As the world commemorates what would have been Diana’s 60th birthday, see the royal’s best looks throughout the years
(AFP/Getty Images/Rex Features)
As a royal and a humanitarian, the late Princess Diana’s legacy extends far beyond her wardrobe.
That said, as this July marks what would have been the royal’s 60th birthday, the world remains fascinated with the Diana’s legendary sense of style.
From the polka dot smock dress she wore on the steps of the Lindo Wing with newborn Prince Harry to the so-called “revenge dress” she wore the same evening Prince Charles confessed to his adultery with Camilla, Princess Diana’s looks were among the most talked-about of her time.
The Duchess of Sussex and Duchess of Cambridge often pay tribute to their late mother-in-law’s wardrobe in subtle ways.
In 2018, Kate Middleton left St Mary’s Hospital with Prince Louis wearing a red dress with a white lace collar – a look strikingly similar to the one sported by Princess Diana when she left the same hospital with a newborn Prince Harry in 1984.
Following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding ceremony on 19 May 2018, the bride changed into a halter-neck Stella McCartney gown for the evening reception.
Scroll down to see a selection of Diana’s most memorable fashion moments.
Princess Diana and Prince Charles on their wedding day in July 1981. The gown was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel and has a fitted bodice covered in panels of antique Carrickmacross lace. It originally belonging to Prince Charles’ great grandmother Queen Mary. It also features a 25-foot long train – the longest in royal history. The actor Emma Corrin wore a replica of the gown for the fourth series of The Crown , in which she portrayed Diana. (Shutterstock)
Diana was photographed wearing her navy blue Virgin Atlantic pullover – a gift from Sir Richard Branson – on repeated trips to the gym in the mid-1990s. It soon became one of her most famous garments, particularly because it’s widely believed that Diana wore it so frequently to discourage paparazzi from photographing her, the idea being that they would always end up with the same photograph. On Thursday night, an anonymous bidder pad $53,000 (£42,700) for Diana’s jumper from RR Auction, an American sales house. (AFP/Getty Images)
Prince Charles pictured at Balmoral in Scotland alongside Princess Diana in May 1981. The Princess wore one of her memorable knits for the occasion: a v-neck alpaca wool number with pink, green and purple stripes. Diana wore the jumper with a loose-fitting pair of beige trousers. (Shutterstock)
Princess Diana dancing with John Travolta at a White House dinner in 1985. The “Travolta Dress”, as it’s now know, recently went on display at Kensington Palace. Designed by Victor Edelstein, the midnight blue velvet dress featured off-the-shoulder straps, a floor-sweeping velvet skirt, a decorative bow and layers of tulle petticoats. The dress was bought by charity Historic Royal Palaces in December 2019 for£264,000 and has been in a specialist conservation facility since. (Shutterstock)
Princess Diana and Prince Charles pictured leaving St Mary’s hospital in London with their first son, Prince William, in 1982. Diana wore a statement green polka dot dress with a white Peter Pan collar. The Duchess of Cambridge famously referenced this look when she chose a light blue polka-dot dress by British designer Jenny Packham for the moment she stepped out of the same hospital holding her first child with Prince William, Prince George, in 2013. (Rex Features )
This is probably Diana’s most famous look of all time. Known as “the Revenge dress”, this black silk Christina Stambolian gown was worn by Diana to the Serpentine Gallery summer party in 1994 on the same night Prince Charles admitted to having an affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles. Diana paired the form-fitting, off-shoulder gown, with black sheer tights and stilettos. (Nils Jorgensen/Shutterstock)
Princess Diana pictured outside her countryside home, Highgrove, in 1986. One of her most iconic looks, Diana chose a pair of high-waisted gingham pink trousers and an oversized fuchsia jumper with a white shirt underneath. The look was recreated in series four of The Crown . (Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
This unforgettable dress was worn by Diana in 1982 to an event at the Barbican Arts Centre. The crimson and white taffeta number featured a fitted bodice and a wide skirt. Memorable in more ways than one, this dress was actually a maternity ensemble, designed by David Sassoon . (Getty Images)
Diana became more experimental with her fashion looks in the 1990s, as this androgynous ensemble illustrates. This black suit comprised an oversized blazer with elephant embellishments on the sleeve. Diana wore also chose a gold statement belt with a large buckle and a tie with elephants on it, to match the sleeves. (Mike Forster/Daily Mail/Shutterstock)
In one of her more reserved looks in 1996, Diana chose a lilac shift dress with a pearl choker, neither of which would look out of place today, either in the workplace or during an evening dinner out. (Getty Images)
