The Princess Royal has long been hailed as the hardest-working royal, racking up more royal engagements than her relatives each year, and a busy schedule calls for a practical beauty routine.
Minimal makeup aside from a swipe of rosy lipstick, and her salt and pepper hair swept into a simple yet effective chignon she has favoured for five decades, is her chosen daily look.
At the age of 74, Princess Anne has embraced her greys, opting to highlight her natural beauty by rarely deviating from her updo. But as a child, Anne proved to be more experimental with her hair – case in point, her Trooping the Colour appearance in 1963.
The then-13-year-old wore her shoulder-skimming long bob down, with her thick locks parted in the middle and curled at the ends, secured away from her eyes with a flower crown.
© Getty ImagesThe "frothy" and "fairytale princess" look, which HELLO!'s Deputy Beauty and Lifestyle Editor, Melanie Macleod, noted is a huge hit for the 2025 festival season, was finished with a white satin dress and pearls – but today, it would go just as well with bubble skirts and biker boots.
Melanie explained: "Princess Anne is known for no-nonsense hairstyles, so to see her rock a whimsical, hippy-inspired flower crown is quite the departure from her usual look! Frothy white flowers add a softness to the young royal's vibe, creating a fairy-princess feel which I've never seen before - or since, for that matter!
© Tim Graham Photo Library via Get"While I can't imagine her wearing anything like this now, with festival season in full swing, it's an on-trend look that Princess Charlotte could pull off with aplomb."
The Princess of Wales' daughter has proven her penchant for whimsical flower crowns on several occasions. Back in 2018, the tot was a cute addition to Meghan Markle's bridal party with a Philippa Craddock floral headpiece.
One year earlier, she had worn a more delicate piece made up of gypsophila for Kate's sister Pippa's wedding, alongside a Victorian-style cream frock by Pepa & Company.
Anne's 'untamed' hair
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrincess Anne has been vocal about doing her own hair before royal engagements, admitting it takes her as little as 10 minutes to achieve her go-to chignon.
Her former hairstylist, Michael Rasser, previously praised her ability to do DIY hair and revealed the real reason she likes to keep it long.
© Getty ImagesIn an interview with the BBC ahead of her wedding to Captain Mark Phillips in 1973, Michael, who had been working with Anne for two years, revealed she was the one responsible for her hair when she wore hats.
"That she does herself. She's very, very clever, in fact. She's not at all frightened of doing her own hair, and she copes very well with a lot of hats. I think it should be very simple anyway, rather than overdressed, and she normally just catches it up very simply," he said.
© Getty ImagesHe described the royal's mane as "untamed sometimes and said "it needs handling", but the length makes it practical for both low-key and black tie engagements.
"I think really for her position in life, it's best to have long hair. Number one for the riding, she can just tie it back, then for evening functions, short hair with a tiara doesn't look that great. You have to balance it with some shape and some hair," said the hairdresser.
