Princess Anne, The Princess Royal, hosted the “Not Forgotten Association Garden Party” for injured former servicemen and women at Buckingham Palace today. For this event, she wore a cream and navy straw hat. Two toned hats can be tough to pull off but this piece, with a navy crown and cream brim edged in navy piping, is well balanced. Princess Anne`s hats tend to have smallish brims and restrained trimmings- the larger scale of this piece looks great on her and the mix of feathers and straw bow loops brings the hat to life. This hat will not our annual list of favourites but it`s a lovely hat on Anne (and certainly, a vast improvement on the first hat she wore for several decades with this coat).
What do you think of Princess Anne`s two toned garden party hat?
Designer: unknown. Perhaps Nigel Rayment?
Previously Worn: May 28, 2014
Royal Hats 
Perfect! I love it.
As much as I adore Princess Anne, I understand that she doesn’t give a hoot about fashion, which is a shame, because she has a great slim physique, and she can look good in well-tailored clothes and elegant hats. This is an ideal hat for her.
Anne looks lovely in this bigger hat. It balances out her hair 😀 I hope she wears more like this!
Joining the fairly universal positivity towards the hat.
This is a most excellent hat for Anne and I always wonder why she doesn’t wear more in this style; it suits her wonderfully and she must repeat this hat again! As for her clothes, sometimes they may seem a bit dated, but she definitely makes them work and they seem more modern because of how they’re tailored; also, how many of us can say we’re even able to fit in, much less wear, clothes 30 years later? Most of my wardrobe from even 5 years ago has disappeared because it just didn’t fit correctly. Brava Anne!
For once, the Princess Royal looks well put together and not a bit dowdy and this hat has a lot to do with it. Every piece coordinates, even the (rather unnecessary) gloves. I hope someone will paste a picture of this ensemble on her mirror for her to emulate with other outfits. It even looks like she’s having fun!
Love the hat on her, this is one of her prettiest hats and hope to see it again. The blue is a perfect color for her and she should wear these type of hats more often, The coat…grrrrr not good, I do not like the blue on the shoulders, to match y match for my taste. The gloves, shoes and purse are all that is needed for this coat and hat. Otherwise, I so admire this lady, she would have made a wonderful queen.
I love this hat on Anne. Nice to see her break out a slightly larger hat than usual. I agree with other posters that her coat is timeless and lovely. I’d like to have it in my own closet. I also have wondered why the royals always wear coats at the garden parties. I can see it earlier in the season, but I think the temperature in London was in the mid-70s (F) yesterday, so surely a coat wasn’t needed?
The coat is exceptionally well made (must be to last almost 40 years) and I suspect is made of a light wool-silk blend. This fabric breathes beautifully and perhaps it is less warm than we imagine?
It’s a pretty, well proportioned hat, perfectly matched to the dated but nonetheless attractive coat. And Princess Anne is even wearing navy blue gloves. Perhaps the shoes and purse are blue too; I’m not sure.
I wonder, though, whether clothing protocol has changed at Buck House. The Queen now routinely looks as though she’s dressed for winter (I figured it’s because one tends to get colder as one ages), but I don’t see why Princess Anne doesn’t wear something more summery.
Straw hat, white coat… Seems quite summery to me! Unless we are in the midst of a “heatwave” (in English terms), it seems to me quite a usual sort of outfit to wear at this time of year.
I love the hat. The coat is awesome however old. But, its summer time, must the royals always dress in coats? I do admire Princess Anne. Anyone who can wear a coat like that and still look cool has my whole admiration.
I like the bigger hat but it feels a bit liks something Princess Alexandra would wear. Kudos to Anne for keeping her figure and rewearing a coat that is 36 years old!
Nice softness on this hat which I find refreshing for Ann who normally does not wear such frill – the coat is dreadful however.Ann is never going to be a fashion plate again as she once could be in the 60s (in her own way that is) – but she is such a great figurehead for British royalty, she really can do little wrong in my book.
I do actually like this hat as well. I realize the coat might be dated, but it looks great with the hat. Anne is above and beyond fashion because she is about service, not fashion. I admire that quality. She is one of the hardest working royals on the planet, and she does Britain proud every time. Some of her outfits do have me shaking my head on occasion, but generally she gets a pass. She does her job and she does it well. The fact that she can wear a coat over thirty years old is amazing. It is in great condition and looks appropriate. She reminds me of Queen Margrethe and Princess Beatrix. They have their own style and they wear what is comfortable and they wear what they like, and they do their job.
I agree. She has always been one of my favorite people. She leads by example.
Her hosting and dedication alleviates her lack of fashion. I do like the hat, but I admire Anne.
The new hat suits her well, definitely an improvement on the old hat (especially the oddly placed apricot flower at the front). I don’t mind the coat, it is a classic piece but agree it would be pretty warm and jars a bit with the summery new hat.
Hat is most attractive. The high neck of the coat would be uncomfortable on a warm, summer day I would have thought.
The Princess Royal suits wide-brimmed hats. This one is just right for her, though the coat is very dated.
She suits a bigger brim does Anne. This hat is just like any mother of the bride would wear to a wedding, so its nowt spectacular, but it suits her really well.
I really don’t mind this coat. Considering some of the things she insists on reviving, this is pretty timeless. She looks rather elegant I think.
The coat gives her a 1950’s vibe, the hat will look great on my though
Hat is wonderful, coat…not so much.
Maybe because it has been in the wardrobe since 1980. My goodness, 35 years old. That’s all I can say.
Seriously?! Well, this is Princess Anne we are talking about so yeah…it certainly could be 35 years old! You have to give her credit that she still fits it! And nobody could ever accuse her of sponging off the British tax payers.
I like the hat and the coat very much on the princess. She’s got such a great figure; I think she is especially good-looking in fitted clothing. If she would only change her hair style to a more modern style, and show that great smile, she would be very pretty indeed! When she smiles she lights up.
I love this hat on her! Soooo much better than the old hat. Can’t say I love how the coat/dress is so high and tight on her neck. But the hat is great