It’s no secret that the Spencer family has a strong pool of genes, as Princess Diana had one of the most recognisable faces in the world.
When Prince William was born in 1982, many wondered what the heir to the throne would grow up to look like.
As he grew older, royalists started to compare him to his mother, as they shared the same golden blonde hair and sharp jawline.
But there is something else that the Prince of Wales, 42, inherited from Diana – a sharp, intense stare that is enough to make anyone crumble.
The deep look has been dubbed the ‘Spencer stare’, by fans of The Firm and it refers to how the royals glare intently with lowered eyebrows, usually with a dignified facial expression.
One of the most famous pictures of the future king sporting the stare dates back to when the then-15-year-old was attending his mother’s funeral in September 1997. Seen alongside his uncle, Earl Spencer, the teenager stared into the distance during the tragic event.
Many have commented on the mother-son likeness, with one noting that the similar looks have spread further: one supporter of the Royal Family noted on a TikTok that ‘William, Charlotte and Diana all have the same eye shape, William even has Diana’s eye colour too’.
+8
It’s no secret that the Spencer family has a strong pool of genes, as Princess Diana had one of the most recognisable faces in the world
Royal enthusiasts have also likened William’s two children, Princess Charlotte and Prince George, to their grandmother, Diana, adding they have both inherited this gaze.
Resurfaced videos of the two children at various events, including King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation, show the young royals showing off their mesmerising glare.
When attending the May 2023 coronation, Princess Charlotte, nine, donned a strikingly similar flower crown tiara to Catherine, the Princess of Wales, looking like a mini-me of her mother as well as sharing some of William’s traits.
The young princess wore a dress and cape made from ivory silk crepe with ivory stitch embroidery featuring rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock motifs, to signify the four nations.
With the world’s eyes on her, Charlotte stood proud and tall, and played the doting big sister by guiding her brothers into Westminster Abbey.
Snaps of Charlotte show her staring into the distance with her large green eyes. As she took it all in, many saw glimpses of Diana in her.
In some of the resurfaced clips, one fan wrote: ‘She looks so much like Diana.’
Another penned: ‘That’s fantastic that Princess Charlotte is following her late grandmother Diana!’
+8
Snaps of Charlotte at the Coronation show her staring into the distance with her large green eyes. As she took it all in, many saw glimpses of Diana in her
+8
One photographer managed to capture Charlotte’s glare perfectly at Trooping the Colour
+8
The Prince of Wales inherited the sharp, intense stare that is enough to make anyone crumble from his mother
Fans have commented on TikTok videos that Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince William look like their grandmother Diana
A third chimed: ‘The little princess looks so much like her grandmother Diana beautiful as ever.’
More recently, Charlotte attended Trooping the Colour alongside her family in June, where she again, matched her outfit with her mother’s ensemble.
One photographer managed to capture her glare perfectly, as she looked straight into the lens of the camera with her pensive expression.
Her older brother, Prince George, 11, has also been compared to his grandmother and has been told he also has the ‘Spencer stare’.
The second-in-line to the throne is often compared to his father, as they looked remarkably similar in their youth.
During Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022, Prince George was pictured sporting the signature stare.
Standing alongside his younger sister, he put on a brave face as he laid his great-grandmother to rest.
George was also snapped at the king’s coronation wearing his scarlet knee-length scarlet coat with gold trimmings, as it is the traditional uniform for the Pages of Honour.
He was seen clasping his hands in front while glaring off into the distance, in scenes reminiscent of a young William.
+8
Prince George also inherited the stare from his grandmother, Diana. Pictured at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022
+8
During the Coronation, George was seen clasping his hands in front while glaring off into the distance, in scenes reminiscent of a young William
+8
Princess Diana would often be captured with her steely-eyed stare, including the infamous interview she did with Martin Bashir
+8
Australian Elizabeth Debicki came pretty close to embodying Diana’ during her performance as the Princess on The Crown – as she mimicked her stare
Diana, Princess of Wales, would often be captured with her steely-eyed stare, including during the infamous interview she did with Martin Bashir in 1995.
It was here she spilled the secrets of her and Charles’s messy marriage, including the iconic line ‘there were three of us in the marriage, so it was a bit crowded’.
Throughout the interview, Diana remained stone-faced, but the gaze came when Bashir asked whether she thought she’d ever be queen.
Wearing a black ensemble and dark kohl eyeliner to highlight her deep blue eyes, the late Princess of Wales stared at Bashir and said: ‘No. I’d like to be the queen of people’s hearts. But I don’t see myself being queen of this country.’
The late royal’s mannerisms, including the ‘Spencer stare’ has been seemingly hard to capture for actresses playing her. However, Australian Elizabeth Debicki came pretty close to embodying Diana during her performance as the princess on The Crown.
She immersed herself in her character so much so that she told People that found it hard to shake off her mannerisms.
