While Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle are often hailed as the royal family’s most influential style tastemakers, their path was arguably forged by Queen Elizabeth II’s only daughter, Princess Anne.
The fashion icon – who’s sartorial influence became particularly popular after being depicted in Netflix’s The Crown – celebrated turning 70 in the stylish fashion we’ve come to expect from the royal.
Over the weekend, the Princess Royal celebrated the milestone in style with a series of new portraits taken by one of her favourite photographers, John Swannell, at her Gloucestershire home back in February, before the COVID-19 restrictions took place.
Queen Elizabeth marked her daughter’s birthday with one of the new photos, and thanked fans for their “warm wishes,” adding the hashtags “#HappyBirthdayHRH” and “#PrincessRoyalat70.”
Meanwhile, brother Prince Charles and sister-in-law Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, wished Anne a happy birthday with a slideshow of “family photos through the decades.”
To date, Anne is one of the hardest-working members of the royal family. She has over 300-plus patronages and near-daily schedule of engagements.
But for her birthday, the royal reportedly took a break wit ha surprise celebration.
“I’m sure we’ll do something as a family to celebrate her 70 amazing years, her son-in-law Mike Tindall previously told the BBC. “She’s just an incredible woman in terms of how much work she can get through in the year. We will be doing something. As yet, I don’t know whether she knows, so my lips are sealed.”