RF. Princess Anne Stuns Fans While Posing Next to Husband Sir Tim for Her 75th Birthday Portrait

Regal poise and tradition define a striking new portrait of Princess Anne for her special day, though this milestone moment reveals something unexpected.

Ahead of Princess Anne’s 75th birthday on August 15, 2025, Getty Images royal photographer Chris Jackson released a formal portrait of the royal, hinting at a new look. He shared the image on his Instagram page on August 8, and it quickly drew public attention.

The portrait shows the Princess Royal standing beside her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, in front of a stately stained-glass window at Windsor Castle. Alongside her cream gown with intricate embroidery, a ceremonial sash, and several royal insignia, Anne changed her hairstyle from her signature bouffant to a chignon.

The look is completed with a diamond tiara, a sparkling necklace, and a gold bracelet. Timothy wears formal evening attire adorned with service medals, adding to the image’s formal dignity.

The release also prompted warm reactions from the public. One royal fan remarked, “Beautiful photo. Princess Anne looking incredibly like our late Queen now..,” referring to Queen Elizabeth II. Another wrote, “Best portrait I’ve seen of HRH! 🤗” while a third said, “She is AMAZING.”

Others praised the joyful tone of the image. “She looks so happy! Lovely photo🎉🎉,” one person commented. Someone else gushed, “She looks so different when she smiles.”

Another celebrated the occasion, “Yay! We have a tiara moment! Gorgeous lady! One of my favorite royals, true hard work and dedication. Wishing her a wonderful birthday! 🎉🎈”

The Princess Royal’s hair has long been a point of fascination. Speaking in the 2020 Prime Video documentary “Princess Anne at 70,” she revealed how long she typically spends styling her trademark updo — far less than the two hours required for actress Erin Doherty to recreate it for “The Crown.”

“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,” Anne said.

The British actress, who portrayed a young Anne in the show’s third season, described the voluminous hairstyle as “its own beast,” requiring her to remain seated for long stretches while stylists worked in shifts to perfect it.

Despite the demanding process, she believed the elaborate hair was essential to portraying Anne, as it reflected how the royal expressed herself through her appearance in the structured and highly controlled environment of her upbringing.

Meanwhile, the show’s hair and makeup designer, Cate Hall, explained that they used a custom “ladder wig” to supplement Erin’s natural hair and recreate Anne’s famously thick, wavy locks of the 1960s and 70s.

After attaching the ladder wig, Hall and her team blended it with Erin’s hair by threading her strands through the gaps. They added mousse, blow-dried it with a large round brush, and set it on hot rollers with setting lotion to create the signature volume and shape.

While her hairstyle in the portrait marks a subtle departure from decades of tradition, her approach to royal life remains unchanged.

In a January 2025 interview with the BBC, Anne dismissed any notion of stepping back from public duties. “I don’t think there’s a retirement programme on this particular life,” she said. “It really isn’t written in, no. It isn’t really an option, no, I don’t think so.”

That same steadfast spirit often pairs with a quick wit and approachable manner, qualities that have endeared her to the public over the years.

An anecdote shared on a podcast in July 2024 recalled how Anne turned a young child’s candid comment into a moment of humor, showcasing her down-to-earth charm.

During an episode of the podcast, “The Royals with Roya and Kate,” one of the hosts recounted the incident that occurred during an event for young riders and children in association with the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), a charity Anne passionately supports.

The host recalled the charming encounter, as relayed to her by a senior member of the RDA.

At the event, Anne was mingling with various children, each with different disabilities, when one particular girl was introduced to her. The girl innocently remarked, “You don’t look like a princess.” The princess’s response was brilliantly disarming.

A brilliantly disarming, “Thank goodness for that, I’m so pleased to hear that,” Anne replied, eliciting laughter from those who heard.

As Anne recovered, she shared more about her condition. At an RDA event in Gloucestershire, the princess candidly admitted she couldn’t remember anything about the incident that occurred in June 2024.

Addressing her presence at the event, RDA UK chair Ms. Vega Lozano expressed that it was a huge honor for the princess to attend the RDA as her first event since the accident. Michael Bishop, Chief Executive of the RDA, added that Anne holds a very special place in their hearts and expressed gratitude for her unwavering support.

While Anne’s first public appearance after leaving the hospital excited many, it also caused quite a commotion online. Eagle-eyed social media users expressed concerns over the visible injury on the princess’s face after her accident.

Anne sported a classic ensemble that was perfect for the RDA event’s occasion. She wore an olive green two-piece tweed suit and paired her look with navy wool gloves, a matching hat, a colorful silk scarf, and black, heeled boots. The princess also carried a dark blue bag.

Several pictures showed the British senior royal making her way through the event, greeting and conversing with fellow attendees. The official Instagram account of the royal family shared a carousel of images spotlighting her endeavors at the event.

“At the Championships, the biggest equestrian event of its kind for disabled competitors, The Princess presented awards and met some of this year’s winners. 🎉 This year marks the 55th anniversary of the RDA!” penned the account in their caption.

She was said to have been kicked by a horse and suffered temporary memory loss as a result. People who had seen the new photos of Anne at the equestrian event expressed worry for her.

However, amid the concern, some people were simply happy to see the princess back at work again and thought she looked well. “Thank God she’s healing and looking fabulous, I will add. ❤️,” praised a fan. Another gushed, “❤️ pleasure to see.”

More details shared included the fact that the event was cut from two hours to one to account for Anne’s ongoing recovery. Additionally, the princess showed strength and endurance by opting to stand in many instances as opposed to taking a seat on one of the many chairs there.

As a long-time associate of the RDA, having become the organization’s first patron in November 1971 and president in 1986, Anne was always scheduled to attend the event.

An attendee named Avril Nicholl, who accepted one of the awards on behalf of an autistic rider, shared how she, along with other people, was given instructions not to ask Princess Anne about her injury. However, Avril mentioned, “I couldn’t let it go by without saying, ‘I’m so happy you could come.’ She said, ‘It is so kind of you to say that.'”

Reportedly, Princess Anne was discharged from Southmead Hospital early Friday morning, on June 28, where she exited without being seen. It was also confirmed that she returned to her peaceful country home at Gatcombe Park near Minchinhampton.

Even during her recovery, Anne’s deep love for horses and dedication to charity remained evident. Some even wonder if this could have been her calling in another life. In a past interview, when asked what profession she would choose in another life, Anne admitted she had no idea.

She then remarked that it was a bit too late to worry about such things. Reflecting on her life, she noted the advantage of having experienced a broad spectrum of interests and not being tied to a specific field, which she sees as a fortunate aspect of her life.