Zara Tindall and Princess Eugenie twin in maroon at Cheltenham as they show how occasionwear styling is done

Zara Tindall and Princess Eugenie twinned in maroon at Cheltenham and they delivered a masterclass in how to style occasionwear.

Zara and Princess Eugenie were clearly on the same page when it came to their outfits for Day 2 of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival as they arrived at the annual racing event looking sensational in maroon. No-one could fail to notice the popularity of burgundy in recent months but the royal cousins proved this rich red colour has a place in a spring capsule wardrobe too. That wasn’t the only style lesson we’ve learnt from their latest looks, as they showed exactly how to master occasionwear.

Date night outfits can be as casual or elevated as you like, but when a dress code calls for something more formal, we’ll be following the approach taken by Zara and Princess Eugenie. Both royals went for timeless silhouettes with a focus on tailoring and one key colour.

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Princess Eugenie wore a maxi length burgundy coat with crisp lapels, gold-toned buttons and a double-breasted design. This was the focus of her ensemble on Day 2 of Cheltenham and although Zara didn’t reach for a coat herself, her longline blazer had a similar, put-together feel. It was also double-breasted and the pinstripes highlighted its gorgeous structure.

She coordinated her jacket to her wide-leg pinstriped trousers to create a smart suit that reminded us of her navy blue and burgundy outfit from Day 2 of the races last year. This could have looked very workwear-esque with a shirt underneath, but the King’s niece opted for a contrasting maroon jumper which lifted the colour palette and made it more chic.

This gorgeous knit perfectly matched the shade of Princess Eugenie’s coat and Zara’s cousin also wore a high neckline with her collared outerwear. Her top was black, making her and Zara’s outfits almost an exact inverse of the other’s colourwise. Both went for black boots and burgundy headpieces, with Zara choosing a flamboyant, fun design that balanced the crispness of her tailored suit and Eugenie wearing a timeless pillar box style hat.

Although at first glance Zara and Princess Eugenie’s outfits couldn’t be more different aside from the maroon items, they actually used a lot of the same building blocks. Even if you never set foot at the races, their style is great inspiration for smarter events. As well as incorporating tailoring, they went for generally very pared-back staples and chose to showcase one main colour.

Aside from burgundy the cousins stepped out in very neutral tones of grey and black, which allowed the rich red to shine even more in contrast. If you’ve ever wondered what colour suits you and discounted burgundy, then it’s definitely one to consider as it works well with beige, black, white and brown as well as denim. Even if you’re not a fan, then it’s still worth going for just one pop of colour when you’re dressing for a special occasion as it’s simpler and very striking.

The Royal Family are experts at formal styling and these Cheltenham outfits could be worn for an evening out or event during the daytime. Zara’s look in particular won’t be the last outfit we see from her during the festival as the equestrian royal tends to attend most days. Last year Princess Eugenie also joined Zara on Day 2 - known as Style Wednesday - and both looked every bit as elegant then.