Royals: Duchess Sophie and Princess Beatrice in the same outfit

The British royals love equestrian sports, but especially these days: The Royal Ascot race week takes place every year in June. The event, which has been under the patronage of the royal family since 1768, is not just about horse racing and betting. The outfits and hat creations presented by the female visitors are at least as exciting. Zara Tindall, daughter of Princess Anne, and Princess Beatrice, daughter of Prince Andrew, both opted for white and pink dresses with a striking floral pattern this year.

Two royals, one dress: Duchess Sophie and Princess Beatrice

Not only were the outfits of the two women almost identical. Princess Beatrice’s dress in particular will be familiar to royal observers: high-necked, long sleeves, rhinestone-studded belt. Just two days earlier, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, wore an identical model at another important royal event, the Order of the Garter ceremony. The dress comes from the Australian label Zimmermann and is on sale for the equivalent of around 1,000 euros. The difference was in the details: while Beatrice combined the dress with a headband and clutch in Windsor, Sophie appeared in Windsor with a large hat and handbag. It is not clear whether Princess Beatrice just has the same fashion taste or actually took inspiration from her aunt’s closet.

However, it is not the first time that the two women have appeared in the same look at various royal events. In 2018, Duchess Sophie appeared in Ascot in a light pink dress by designer Emilia Wickstead. The dress had a black, braided seam on the sleeve that ran from the shoulder to the wrist. A detail that caught the eye. This was also the case with Princess Beatrice, who appeared in an identical dress during the “Trooping the Colour” birthday parade in 2019. It is noticeable that Duchess Sophie always appears first in the outfits, while Princess Beatrice wears them some distance later. Unlike Sophie, Beatrice is not on the list of so-called senior royals who work full-time for the royal family. The 35-year-old is nevertheless ninth in line to the throne, behind her father Prince Andrew.

Princess Kate and Princess Anne recycle their outfits

With Princess Kate, it became clear that the old motto “Never wear an outfit twice” no longer applies in the British royal family. Prince William’s wife has been known for years for recycling her looks, combining them in new ways or having them altered by the seamstress. This was also the case at her most recent appearance, when the 42-year-old, who is suffering from cancer, appeared in public for the first time in six months. For King Charles III’s birthday parade, she pulled a white dress by Jenny Packham out of the closet. Kate wore this dress in 2023 as part of the coronation celebrations. With a modified belt and a draped bow, it now looked like a new look.

However, Princess Anne is a pioneer in terms of sustainability and cost-saving in fashion. The sister of King Charles III has been one of the royals who has the most appointments in the British royal family for years. When she appears, the 73-year-old occasionally wears outfits that are decades old. For example, last year she attended the horse races in Ascot in a light blue dress with a Peter Pan collar. She first appeared in this outfit over 40 years ago: in 1978 she wore it during a state visit by the presidential couple of Botswana to Buckingham Palace.