- Princess Anne changed up her signature hairstyle after wearing a ’60s-inspired bouffant for decades.
- The royal arrived at the French State Dinner with her hair in a low chignon.
- King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Kate Middleton were also in attendance.
Great Britain’s hardest working royal is making an unexpected statement this week after debuting a new hairstyle that was arguably decades in the making. For as long as most royal fans can remember, Princess Anne has sported a ’60s-inspired bouffant updo to the vast majority of her public appearances; on Tuesday, however, she stepped out for the French state banquet with her hair styled in an updo more accurately characterized as a low chignon. It was a subtle yet surprising change-up for the Princess.
Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence at the French State Banquet at Windsor Castle.
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Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence at the French State Banquet at Windsor Castle.
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The French State Banquet was a well-attended and highly publicized event. As expected, Princess Anne was joined by her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, her brother, King Charles, and his wife, Queen Camilla. Prince William and Kate Middleton also made an appearance. The banquet was a major milestone for the Princess of Wales, who had not attended a state dinner, or worn a tiara, since her cancer diagnosis in 2024.
Additionally, the French state visit is the first since 2014 to take place at Windsor Castle, when Ireland’s President Michael D. Higgins and his wife visited the U.K. under Queen Elizabeth’s reign.
The Prince and Princess of Wales at the French State Banquet at Windsor Castle.
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As for Middleton’s topper of choice? Royals fans may recognize it as Queen Mary’s Lovers’ Knot Tiara, a favorite of both the Princess and her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana.