The special meaning behind Princess Anne's emerald green birthday portrait look

Ahead of Princess Anne's 73rd birthday on Tuesday, we've had a look at some of her best birthday looks and the deeper significance of one of her best emerald green ensembles.

• Princess Anne is set to celebrate her 73rd birthday on Tuesday, August 15, 2023.
• Ahead of her special day, we're thinking about this one fabulous birthday look of her's that is one of her favourite go-to looks.
• In other royal news, Denmark’s cherry red keyhole dress and barely-there sandals make a serious statement at anniversary celebrations.

In 2020, stunning new portraits of Princess Anne were released to mark her 70th birthday. The Princess Royal looked incredible in these snaps that showed two sides to the royal. The down-to-earth side enjoys nature and equestrian sports, and the other side where she wears tiaras and has a regal nature to match her royal position.The portraits were taken by John Swannell at Princess Anne’s home, Gatcombe Park, back in February 2020 and released in August on her milestone birthday.

One of the images presented Princess Anne in a setting that is more familiar to the general public. The image showed the Princess in one of her go-to looks that she might wear to a royal engagement. The ensemble was chic but less formal, somewhere between regal and relaxed for the Queen's only daughter.

The Princess Royal was snapped wearing an emerald green Sue Palmer dress and a gold ribbon knot brooch which was set with 12 diamonds. The bold green look is one of the Princess's favourite looks and she has been seen wearing it to a variety of engagements. 

The thrifty Princess styled this look in different ways and wore it to Ascot in 2017 and again in 2023.

The stylists working with Princess Anne likely put a great deal of thought into the selection of looks she wore for these portraits, and how they wanted the Princess to be presented. 

The detail behind these looks is particularly evident in this green outfit portrait. As the Princess's birthday is in August, her birthstone is a peridot. Peridot stones typically come in a green shade, which could have been a factor when selecting to photograph the Princess in a green look. 

Peridot also has unique metaphysical properties and is known as the stone of compassion. Peridot is believed to bring good health, restful sleep and peace to relationships by balancing emotions and mind. Green also has similar symbolic properties and is associated with peace and tranquility, as well as hope, harmony, and optimism - all important sentiments to project in an official royal portrait.

Green is also a fabulous colour on Princess Anne and she has been snapped many times over the years wearing shades of this colour. Just a few months ago, Princess Anne made a case for 'pure 50s glamour' in a gorgeous green outfit that has everyone saying the same thing. Similarly, Princess Anne gave a nod to the 80s with a collarless emerald skirt suit and her trademark upturned collar.