Princess Anne up close in dark green jacket and hat

The Prince of Wales’ aunt styled a forest green skirt suit with an accessory dating back to her engagement to Mark Phillips in 1973

rincess Anne was all smiles on Monday as she arrived at Westminster Abbey for the annual Commonwealth Day service ceremony. The sister of King Charles styled it out in green, but it was her glittering accessory that caught our attention.

The Princess Royal, 75, pinned a brooch to her jacket, which she wore back in 1973 in her engagement photos with her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips. On this occasion, she wore it with a candy pink fitted blazer and tartan pleated skirt as she took a stroll with her fiancé in the grounds of Buckingham Palace.

Princess Anne waist up in forest green blazer© Getty Images
Princess Anne wore a brooch that she also wore during her engagement photos in the 1970s

Princess Anne re-wears her engagement brooch

Princess Anne with her fiance equestrian champion Mark Phillips in the grounds of Buckingham Palace in pink skirt suit and him in a plain black suit© Getty Images
Princess Anne wore the brooch in May 1973 following the announcement of her and Mark’s engagement the previous day

In the unearthed photos, the brooch was pinned to the collared neckline of her cropped jacket to accentuate the pussy bow. The royal’s diamond floral brooch is believed to have been an 18th birthday present from her parents, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, or her grandmother, as it was first spotted publicly in 1969 when she caught a flight to Paris for a party.

The Princess Royal in a deep green skirt and jacket ensemble alongside husband arriving at abbey© PA Images via Getty Images
The Princess Royal pinned the brooch to a deep green skirt and jacket ensemble

Since then, she has worn it in Singapore last November as she attended a birthday party in honour of her brother, King Charles, at the British High Commissioner’s Residence.

Anne’s Commonwealth Day 2026 outfit

he Princess Royal and Sir Tim Laurence attending the annual Commonwealth Day Service© Alamy
The Princess Royal and Sir Tim Laurence attending the annual Commonwealth Day Service

As for Anne’s look for the Commonwealth Day service, the princess opted for a pencil skirt with a longline formal jacket in the same colour that featured a Mandarin collar and an embroidered fastening. She attended with her second husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, whom she married in 1992 following her divorce from Mark.

She teamed it with a bow-adorned pillbox hat and slip-on black heels. The shade of green, which is not a colour that Anne wears too often, suited her perfectly, and according to fashion stylist and colour expert Constance Richardson, it “evokes balance, freshness, and growth.”

Keeping it casual

Princess Anne was presenting the Auld Alliance Trophy to Sione Tuipulotu of Scotland© Getty Images
Princess Anne was presenting the Auld Alliance Trophy to Sione Tuipulotu of Scotland

The outing, which required formal attire, comes after Anne opted for a more casual look while attending a Guinness Six Nations match between Scotland and France at the Murrayfield stadium on 7 March.

Here, the princess opted for what has quickly become her rugby match attire – a navy duffel coat with trousers and a blue and green tartan scarf.

She shared a laugh with the player after she dodged his hug© Getty Images
She shared a laugh with the player after she dodged his hug

Anne delighted onlookers as, in her capacity as patron of the Scottish Rugby Union, she jokingly swerved a hug from player Sione Tuipulotu as she presented him with The Auld Alliance Trophy, and while grinning, gripped his hand in the usual handshake considered more appropriate protocol for working royals.

As with all of her Scottish rugby outings, Anne pinned a circular silver brooch to her jacket, which features Celtic-style engravings and four amethyst stones.