's dedication to re-wearing pieces extends to coats and other accessories. A turquoise dress, first worn in 1978, has reappeared at events such as Royal Ascot in 2013 and a visit to Dubai in 2024. Similarly, a lilac coat was seen at least six times between 1982 and 2004.
Princess Anne herself has commented on her approach to fashion, stating, '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.'
In another notable instance, a cream-colored coat worn by the princess in March for a banquet honoring a Nigerian state visit was recognized as the same garment she wore at age 18 in 1969 to the premiere of 'Run Wild, Run Free.' On that occasion, dressmakers had reportedly made alterations to the collar, and she paired it with a diamond choker previously gifted to Queen Mary.
