The late Queen Elizabeth famously wore bold, even fluorescent colours during royal outings to ensure she was seen in a crowd, and her vibrant colour palette seems to have been passed down to her only daughter, Princess Anne.
During a visit to the Royal Marines Experience Museum, the Princess Royal – who is Patron of the Royal Navy Museums – stepped out in a head-turning turquoise and gold outfit.
She wore a padded patchwork jacket with abstract prints, teamed with a pencil skirt that fell to her ankles, finished with gold embroidery at the hem. Navy suede accessories completed her tonal look, broken up only by Anne's trademark ruby red lipstick.
Sharing photos on X, the Royal Marines wrote: "HRH Princess Royal formally opened the new Royal Marines Experience in @PHDockyard last night, joining @GenGJenkinsRM for an event combining traditional Corps celebrations marking our 362nd birthday with a look at the incredible new venue."
Queen Elizabeth's secret rule with colour
The Duchess of Edinburgh opened up about her late mother-in-law's iconic approach to fashion on the 2016 television documentary The Queen at 90.
© Getty Images"She needs to stand out for people to be able to say 'I saw the Queen'. Don't forget that when she turns up somewhere, the crowds are two, three, four, 10, 15 deep, and someone wants to be able to say they saw a bit of the Queen's hat as she went past," she said.
The Queen's personal dresser Angela Kelly reiterated this unwritten rule was true, and there were certain hues she would prefer for different times of the day.
"The colour chosen must suit The Queen and the occasion. Vibrant colours work well in the daytime: they allow her to stand out from the crowd and be visible to the well-wishers who have come to see her," she wrote in her palace-approved memoir, The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe.
Princess Anne's fashion comments
© GettyWhile the late Queen dressed to be identified by a crowd, Anne often chooses practical outfits that meet the demands of her busy schedule, especially since she is often crowned the hardest-working royal.
That's not to say she avoids bold colour; quite the opposite. The Princess Royal's wardrobe is often influenced by equestrian tailoring and durable British heritage textiles, and is created bespoke for her specific style so she can rewear it in the future.
Speaking to Vanity Fair in April 2020 for her 70th birthday, Anne said: "I still try and buy materials and have them made up because I think that’s more fun. It also helps to support those who still manufacture in this country. Don’t forget that the British manufacturing industry has been hammered."
