Checks are having a moment this season, with heritage prints dominating runways and wardrobes alike. So it came as little surprise that Princess Anne embraced the look during her recent visit to the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre in Wales.

Earlier this month, the Princess Royal arrived in a sharply tailored grey checked blazer with subtle yellow piping, layered over a classic black A-line skirt. The 75-year-old royal finished her look with a pair of trusty leather boots and gloves.

The result was a look that was practical yet polished and strikingly similar to the heritage-inspired checked looks the Princess of Wales has been sporting this autumn.

What made her outfit particularly intriguing was the timing. On the very same day, Princess Kate visited the Silk Mill in Whitchurch wearing a Prince of Wales check trouser suit. This season, Kate has been living for heritage prints and textiles. From tweed jackets to Alessandra Rich’s vintage-inspired dresses, cementing checks as her seasonal signature.

The coincidence was hard to ignore: two royal women, two distinct approaches, one unmistakably British print.

Although it comes as little surprise that Anne was rocking the heritage look, the Princess has long been a champion of sustainable fashion, recycling pieces from her wardrobe decades before it became fashionable to do so.

Where Kate updates heritage tailoring with sleek silhouettes and contemporary polish, Anne leans into tradition with sharp blazers, practical skirts and boots built for function.

Together, their approaches underline the enduring appeal of classic British checks, whether styled for the boardroom or the countryside.

Days earlier, Kate marked the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing with a surprise visit to the Women's Institute in Sunninghill and wore a structured Alessandra Rich dress - another nod to vintage-inspired heritage prints.

Anne, meanwhile, has stayed loyal to her tried-and-tested staples, reminding us that true style lies not just in trends, but in timelessness and the confidence to re-wear.

With both Anne and Kate embracing checks within hours of each other, the royal women proved that heritage tailoring transcends generations. Kate may be leading the fashion conversation this season, but Anne’s no-nonsense, sustainable spin on the look makes her wardrobe more on point than ever.