Princess Anne attended the Betfair Weekend King George Day and Summer Garden Party at Ascot Racecourse today. She wore an interesting green straw picture hat that, at first glance, appeared to be trimmed with a yellow feather. If you look closely, however, you will see that the feather is actually painted on the hat:
This trompe l’oeil feather was my first clue that this was not a new hat so I dove back into my photo archives and look what I found:
Visiting an Experimental Farm in Ottawa on July 5, 1982
It seems Princess Anne is rummaging deep into her closet again! Last week she recycled a hat from 1981; this hat cements her status as the Queen of Royal Hat Recycling. As for the hat… it’s a lovely colour on Anne and the classic shape saves it from looking dated. I’m just not a fan of the painted feather. I like my millinery trimmed with the real deal.
Designer: John Boyd
Previously Worn: July 5, 1982
Photos from Getty as indicated and Andy Clark/Canadian Press via the Windsor Star
Royal Hats 
I LOVE that she not only didn’t feel the need to go out and slaughter a bird for her hat but that she wasn’t wasteful and hadn’t chucked out a perfectly beautiful hat just because it may or may not be remembered. Cheers to you, Princess Anne. You wear it well.
Yes. Princess Anne is not wasteful like many other royals who must go out and buy a new hat and frock for every event they attend. Others should take a page from her book. She looks very nice in this hat.
Points for finding that this was a recycled hat! Very impressive…
I love the hat, it’s a great shape and suits Anne very much. And I really like the painted feather, though it does seem to have divided opinion here!
I think the peacock patterned fabric is exquisite. The yellow is the perfect choice to go with it, except the rounded corners above the buttons at the neckline don’t allow enough space for the blouse collar to sit properly. I don’t mind the painted feather, but it should have stopped at just the one at the front. A real feather would be my preference.
I like it, the painted effect is unusual and interesting.
The handpainting is most creative and unique.
How big is her closet??? I am impressed though. How many of us could wear the same clothes – and I am not counting hats here -that we wore 31 years ago! I like the trompe l’oeil effect.
You don’t see many hats with trompe l’oeil and it looks really good.
Seriously? Peacock feathers painted on a hat looks good? It’s hideous.
Good for her! She has a real nice figure and has kept in the same shape to wear all the clothes she wore 30 years ago. The only other painted straw hats I seen were in Mexico and they were real touristy not nice like this one.
This hat DOES look just like a cheap souvenir tourist hat that you’d barter for on a beach somewhere. Ugh.
TO my eyes the hat, feather, and ascott, AND Princess Anne look perfect. The blue picks up the blue in her eyes. She looks royal.
To my eyes this hat and outfit look perfect…the painted feather and all. The color of the hat draws attention to the blue in her eyes, also. Very nice….Princess Anne.
No jellyfish or birds were harmed in the manufacture of this hat. 🙂 Can you consider a hat recycled if it comes from your own collection and no rummaged from someone else?
Wait a minute – that’s the same dress too!
… and I failed to mention it looks even better now with the yellow overcoat than it did then. Very nice.
You said exactly what I thought, it’s even better with the yellow coat over the shirt / dress. I love it, it’s subtle and elegant, yet original.
You made me giggle, Gottfried. I think any hat that is more than 10 years old that re-appears on the head of any royal is fair game to be considered recycled!
The dress is the same too!
It’s pretty amazing that Princess Anne can fit into the same clothes she wore 30 years ago. Not many people can do that! I like the hat except for the feather.
air brushed hat art = BAD
I couldn’t have said it better myself. BAD BAD BAD.