Princess Anne celebrated her birthday Sunday, an event we mark with a look into her hat closet. Today we’re looking at her pink hats, an inventory that would not be complete without the boater with silk flowers and trailing back bow she wore for 21st birthday portraits in 1971:
And this wide brimmed blush Garbo hat with pink, green and white hatbands, shown below in 1974:
Since 2000, The Princess Royal has added just four pink designs – two hats and two headpieces- into her wardrobe
1.
2.
Designer: Walter Wright; unknown
Introduced: June 21, 2001; June 16, 2010
3.
4.
Designer: unknown Snoxell Gwyther
Introduced: July 30, 2011, June 19, 2014
It’s an eclectic mix. Anne’s approach to fashion is a pragmatic one most of the time yet just the first hat fits this- the other three designs have only made one appearance! The fuchsia stovepipe cloche is a hat that warrants discussion, not only because it topped what I think is her best-ever Ascot ensemble, but because it makes such a confidently fantastic stand-out statement and we don’t see many of those from the Princess Royal. The shape is, arguably, a bit dated now but that aside, how I’d love to see it step out again.
What do you think of these pink hats?
Images from Getty and social media as indicated; Rachel Adams; Anwar Hussein, Chris Jackson and Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty
Royal Hats 
Of the more modern hats, my favourite is #1 which I think suits the PR best, but I love both of the hats from the 1970s!
I must say also how much the Garbo hat was of its time. My auntie had a similar hat in blue (although the brim was a bit smaller) for her son’s wedding in 1972.
I adore the fuchsia pink hat. Because of her recycling of items, the Princess Royal is often overlooked in the fashion stakes but this shows the can pack a sartorial punch. The style may be a bit dated but the Duchess of Cornwall gets away with the oversized Philip Tracey hats so I think it is permissable.
I have long loved #4’s fuchsia brilliance and am sad it’s never gotten a repeat (I agree it’s one of Anne’s best Ascot looks, and looks in general).
#3’s outfit was paired with a brimmed hat at Ascot 2012 that was much of an improvement over the odd little fascinator she wore with it originally:
Embed from Getty Images
I do agree that this larger hat suits the outfit much better than the fascinator, balancing it more with the wide neckline.
This hat warrants mention here, worn in this photo to Ascot on June 16, 1988.
Embed from Getty Images
Pink just isn’t a colour you think of when Princess Anne comes to mind is it?! I’ve had a good look, and can’t find any others – apart from this one which you beat me to!
#4 is fab, and even though the shape is a bit over, we’ll see it again I’m sure. It suits her well. I’m not sure Anne’s Barnet is right for the very small hairpieces she sometimes favours, they just disappear a bit.
I love that Garbo hat, but it’s a tad too big for her face shape I think. Nonetheless it’s fabulous. I bet she still has it…
This series proves to me that Anne should wear boaters and garbo hats more often. She probably still has these in the back of the closet so a little bit of updating would work! I also love the ensemble worn with Hat #4, it’s one of my favorites!
That 21st birthday photo is such a good evocation of its time. What an ecelctic selection of more recent hats. Number 1 is a really beautiful hat, but certainly reinforces how important light effects are; in the Getty photo you linked to, the silk and the straw look the same hue and it’s gorgeous, yet in the photo above, the lighting is different and the straw elements look a bit muddy in contrast to the silk. I am surprised by my reaction to the shocking pink hat (4). I like it very much as a hat, and if I’d been asked, I’d have said that Princess Anne above most people would be able to wear any hat and be at least on equal terms with it, but it does seem to me that here the hat is coming off best. Somehow, the slightly exaggerated height seems to overwhelm her.
I’m going with Hat 1 – the shade of pink is very delicate and because the hat is a reminder of how simply gorgeous she was as a young woman. I suspect the dress is still in her wardrobe and still fits
Love the pink boater so classic and the shade of pink is very romantic.
Thanks for sharing.
Loretta