Princess Anne’s pleated mother-of-the-bride dress at Zara Tindall’s (née Phillips) wedding in 2011 is difficult to forget, but she wore another rarely-pictured gown the night before the wedding.
Royals such as the late Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Beatrice gathered on the Royal Yacht Britannia for a pre-wedding boat party in Scotland in 2011.
© Mark CuthbertEmbracing the nautical theme, the doting mother showed off her style credentials in a sailor-esque ensemble.
The Princess Royal looked striking in a black knee-length blazer dress with cropped sleeves and a plunging neckline with white lapels. She completed her look with a black cami dress layered underneath, a three-strand pearl necklace and a gold seahorse brooch.
© Chris Jackson
Beauty-wise, Anne didn’t take a step wrong, sticking to her tried-and-tested, no-fuss French twist hairstyle and minimal makeup, adding a pop of colour to her monochrome outfit with her bright pink lipstick.
© Getty
Meanwhile, the bride ditched bridal white and showed off her ‘something blue’ in the form of a sky blue one-shouldered mini dress with flattering ruched material.
She ensured all eyes remained on her dress by accessorising with nude heels and a brown clutch, and styling her blonde hair in an elegant updo. Meanwhile, her fiancé Mike Tindall looked dapper in a coordinating navy suit and cream tie.
© Rupert Hartley/David Hartley/ShutterstockOther members of the royal family also dressed to impress for the party. Prince William’s new wife the Princess of Wales looked radiant in green alongside Zara’s cousin Princess Beatrice, who rocked a one-shouldered purple frock with a butterfly belt, and Princess Eugenie, who was a vision in a bright red dress.
Zara’s sentimental wedding
© Alan Davidson/Shutterstock
The Royal Yacht Britannia has long had a special place in the hearts of the royal family. The 412-ft ship served as Anne’s honeymoon following her wedding to Zara’s father Captain Mark Phillips, with the couple exploring the West Indies in 1973.
Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong-Jones, King Charles and Princess Diana, and Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York similarly chose to cruise on the ship following their royal weddings.
Zara’s sentimental choices continued on her wedding day on 30 July 2011. Zara and Mike are believed to have chosen to say ‘I do’ at Canongate Kirk due to the family’s fondness of Scotland, followed by a reception at the late Queen Elizabeth II’s residence, the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Zara looked striking in her Stewart Parvin bridal gown, but Anne also turned heads in her beautiful peach dress with a pleated skirt, a cream and pink embroidered jacket with a structured collar and a matching fascinator.
Surprise royal engagement
© AFPMike and Zara announced their engagement in December 2010, one month after the Prince and Princess of Wales. Mike admitted he had been “thinking about it for ages” but didn’t want to propose too close to other family members.
Opening up about catching his partner off-guard at their Cheltenham home, he told the MailOnline: “I was upstairs, plucking up the nerve to do it, while Zara was downstairs watching television. It was all about shock value – I wanted to catch her when it was quiet and she wasn’t expecting anything.
“I walked in there and got down on one knee, with the ring. She was on the sofa, so that made it easier. I said, ‘Will you marry me?'” Although her reaction wasn’t what he expected! “She started laughing. She was completely in shock. Then, when she stopped laughing, she said, ‘Yes.’ That was a relief.”
LOOK: Prince Harry’s cousin Lady Amelia Windsor’s bold leg-split wedding guest dress is a kaleidoscope of colour
