Timeless outfits the royals can’t stop recycling

Despite their vast amounts of wealth, the royals are renowned for their thrifty style, recycling their outfits for even the most glamorous events on the global stage.

The habit has passed through generations of royal fashionistas and the Princess of Wales is not afraid to re-wear her statement pieces, teaching her children to do the same.

Even the most retro royal looks have made a reappearance decades after their first outing, complete with identical accessories.

Princess Anne’s archive of clothes are thought to fill a wing of her country home, Gatcombe Park, where each outfit is meticulously catalogued, dust-wrapped and stored in cool surroundings.

Asked about her habit of re-wearing outfits, which are often older than her children, she once said: ‘A good suit goes on for ever. If it is properly made and has a classic look, you can wear it ad infinitum. The economy was bred into me.’

The Duchess of Edinburgh donned a bold pink Catherine Walker coat for the Easter Sunday Service at St George’s Chapel this year

Sophie had worn the same coat for the Christmas Day church service at Sandringham in 2005

Sophie had worn the same coat for the Christmas Day church service at Sandringham in 2005

The Duchess also wore the coat in 2007 on a visit to Mary Hare school for deaf children in Berkshire

The Duchess also wore the coat in 2007 on a visit to Mary Hare school for deaf children in Berkshire

Princess Beatrice wore an Emilia Wickstead midi dress for the Easter Sunday service this year

The dress had previously been worn by the Duchess of Edinburgh on the first day of Royal Ascot in 2018

Princess Beatrice recycled her outfit for the Easter Sunday service this year (left), wearing a pale pink dress previously worn by Sophie for Royal Ascot (right)

The Princess of Wales wore a royal blue Catherine Walker coat for the Easter Sunday service this year

Kate was pictured wearing the same coat last year for the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey

The Princess of Wales wore a royal blue Catherine Walker coat for the Easter Sunday service (left) which she had worn for the Commonwealth Day service last year (right)

This year’s Easter Sunday service at St George’s Chapel was a parade of recycled glamour with Kate, Princess Beatrice and the Duchess of Edinburgh all restyling previously-worn looks.

The Princess of Wales looked regal in a royal blue structured dress from Catherine Walker which she had worn for the Commonwealth Service last year while Beatrice looked effortlessly elegant in a pale pink Emilia Wickstead midi dress, first worn by Sophie to Royal Ascot in June 2018.

Meanwhile, the Duchess of Edinburgh herself sported a bright pink Catherine Walker coat that she was spotted wearing 18 years ago for the Christmas Day church service at Sandringham in 2005.

The younger royals seem to be following the example set by the Queen, who would often repeat her eye-catching colourful outfits year after year.

The Queen was pictured wearing her beige raincoat at  Derby Day in 1990

She wore the cape again over 20 years later at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh in 2012

While perhaps not her most glamorous sartorial offering, the Queen’s beige raincoat cape accompanied her on rainy day engagements from 1990 to 2012

In 2007, the Queen wore the green headscarf at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2007

She watched her horse Fools Paradise wearing the same headscarf at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2021

The Queen was often spotted in a headscarf including one with an adorable dog pattern, which she was seen wearing for twenty years

The Queen was photographed wearing the Sir Norman Hartnell gown in 1962 for the world charity premiere of the film Lawrence of Arabia

The dress was later re-styled for Princess Beatrice when she married Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020

One of the Queen’s most memorable recycled items was the Sir Norman Hartnell gown which was re-styled for Princess Eugenie (right) for her wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020

Queen Camilla wore her polka dress while on tour in Italy in 2009

She was pictured again in the dress a decade later at Carmarthen Market

Camilla’s navy and cream polka dot dress is one of her long-standing favourites and she was pictured wearing the elegant summer outfit from 2009 to 2019

Camilla was pictured wearing her Lock and Co hat at the Cheltenham Festival in 2014

She was pictured in the camel-coloured accessory at the Festival this year

She has sported her fur-trimmed Lock and Co hat in various colours and has worn her camel-coloured offering in 2014 (left) and 2023 (right)

But the late monarch seemed to keep the most basic and functional items in her wardrobe for many years and would turn to these trusted items when the situation called for them.

While perhaps not her most glamorous sartorial offering, the Queen’s beige raincoat cape accompanied her on rainy day engagements from 1990 to 2012.

She also boasted an impressive collection of headscarves and one, which featured an adorable dog print pattern, lasted the Queen through twenty years of appearances including at royal horse shows.

One of her most memorable recycled items was the Sir Norman Hartnell gown which was re-styled for Princess Beatrice for her wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020.

The Queen was photographed wearing the white bejewelled dress in 1962 for the world charity premiere of the film Lawrence of Arabia and again in 1966 for the State Opening of Parliament. 

Princess Anne wore her yellow and navy coat for the Easter Sunday Service in 2007

She was pictured in the same outfit this year while in New Zealand

Princess Anne followed her mother’s example in her thrifty approach to fashion and has been spotted wearing this yellow and navy blue outfit at events from 2007 to 2023

The Princess wore her lilac coat during a State Visit in London in 1982

She chose to wear the coat again in 2013 for the Christmas Day service at Sandringham

The Princess has worn her lilac coat with matching felt hat by John Boyd at events including the Christmas Day service at Sandringham for at least 30 years

Princess Anne was seen wearing a cream, military-style coat for Ascot in 1980

She was spotted in the same coat 40 years later for the Commonwealth Day service in 2018

At the Commonwealth Service in 2018 (right), the Princess donned a cream military-style coat which she first wore in 1980 (left), almost 40 years earlier

Kate was first seen sporting a pair of the distinctive brown Penelope Chilvers long tassel boots at the Game Fair at Blenheim Palace in August 2004

She wore the same style of boots again during a royal visit to Manor Farm in Durham in 2021

The Princess of Wales has regularly partnered her Penelope Chilvers boots with her outdoor looks, first wearing them in 2004 (left) and wearing them again in 2021 (right_

 

Kate accessorised a bold red coat with a pair of black cut-out gloves for William's graduation parade from Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst in 2006

She wore the same gloves, also with a red coat, for a St David's Day parade this year

Kate replicated an outfit she wore in 2006 for William’s graduation parade from Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst (left) at a St David’s Day parade this year (right), wearing the same cut-out gloves by Serbian designer Evica Milovanov Penezić

Kate wore her chestnut brown Hobbs coat over her baby bump in 2013 when she was pregnant with Prince George

She revamped the coat and wore it again for a visit to Cornwall this year

This year, Kate also gave her favourite chestnut brown Hobbs coat a revamp as she visited Cornwall (right). She previously managed to wear the piece over her baby bump ten years earlier while she was six months pregnant with Prince George (left)

Queen Camilla is also a fan of re-wearing her most beloved items, even down to her Sole Bliss court shoes which she wore an estimated 80 times without replacing them.

The royal has sported her fur-trimmed Lock and Co hat in various colours and has worn her camel-coloured offering at events dating back to 2014 up to her appearance at Cheltenham this year.

Her navy and cream polka dot dress is a long-standing favourite which Camilla has worn as an elegant summer outfit at events spanning ten years, from 2009 to 2019.

Princess Anne also followed her mother’s example in her thrifty approach to fashion, with some of her outfits making frequent reappearances for over 30 years.

Her lilac coat with matching felt hat by John Boyd has been worn by the Princess at events including the Christmas Day service at Sandringham for at least 30 years.

At the Commonwealth Service in 2018, the Princess donned a cream military-style coat which she first wore in 1980, almost 40 years earlier.

Kate Middleton has also revived some of her oldest pieces on a number of occasions including her simple Penelope Chilvers boots which she partners with her outdoor looks. 

The Princess of Wales has owned the boots since before she joined the Royal Family and was first seen sporting a pair of the distinctive brown long tassel boots at the Game Fair at Blenheim Palace in August 2004.

Princess Mary of Denmark debuted her burgundy velvet gown for the New Year in 2007, while she was pregnant with her second child, Princess Isabella

She wore the same gown with similar accessories to the New Year reception in 2020

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark has worn the same velvet burgundy gown four times in 13 years to celebrate the New Year

Queen Sofia first wore the Valentino gown with a floral top and green skirt in 1977

Letizia wore the dress 45 years later for a diplomatic reception in 2022

In 2022, Queen Letizia of Spain was spotted wearing her mother-in-law, Queen Sofia’s Valentino gown after she had first worn it in 1977, 45 years earlier

Queen Maxima wore the teal dress with bell-shaped sleeves for the visit of President Francois Hollande to the Netherlands in 2014

She has been spotted in the dress a number of times since, including on a state visit to Sweden in 2022

Queen Maxima has been seen wearing a metallic, teal dress with statement sleeves at a number of events from 2014 (left) to 2022 (right)

In 2016, she even wore the boots on a three-hour hike up to Bhutan’s famous Tiger’s Nest monastery.

This year, Kate also gave her favourite chestnut brown Hobbs coat a revamp as she visited Cornwall with Prince William for the couple’s first official visit since becoming the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall.

She debuted the coat on a Valentine’s Day visit to Liverpool in 2012 and even managed to wear the piece over her baby bump in 2013 while she was six months pregnant with Prince George.

European royals have also continued to stun in recycled gowns, with Queen Maxima donning a metallic, teal dress with statement sleeves at a number of events over eight years.

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark has worn the same velvet burgundy gown four times to celebrate the New Year.

First opting for the dress in 2007, she has sometimes chosen to restyle the piece, including by accessorising with a matching velvet choker.

Queen Letizia of Spain was also spotted wearing her mother-in-law, Queen Sofia’s Valentino gown after she first wore it in 1977.

The vintage number features a floor-length green skirt and a delicate floral top which Letizia wore to a diplomatic reception in 2022.

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