Princess Anne made a rare public appearance alongside her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, on Monday as they joined other senior members of the royal family to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
In her role as Commandant-in-Chief of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (Princess Royal’s Volunteer Corps), Anne donned a military uniform with no additional decorations—the same style worn by her late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, during the iconic balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace on VE Day in 1945, when she was serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Services.
The ensemble featured a green belted jacket over a classic buttoned shirt and tie. Though the photos span eight decades, the resemblance between mother and daughter—both dedicated to duty—was striking.
Princess Anne, who holds the title of Commandant-in-Chief of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, chose a look almost identical to her mother’s from 80 years ago.
As always, Anne kept her signature appearance intact, opting for her classic chignon hairstyle tucked neatly under her hat and adding a touch of boldness with her trademark ruby red lipstick.
Over the years, Anne has refined her beauty routine, sticking to a consistent style whether she’s attending everyday royal engagements or formal evening functions. Her look has become so distinctive that it’s not easily copied.
Erin Doherty, who portrayed Anne in The Crown, shared that she sometimes spent up to two hours in the makeup chair while wearing a complex ‘ladder wig’ designed to mirror Anne’s voluminous 1970s hair.
Reacting to this, Anne was surprised. “I’m thinking, ‘How could you possibly take that long?’ I mean, it takes me 10 or 15 minutes,” she remarked, noting that her own hair routine is far more efficient.
Also present at Monday’s celebrations were King Charles and Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh. The event included a parade, a flypast featuring the famous Red Arrows, and a traditional appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony.
Later in the day, veterans and members of the Second World War generation—including former British and Commonwealth Armed Forces personnel, WRENs, and Special Operations Executives—were invited to a tea party held on the palace grounds.
Commemorations will continue throughout the week, including a special service at Westminster Abbey on Thursday, followed by a star-studded concert at Horse Guards Parade.
A glimpse into Queen Elizabeth’s secret VE Day outing
When Victory in Europe was declared on 8 May 1945, a young Princess Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret, aged 19 and 14 at the time, longed to join the public celebrations happening outside the palace.
With the permission of their father, King George VI, the two princesses ventured into the London crowds accompanied by 16 trusted members of the royal household, among them the Queen’s cousin Margaret Rhodes and Margaret’s future romantic interest, Peter Townsend.
Margaret Rhodes later recounted: “We crossed the forecourt at Buckingham Palace and got to the railings and there were these masses and masses of people. There was a general thing of, ‘We want the King and Queen,’ which we all frantically joined in with and were amazed when, five or 10 minutes later, the windows opened and they came out onto the balcony.”
She added, “It was like a wonderful escape for the girls. I don’t think they’d ever been out among millions of people. It was just freedom – to be an ordinary person.”