Princess Anne, 75, Revives Outfit from Age 18 for Nigerian State Banquet — Photos

When Princess Anne walked into St George's Hall at Windsor Castle on Wednesday evening, something about her cream-coloured coat stopped royal watchers dead in their tracks — scroll down to see the jaw-dropping photos for yourself.

The Princess Royal, 75, attended the state banquet hosted by King Charles III to honour Nigeria's first state visit to the UK in nearly 40 years. But it wasn't the historic occasion alone that set tongues wagging.

Eagle-eyed royal fans quickly recognised that the floor-length coat she wore had last been seen on her shoulders 57 years ago — when she was just 18 years old.

In June 1969, a teenage Anne had worn the striking white coat to attend the London premiere of "Run Wild, Run Free". At the time, she wore it open, revealing an ornate underlayer patterned both around the collar and at the lower hem. Her hair was styled in a high, elegant updo, and she carried a clutch bag — the picture of late-1960s chic.

Fast-forward nearly six decades, and the coat has clearly been in careful hands. The distinctive ribbed, textured fabric remains the same, as does the remarkable geometric circular detailing on the cuffs — a feature unmistakably identical across both outings.

However, the elaborate concentric-circle collar of 1969, which gave the coat its youthful, statement feel, has been replaced with a simpler, more traditional shape in plain material. It is widely believed that Anne tasked a dressmaker with updating the piece rather than commissioning something entirely new — a very on-brand move for the Princess Royal.

At the banquet, Anne wore the coat closed and paired it with a blue sash, a sparkling tiara, pearl necklace, and her ceremonial honours and medals — an ensemble befitting the grandeur of the occasion. Her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, accompanied her in formal black-and-red evening dress uniform.

The public reaction was nothing short of delighted. "Amazing! A piece from 69 still in use! 😮😮😮," one fan marvelled.

Another reflected warmly, "My mother always said if you wait long enough everything comes back into fashion. Mind you, most of us couldn't fit into clothes we wore as teenagers, or have the cupboard space to store them. More kudos to Anne."

The fit, in particular, left many speechless. "What is REALLY amazing is that it still fits her," one admirer exclaimed. Another laughed along, gushing, "Wow! Wish I could get into clothes from 57 years ago. Or even from seven years ago haha."

One fan pointed out with a hint of gentle correction that the coat had been misread by some critics. "There's nothing wrong with wearing it again. It hasn't dated because it wasn't fashionable then. The new collar is an improvement. The coat doesn't look bad at all," they quipped.

And one commenter cheekily noted, "She has always been known for being thrifty when it comes to clothes! How many women in their 70s can still wear something they wore in their 20s!"

This is, of course, far from the first time Anne has dipped into her storied wardrobe archive. The Princess Royal has long earned the unofficial title of "Queen of Royal Recycling". She has previously worn a 36-year-old coat on Christmas Day, and a 27-year-old dress to a wedding.

Her beloved turquoise dress — first worn during the 1978 state visit of President Khama of Botswana when she was just 26 — has resurfaced numerous times, including at Royal Ascot in 2013 and during a visit to the Queen Elizabeth 2 hotel in Dubai in 2024. A lilac coat, meanwhile, made at least six appearances on royal duties between 1982 and 2004.

Anne herself has spoken candidly about her approach to dressing. "A good suit goes on forever," she once said. "If it is properly made and has a classic look, you can wear it ad infinitum. The economy was bred into me."

Scroll down now to see the remarkable photos of Princess Anne in the same coat — 57 years apart.

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