Princess Anne Stuns with a Rare Hair Transformation at State Banquet

Royal fans were caught off guard when Princess Anne unveiled a dramatic change to her trademark hairstyle — a rare move that turned heads at a high-profile royal event.

On July 8, during the state banquet hosted at Windsor Castle in honor of French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron, the 74-year-old Princess Royal made an unexpected appearance with a brand-new look. For the first time in decades, King Charles’ sister opted for a different hairstyle, marking a subtle but striking departure from her usual presentation.

Rather than her signature bouffant — a voluminous style she’s worn consistently since the 1980s — Princess Anne arrived with her hair styled into a sleek chignon. The elegant bun at the nape of her neck offered a fresh silhouette and caught the attention of photographers, especially as she walked in behind Prince William and Princess Kate.

Adding to the glamour of the evening, Princess Anne wore the Festoon Tiara — a diamond piece she has owned since 1973 — which glistened against her updated hairstyle. The new look marked a notable shift from the royal’s typically practical and uniform appearance.

Over the years, Princess Anne has become known for her no-fuss approach to royal life, regularly taking on one of the highest numbers of official engagements within the royal family. Her consistent choice of hairstyle reflected that same efficient, grounded ethos.

She once addressed her iconic bouffant in the 2020 documentary Princess Royal: Anne at 70, responding to comments made by actress Erin Doherty, who portrayed her in her teenage years in Netflix’s The Crown. Doherty revealed that recreating Anne’s signature hairstyle could take up to two hours on set.

Princess Anne reacted with amusement:

“Actually, I read an article the other day about the — I don’t watch Netflix and The Crown, but the actress was talking about how long it took them to do their hair like I did. And I’m thinking, ‘How could you possibly take that long?’ I mean, it takes me 10 or 15 minutes,” she said in the documentary.

Though the change may seem small to some, longtime royal watchers viewed Anne’s updated hairstyle as a rare and refreshing break from tradition — proving that even the most steadfast royals can surprise us once in a while.