Princess Anne brings Cinderella to life in fairytale ruffled ballgown


The Princess Royal, then 34, wore one of her most iconic ballgowns at a 1985 film premiere alongside Princess Diana and the Queen Mother


LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 13:  Princess Anne, Princess Royal attends a banquet at the Guildhall during a State visit by the King and Queen of Spain on July 13, 2017 in London, England.  This is the first state visit by the current King Felipe and Queen Letizia, the last being in 1986 with King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia.  (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)© Getty Images
Nichola Murphy
Nichola MurphyLifestyle Editor
1 hour ago
Share this:

It's not difficult to draw parallels between Disney princesses and real-life royalty, from their tiara moments to their picturesque weddings.

One area that can't be overlooked is their fashion, with royals such as Princess Anne stepping out in gowns that wouldn't look out of place in a fairytale. Casting our mind back to 1985, the Princess Royal, then 34, embodied Cinderella in one of her at the film premiere of A Passage To India.

The soft off-white dress featured the dramatic puff sleeves, rounded neckline and full skirt of the 1950s cartoon princess, with the added drama of ruffles that defined the 80s maximalist fashion era.

Princess Anne At The Film Premiere Of A "passage To India" In London.© Getty
Princess Anne experimented with ruffles and puff sleeves at a film premiere in 1985

Anne added white gloves, satin shoes and a pearl choker for her evening look as she joined Princess Diana and the Queen Mother at the event. The royals similarly showed off their sartorial prowess in a blue one-shouldered gown and a glittery embellished frock.

Princess Anne, Princess Diana and the Queen Mother were pictured in their evening gowns at the premiere of A Passage To India© Getty
Princess Anne, Princess Diana and the Queen Mother were pictured in their evening gowns at the premiere of A Passage To India
Recommended videoYou may also likeWATCH: 8 quirky outfits that made Princess Anne an unexpected style icon

The most anti-Disney princess member of the royal family

Princess Anne has had a handful of other , including her Tudor-style wedding dress by Maureen Baker for Susan Small for her 1973 ceremony with Captain Mark Phillips.

However, she has more commonly been referred to as the antithesis of a traditional fairytale archetype, even famously stating she was a "huge disappointment" with her largely practical approach to fashion.

Rejecting the glamorous image associated with royalty, Anne poked fun at societal expectations for her style.

Mountbatten-Windsor first appeared on an official document on Princess Anne's wedding day in 1973© Getty
Princess Anne wore a Tudor-style wedding dress to marry Captain Mark Phillips in 1973

"As a young princess, I was a huge disappointment to everyone concerned. It's impractical to go around in life dressed in a long white dress and a crown," she reportedly once said in a TV interview.

As an accomplished equestrian who competed in the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Anne often favoured horse-riding attire. Defending her casual fashion choices, which were criticised in the 1970s, she quipped: "When I appear in public, people expect me to neigh, grind my teeth, paw the ground and swish my tail – none of which is easy!"

Aside from her fashion, Anne has confirmed she is far from the damsel in distress that traditional fairytale princesses are often portrayed as in the movies. 

Princess Anne riding a horse© Getty
Princess Anne addressed her equestrian fashion choices

This was proven when an armed kidnapper stopped her car on The Mall in March 1974 and shot her police protection officer. He tried to physically force her out of the car with the aim of demanding a £2 million ransom. 

Despite the high-pressure, dangerous situation, Anne famously stood her ground and refused to get out of her car. She later recalled she told him: "Not bloody likely!"

More Royal Style
See more
Conversation

For more information on our conversation section, please read our Community Guidelines. Comments featured and views shared are not endorsed by HELLO!.