Anne raises eyebrows

Press, 3 February 1987, Page 4

Anne raises eyebrows

NZPA-AAP Fremantle

Princess Anne took a decidedly casual approach to America’s Cup viewing off Fremantle yesterday. Her Royal sense of style drew some criticism. Fremantle’s choked roads made Princess Anne half an hour late boarding the Royal Perth Yacht Club’s official raceviewing vessel Parts VI. She wore a check scarf, pale yellow T-shirt, a lived-in pair of jeans and canvas slippers and sported a slightly battered blue sailing bag with H.M. Royal Yacht Britannia in large capitals. The rig would have blended in well at Britain’s major yachting event, Cowes Week, where even royalty cast all formality aside to join in the

fun on the often-blustery waters of the Solent. But among the trendily dressed guests and whiteuniformed Royal Perth members, the Princess seemed more than a trifle underdressed. The Parts VI owner and Florida millionaire, Gary Blonders, loudly told a guest who commented on the Royal outfit: “I’m totally insulted.”

When Parts VI returned to berth Mr Blonder had been won over by the Princess.

The flamboyant millionaire shrugged off his earlier remark as flippant.

“I didn’t mean it that way,” he said.

“You just expect all princesses to arrive in white gowns with a little crown on top.”