Why Princess Anne has had the same hairstyle for 40 years

The British royal family has been truly blessed with Princess Anne, the hardest-working royal who is nothing if not consistent.

Through her commitment to her work, this Princess Royal has earned her royal position. 

It seems this consistency also applies to her hairstyle, which hasn't changed in more than 40 years

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Princess Anne's famous swept-up bouffant, reminiscent of a ballerina's chignon, was debuted in the early 1980s and has not changed since.

Regardless of its relevance in beauty zeitgeist, she has maintained the look, saying that despite its intricate appearance, it only takes her "10-15 minutes" to create. 

"I read an article the other day about the, I don't watch Netflix and The Crown, but the actress was talking about how long it took them to do their hair like I did," Queen Elizabeth's only daughter said in an ITV documentary, referencing Erin Doherty, who portrayed Princess Anne in season 3 and 4 of The Crown.

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"And I'm thinking, 'How could you possibly take that long?' I mean, it takes me 10 or 15 minutes."

No matter the occasion, Anne will always be seen with her classic hairstyle, pulled back with twists and secured with pins. 

As it's spent decades hidden in a teased up-do, royal fans may not realise Princess Anne, in fact, has waist-long hair.

"It's like armour," Claudia Harrison, who plays Princess Anne in later seasons of The Crown, told Marie Claire.

"She's a feminist icon to me and hopefully to everybody.

"She's not there to decorate a room, she's there for a job, and I think her hair is part of that.

"She's telling us, 'This is my workmanship, I turn up, I'm not going to let you be distracted by my latest look, I am who I am so let me do my job'."

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Denise McAdam, hairdresser to the Royal Family for more than 30 years, revealed the secrets to Anne's hair.

"It was a simple up-do, so I just used to go in, close my eyes and do it as quickly as possible," she told the Radio Times. 

Now 73, Princess Anne continues to work and serve her country, accompanied by her signature hairstyle.