All About Princess Anne’s Wedding Dress and the Unexpected Details That Broke Royal Tradition

Amanda LeSat, August 29, 2026 at 6:55 PM UTC

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Credit: Getty ImagesThe Gist -

Princess Anne and Mark Phillips got married on November 14, 1973 in London, England.

Her ‘70s wedding dress, designed by Maureen Baker, featured an unconventional medieval-inspired silhouette.

InStyle breaks down everything to know about Princess Anne’s rule-breaking bridal gown and wedding-day look.

Could you imagine 500 million people watching your wedding? Now, imagine yours being the first royal wedding to be broadcasted in color. On November 14, 1973, that’s reportedly how many viewers tuned in to watch Princess Anne marry Captain Mark Phillips. Royal fans may know Anne for her love of repeating outfits, signature beehive up-do, and impressive jewelry collection, so perhaps it’s no surprise that she also took an unconventional approach to her wedding-day look.

The pair originally met in Mexico City in 1968 and bonded over their shared love of horses and equestrian sports. However, they weren’t romantically linked until 1970, according to Brides. Phillips popped the question on May 29, 1973, with a sapphire-and-diamond engagement ring by Garrard. After announcing their engagement, the couple was asked whether their marriage could “withstand the enormous pressures of public duty and publicity” they would face. Anne’s response? “Can? It’s got to, hasn’t it?”

As the first of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip’s children to marry, Anne said “I do” to Phillips in an unforgettable bridal look. From her longstanding relationship with the designer behind her gown to the heirloom jewels she chose and her unexpectedly bold beauty look, Anne made choices that set her apart from royal brides who came before her.

Ahead, find out everything to know about Princess Anne’s Wedding dress and the details that made her look one for the history books.

The wedding dress featured a high collar and medieval sleeves.

Princess Anne on her wedding day with her husband Mark Phillips, her younger brother Prince Edward, and cousin Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones.

The Tudor-inspired gown featured a high collar and dramatic trumpet sleeves, giving the look a distinctly medieval feel. A princess-line silhouette and delicate pearl embellishments along the neckline and sleeves completed the regal design.

It was designed by Maureen Baker, the chief designer for the ready-to-wear label Susan Small.

A backward glance from Princess Anne with Captain Mark Phillips after their wedding.

Maureen Baker, then the chief designer of British ready-to-wear label Susan Small, was no stranger to Princess Anne’s wardrobe. According to The Guardian, Princess Alexandra recommended Baker to Anne when she was 18, and the designer went on to dress the young royal for years before creating her wedding gown.

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It was actually her bold makeup that changed history.

CBS Morning News coverage of the wedding of Princess Anne and Mark Phillips on November 14, 1973.

Princess Anne’s wedding-day makeup was just as unconventional as her gown. Bright, colorful eye makeup had already gained popularity during the ‘60s, when mod beauty put a major emphasis on the eyes. However, at the time when royal women were known for understated, neutral beauty looks, the princess opted for bold blue eyeshadow—a striking departure from royal tradition that helped her bridal look stand out.

Her train was 7 feet long.

Mark Phillips and Princess Anne after their wedding ceremony.

What’s a royal wedding without an extravagant train? Princess Anne’s stretched seven feet behind her Tudor-inspired gown, adding plenty of drama to the otherwise streamlined silhouette. She paired it with a silk-net veil embroidered with delicate floral sprays, per British Vogue.

She kept with royal tradition by wearing a tiara.

Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips leave the West Door after their wedding ceremony.

While Princess Anne broke with convention elsewhere in her bridal look, she upheld royal tradition with her choice of tiara. According to British Vogue, Anne wore Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara—the same sparkling heirloom her mother, Queen Elizabeth II, had borrowed for her 1947 wedding to Prince Phillip. The piece began as a necklace gifted to Queen Mary by Queen Victoria before being transformed into a tiara, making Anne’s choice a particularly sentimental nod to generations of royal women.

She is now remarried to Timothy Laurence.

Commander Tim Laurence and Princess Anne in their car after their wedding in 1992.

The couple went on to welcome two children, but their marriage did not end up in a happily ever after. According to Tatler, Princess Anne and Captain Phillips announced that they were to separate on August 31, 1981.

After officially divorcing in April 1992, Princess Anne married Royal Navy officer Timothy Laurence on December 12 of that year in an intimate ceremony in Scotland, with around 30 guests in attendance. Her second bridal look was notably more understated than her first: Anne wore an off-white skirt suit and a simple spray of white flowers in her hair in place of a grand tiara.

Laurence once cracked a joke about a trait he shares with Anne’s ex-husband. In the 2020 ITV documentary Anne: The Princess Royal At 70 (per People), he said, “It’s quite amusing that she married first an army officer and then a naval officer. So there must be something about the military that attracts her.”

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”