Harry was at the film star’s Santa Barbara One805Live! annual event which raises money for first responders, cutting a casual figure in a suit with no socks, as he presented an award onstage to local helicopter pilot Loren Courtney

Prince Harry took to the stage at Kevin Costner’s polo field on Friday night – with Meghan Markle notably absent due to reported sickness.

Harry presented an award to a fellow helicopter pilot in the event celebrating the heroic actions of first responders. Harry attended the event last year, with many hoping his wife Meghan would in joining his for the 2024 event.

Harry spoke to the crowd at the Santa Barbara One805Live! annual event – raises money for first responders across the county and in a suit but no socks, presented an award onstage to local helicopter pilot Loren Courtney at the start of the evening soon after he arrived at 7pm. He joked about how they both felt more at home behind the controls of a helicopter than onstage. Also performing at the event was Pink, 1980s star Richard Marx and Kevin himself.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (L) shakes hands with a guest from the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department at the One805Live Fall Concert ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
A source at the event said: “We were all hoping Meghan would attend like she did last year but the word is that she is sick and could not make it.” Harry is expected to travel to New York over the weekend to attend a series of events including the Diana Awards and an event held by the Halo Trust which Diana worked with before she died.

He is also due in the UK for an event on September 30. It comes after Edward Coram-James, a PR guru, believes the couple have made communication and branding errors, which have attributed to “their fall-from-public-favour”. Concluding in a blunt nine-word statement, Mr Coram-James added: “It’s just that they had a bad PR plan.”

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (L) shakes hands with a guest from the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department at the One805Live Fall Concert ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
Harry and Meghan have seen a massive plunge in popularity since they moved to the US, a poll showed earlier this month. It was suggested Harry’s explosive claims against the royals were a big contributing factor to his declining popularity.

But Mr Coram-James has now offered his take on the research. He said: “To be fair to the Sussexes, they seem to have learned the lessons from bad PR, and appear to have turned the page.

“I attribute much of their fall-from-public-favour purely as a reflection of what can happen with bad PR. It does not mean that they’re bad people. For all we know, The Sussexes could be kind, caring and incredible people.”

The professional, who works for firm GoUp, believes Harry and Meghan have learned from their experience of “bad PR,” which he says can swiftly affect any celebrity or company in the public eye.

The professional, who works for firm GoUp, believes Harry and Meghan have learned from their experience of “bad PR,” which he says can swiftly affect any celebrity or company in the public eye. ( 
Image:
Getty)

“That’s the thing with PR: if it goes wrong, the public can, fairly or unfairly, decide that it makes you a bad person, where, when it goes right, the public can decide that you’re a good person. Its why communications are so key,” Mr Coram-James told Express.co.uk.

The survey found Harry maintains a stronger appeal to the younger generation. In a new poll conducted by Ipsos, 1,097 British adults – all aged between 18 and 75 – were asked whether they would support Harry if he were to return.

The survey, which was conducted between October 8 and 9, showed that 34 percent said they would support Harry – with 46 percent of the responders being aged between 18 and 35.

The late Princess of Wales offered a slight smile in the shot by David Bailey

Princess Diana at a banquet in Munich, Germany in 1987. Photo: Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty

A rare photo of Princess Diana is heading to newsstands on the next issue of Tatler.

On Wednesday, the British magazine published by Condé Nast unveiled the January 2024 cover featuring the late Princess of Wales. Diana wore an asymmetric outfit with sparkling statement earrings and looked into the camera with a slight smile in the black and white snap, which is listed with the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Last year, another image from Princess Diana’s photoshoot with Bailey went on display at Kensington Palace, her former home. The Life Through a Royal Lens exhibit ran from March to October 2022.

In the image that graces the upcoming issue of Tatler, which is available for digital download and on newsstands starting Thursday, Diana leans slightly forward, while the picture shared in the exhibit captured her profile from the side.

Tatler magazine’s January 2024 cover featuring a photo of Princess Diana by David Bailey.David Bailey

Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton Were Encouraged to Dress Like Princess Diana, New Book Claims: ‘Diana Cosplay’

The royal sat for the session in 1988 when she was around 27 years old. Although it was commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery, the image was retained by Bailey for his archive and had never been seen in public before.

The picture shows Princess Diana, who died in 1997 at age 36, appearing “reserved, stoic and looking away from the viewer,” according to the curators at Historic Royal Palaces. The former Princess of Wales is said to have chosen the photographer for his “bold minimalism” and was part of her hope to establish a new photographic identity for herself.

“For me, it is the most powerful of images from the sitting,” said curator Claudia Acott Williams.

Historic Royal Palaces conservators Ola Ruiz-Aguillo and Nelson Garcia hold a portrait of Diana, Princess of Wales, taken by photographer David Bailey in 1988, before the public opening of Life Through a Royal Lens exhibition at Kensington Palace in March 2022.Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty

Charles Spencer Visits Sister Princess Diana’s Private Memorial: ‘A Special Corner of Althorp’

The January issue of Tatler was published with the cover line “Diana The Battle for Her Legacy.” The feature story touches on the release of the “controversial” sixth season of The Crown on Netflix and includes a critical piece from royal author Hugo Vickers about the drama inspired by the lives of the British royal family.

The sixth and final season of The Crown, which debuted in 2016, is split into a two-part premiere for its final chapter. Part 1 premiered on Nov. 16 and focuses on the events surrounding Princess Diana’s tragic death, while part 2, debuting on Dec. 14, is expected to take the show into the early 2000s — including the start of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s love story.

Speaking to PEOPLE before the part 1 premiere, actress Elizabeth Debicki opened up about how she focused on showing Princess Diana’s inner strength as she closed the role. The cast of the show changed every two seasons to reflect the royals aging through the decades, and Debicki picked up the part from Emma Corrin in seasons 5 and 6.

Elizabeth Debicki at The Crown season 6, part 1 premiere in Los Angeles on November 12; Princess Diana’s visit to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in 1996.Michael Buckner/Getty; Julian Parker/Getty

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“The script offered different sort of colors in a way of Diana, and I was really grateful for that. I think in season 5, the character is much more isolated. She’s on her own a lot, and she’s going through incredible trials that really test her and test her sense of reality and her sense of herself,” Debicki told PEOPLE about season 5, which chronicled the breakdown of Diana’s marriage to then-Prince Charles, finalized by divorce.

“When I opened up the scripts to season 6, what I saw Peter [Morgan] had created for me to follow, was this sense of someone who was freer, who was kind of blossoming into a different version, who had been through the fires and had sort of come through stronger and more focused,” the actress added of what she took into channeling Diana.

See the full feature in the January issue of Tatler available via digital download and on newsstands from Thursday 7 December.

The late Princess of Wales’ longtime hairstylist also gave Prince William and Prince Harry their first haircuts

Princess Diana, Prince William and Prince Harry at Kensington Palace in 1985. Photo: Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty

Prince William had a relatable reason for celebrating haircuts as a child, according to a member of Princess Diana’s glam team.

The late Princess of Wales’ longtime hairdresser Richard Dalton made the revelation at the  Styling Princess Diana panel at Fotografiska New York on May 21, sharing why William was always glad to see him.

At the event timed to PEOPLE’s 50th anniversary, Dalton said he would regularly visit Prince William and Prince Harry’s nursery, prompting a young William to place a chair on the coffee table in anticipation of a haircut because he got “extra television” while Dalton worked.

Dalton met Lady Diana Spencer when she was 17 and went on to style her hair for over a decade — which included giving Prince William and Prince Harry their first haircuts! The stylist said Diana trusted him “very much so. She trusted me enough to go up to the nursery room.”

“They both were very sweet,” Dalton added of Prince William, now 41, and Prince Harry, now 39.

Prince Harry, King Charles, Prince William and Princess Diana at Highgrove House in 1986. Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images
Princess Diana’s Hairdresser Reveals Why She Once Wore a Necklace as a Headband — with ‘Knicker Elastic!’

He cut the princes’ hair until 1991, the year Prince William turned 9 and Prince Harry turned 7, and spent much time with Diana during the years he worked for her.

“It was every day, sometimes twice a day for tiaras,” said Dalton, who is set to publish a new book titled It’s All About the Hair — My Decade with Diana with The Princess Diana Museum founder Renae Plant.

“I would see her every morning, and obviously she had an event every day [and would] come back at 5 o’clock to do tiaras,” he said of his usual routine with the Princess of Wales. “I don’t think we were ever serious, it was always fun.”

“She would call me at Windsor Castle and say, ‘Can I come have my hair done at your apartment?’ She used to love coming to my house because it was normal,” Dalton recalled at the Styling Diana panel alongside Diana’s wedding dress designer Elizabeth Emanuel, in a conversation moderated by PEOPLE’s Senior Royals Editor Erin Hill.

Why JFK Jr. Didn’t Call Prince William and Prince Harry After Princess Diana’s Death Despite Wife Carolyn’s Request 

Princess Diana also had an affection for a soap opera popular in the 1980s and didn’t like to miss an episode.

“She would say, ‘Richard, you can’t go out tonight because Dynasty is on!’ I had to watch it in great detail [for her],” he said. “That was my Elnett days, would travel with gallons of it. It was on the news that [King] Charles had banned aerosols at Kensington Palace and I thought, ‘Oh dear,’ ” he joked.

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Princess Diana at the premiere of “Back to the Future” in London in 1985.Keystone/Getty

From events in London to royal tours around the world, Dalton closely collaborated with Diana on choosing accessories as well — and said, for a time, she was inspired by Dynasty.

“Fashion, jewelry, she used to pretend she was in Dynasty. She [had] gone to see Back to the Future, [so we] tied the pearls in a knot,” the stylist said about the daring way they highlighted the open back of the royal’s red velvet dress at the movie premiere in 1985.

More seriously, he later described working with Princess Diana as the experience of a lifetime.

“[She was] extremely, extremely special. Her beauty was from within,” Dalton said. “She was more beautiful in real life than any picture.”

Princess Diana and Richard Dalton during a stop in Fiji en route to Australia.Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty

Fergie previously told PEOPLE that she and Diana would have a “Granny-Off” if the previous Princess of Wales were still alive

Sarah Ferguson and Princess Diana attend the 50th Anniversary of The Battle of Britain Parade on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on September 15, 1990. Photo: Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty

Sarah Ferguson is remembering Princess Diana on what would have been the previous Princess of Wales’ 63rd birthday.

Fergie, as the Duchess of York is popularly known, penned a tribute to Diana on social media on July 1. She shared a photo of the pair standing side-by-side on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch the Battle of Britain Anniversary Parade on September 15, 1990, with a heartfelt message: “Happy birthday to my dear friend, Diana. You were a pillar of light and love. And what a legacy you have left behind. I will forever remember our laughter and the kindred, kind spirit I found in you. I am sure you are watching over us always.”

“Rest in peace, my friend,” Fergie, 64, concluded.

Princess Diana and Fergie became royal sisters-in-law through their respective marriages to the future King Charles and Prince Andrew, but they were close friends since their teenage years.

“We were best friends from when she was 14 and I was 15,” Fergie, who affectionately called Diana “Duch,” exclusively told PEOPLE in 2021.

Sarah Ferguson; Princess Diana.Jo Hale/WireImage; Anwar Hussein/WireImage

Sarah Ferguson Recalls When She and Princess Diana Were Arrested at Her Bachelorette Party

In fact, it was Diana who introduced her friend to Prince Andrew.

“I said to her, ‘Oh, Andrew’s really good-looking,’ ” the Duchess of York recalled. “And she said, ‘Duh, Fergs!’” (Sarah and Andrew wed in 1986 and divorced a decade later but remained amicable friends and co-parents of their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.)

As part of the royal family, Diana and Sarah would compare notes and offer each other support.

“Diana and I both had our own mental health issues, and she and I used to talk,” the Duchess of York recalled. “She said, ‘Fergie, remember one thing: When you’re at the top of the pedestal, it’s so easy to fall off. And you’re at the bottom. You just climb up.’ “

“We were positioned as saint and sinner,” she continued. “And the most important thing was to remain robust together, and we did, no matter what anyone wrote.”

Sarah Ferguson and Princess Diana at the Guard’s Polo Club in June 1983.Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images

How Princess Diana Spent Her Last Birthday in 1997

Princess Diana tragically died in 1997 following a car crash in Paris when she was only 36.

Fergie said during a 2023 appearance on Good Morning America that Princess Diana would be “very proud” of her five grandchildren from her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.

“I think we’d have a Granny-Off,” said the Duchess of York, a grandmother to Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie’s children. “Because she would run faster in the races. I wonder — she’d probably be funnier. No, I think I’d be funnier.”

Prince William and Prince Harry unveil statue of mother Princess Diana on July 1, 2021. DOMINIC LIPINSKI/POOL/AFP

In honor of what would have been Princess Diana’s 60th birthday on July 1, 2021, her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, reunited at their childhood home of Kensington Palace to unveil a new statue of their mother. The tribute, located in the Sunken Garden, showed Diana with three children, reflecting her work to support and nurture children around the world.

“Today, on what would have been our Mother’s 60th birthday, we remember her love, strength and character – qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better,” the brothers said in a joint statement. “Every day, we wish she were still with us, and our hope is that this statue will be seen forever as a symbol of her life and her legacy.”

Piers Morgan, known as the “arch-enemy” of Meghan Markle, has never shied away from criticizing and mocking the Duchess in the media. Following the Sussexes’ explosive interview with Oprah, Piers Morgan delivered a biting response to the couple’s accusations against the royal family on his show.

Piers Morgan did not hold back in his rebuke of Meghan, stating, “I don’t believe a word she says. I wouldn’t believe a weather report if she was reading it. Her fierce attacks on our Royal Family are utterly disgraceful.”

Piers Morgan’s harsh criticism of Meghan Markle.

The veteran journalist’s on-air assault on Meghan sparked a flurry of complaints to Ofcom, the government agency that oversees communications, including a formal complaint from Meghan herself. Many demanded that Piers Morgan apologize to Meghan, but he flatly refused and instead chose to resign from his position.

Now, Piers Morgan is seen as having “won” the “battle” with Meghan, as he has been found not to have done anything wrong. Ofcom recently declared that Morgan did not violate any media regulations or principles when he openly labeled Meghan a liar on Good Morning Britain (GMB) last March.

Ofcom stated, “Mr. Morgan was entitled to say he disbelieved the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s allegations and to hold and express strong views that robustly challenged their account.”

 

 

Meghan Markle faces another bitter outcome.

Following Ofcom’s conclusion, Piers Morgan jubilantly took to Twitter, calling it a “resounding defeat for Princess Pinocchio,” reiterating that many of Harry and Meghan’s claims have been proven false. The term “Princess Pinocchio” (implying that Meghan is a lying princess) has since become a new nickname used by internet users to mock the Duchess.

Many online users remarked that this is undoubtedly a severe blow to the Sussexes, as their fabrications from the explosive interview are once again being scrutinized. As of now, the Sussexes have not issued any response to this latest development.

RF throws cold water on Meghan: Zaʀa Tindall takes on new title of Princess

“He was thrilled to see her, and there was something he said that definitely made her pause for a moment,” says an eyewitness. “It would be amazing if he were to make her a princess. She’s like a surrogate daughter for him. He clearly worships her.”

It’s clear the King’s initial plans for a more streamlined monarchy have somewhat backfired, with the Princess of Wales convalescing and his own ailments restricting him, and bringing in someone like Zara will have a big impact.

King Charles III has recently conferred a new royal title upon his niece, Zara Tindall, recognizing her steadfast dedication and service to the monarchy. Dubbed “The Forgotten Princess,” this title acknowledges Tindall’s understated presence within the royal family amidst various controversies and media attention focused on other members.

Zara Tindall has maintained a low-key persona, largely centered around her passion for equestrian sports, which has set her apart from more prominently featured relatives such as Prince William and Prince Harry. Her commitment to duty and humble demeanor have earned her respect within royal circles, making the title bestowed by King Charles a poignant recognition of her contributions.

The designation of “The Forgotten Princess” not only underscores Tindall’s loyalty and service but also serves as a strategic move by King Charles to emphasize values of humility and dedication during his reign. This acknowledgment comes at a time of heightened public interest in the dynamics of the royal family, especially given recent controversies involving other members.

As the monarchy navigates through these complexities, Tindall’s new title is expected to play a role in shaping public perception and internal dynamics within the family. It remains to be seen how this recognition will impact existing tensions, including reactions from other family members such as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, whose responses could further influence the unfolding narrative within the royal household.

There are several good reasons why King Charles lets his beloved niece Zara Tindall break the rules all the time. For one, he clearly adores her big protocol-destroying bear hugs, which were on full display during a tender reunion at the Royal Windsor Horse Show recently.Charles, 75, has also been working behind the scenes putting together plans to rebuild his dwindling ranks and wants to promote the mother-of-three to her rightful title of princess. And onlookers are convinced this is the moment he told her!

“She can turn it down, but Charles is hoping she won’t. He adores her – she’s the daughter he never had – and he respects and admires her as much as his sister.”

But now they’ve had their “normal” upbringing, Charles is not giving up.

“He wants to do this because it’s wrong that Zara and her brother Peter aren’t princess and prince,” says an insider.

“They would have automatically been afforded those titles had Anne been a boy. It doesn’t matter that Anne turned down the Queen’s offer to fix this when they were younger. If they’ve changed the laws of succession to include females, then Zara should automatically be a princess.

The star of ‘The Crown’ tells PEOPLE the season 6 script imagined Princess Diana as someone who “had been through the fires and come through stronger”

Elizabeth Debicki at The Crown season 6, part 1 premiere in Los Angeles on November 12; Princess Diana’s visit to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in 1996. . Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty; Julian Parker/Getty

Elizabeth Debicki says closing the role of Princess Diana in The Crown came with a unique weight.

Speaking to PEOPLE before the show’s season 6, part 1 premiere on Thursday, Debicki says the hardest scenes to film for Netflix’s drama inspired by the lives of the British royal family were those around the end.

The first installment, told in four episodes, explores the events surrounding Princess Diana’s tragic death in 1997 alongside love interest Dodi Fayed (played by Khalid Abdalla). Part 2 debuts on Dec. 14 with six episodes, focusing on the aftermath of the late Princess of Wales’ death and the future of the monarchy.

“All of the scenes in the lead-up to the end of this season were in a cumulative way, very difficult. We shot them over a number of weeks. I think shooting the sequences where the two characters are being really pursued by the paparazzi was just a really horrible experience. It’s very physical,” Debicki, 33, exclusively tells PEOPLE. “After doing that for a few weeks, we were very drained, very tired. We felt in a way it’s almost like doing a stunt in the sense that your body starts to take on the kind of physical experience and you’re not doing a lot of acting.”

Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana and Khalid Abdalla as Dodi Fayed in season 6 of The Crown on Netflix.Netflix

Elizabeth Debicki on the Most Important Thing She Learned While Playing Princess Diana in The Crown

“The feeling was almost like being underwater. You’re just kind in this swamp of noise, of harassment, of being pursued,” she says. “As the actor playing the role, the character is just constantly focusing on where they’re trying to get to, but there’s just this accumulation of obstacles in the way of that, and that was a very kind of difficult, taxing thing to experience.”

PEOPLE previously confirmed that the moment of impact of the car crash that killed Diana and Dodi would be excluded from The Crown. Executive producers Andy Harries and Suzanne Mackie later stressed at the Edinburgh TV Festival that the depiction of the tragedy was approached sensitively on screen.

Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana and Khalid Abdalla as Dodi Fayed in season 6 of The Crown on Netflix.Daniel Escale/Netflix

On Aug. 31, 1997, the Princess of Wales and the Harrods heir were traveling by car in Paris with a driver and bodyguard pursued by paparazzi when their vehicle slammed into a support column of the Pont de l’Alma tunnel, flipped and came to a rest in front of oncoming traffic. Dodi and the driver died instantly while Diana died later in the hospital. She was 36 years old.

The cast of The Crown changed every two seasons to reflect the royals aging through the decades, and Debicki took over from Emma Corrin for the role of Princess Diana in seasons 5 and 6. The star says what shifted for the final season was showing a different side to Diana.

“The script offered different sort of colors in a way of Diana, and I was really grateful for that. I think in season 5, the character is much more isolated. She’s on her own a lot, and she’s going through incredible trials that really test her and test her sense of reality and her sense of herself,” Debicki says of the penultimate installment, which chronicled the breakdown of Diana’s marriage to then-Prince Charles, finalized by divorce.

“When I opened up the scripts to season 6, what I saw Peter [Morgan] had created for me to follow, was this sense of someone who was freer, who was kind of blossoming into a different version, who had been through the fires and had sort of come through stronger and more focused,” she adds of what the showrunner imagined.

Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana in season 6 of The Crown on Netflix.Daniel Escale/Netflix

A Timeline of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed’s Relationship

Part 1 picks up with Princess Diana’s holiday in Saint-Tropez with her young sons, Prince William (Rufus Kampa) and Prince Harry (Fflyn Edwards), hosted aboard Dodi’s family’s yacht.

“I think in the beginning of season 6, Diana just wants to have a good vacation with her kids. She really just wants to have a nice time, which is a difficult thing to do in life, to say, ‘Everything goes to the side. We just have fun,’ ” Debicki says.

“She really has this intention to have fun. And then of course, the way that Peter’s written it, this relationship with Dodi Fayed just tumbles together and they find each other and they’re surprised at what they find together in terms of the chemistry,” the actress continues. “All of those pieces of making this part of the story were just a joy to do, to experience.”

Fflyn Edwards as Prince Harry, Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana and Rufus Kampa as Prince William in season 6 of The Crown on Netflix.Daniel Escale/Netflix

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On what she most hoped to bring to the final season, Debicki says it was all about Diana as a mother.

“I felt like I really had an opportunity in this season to just really focus on the relationship between Diana and her boys. Just that love, the joy, and the relief of spending time with them, and feeling really truly yourself when you have your children with you, and a real sense of kind of purpose,” Debicki tells PEOPLE. “That was so important for me because obviously we know where the story is heading. I really focused, whenever there was an opportunity, to show how incredibly alive and beautiful this person was.”

The Crown season 6, part 1, is now streaming on Netflix.

The late princess appeared on the cover of PEOPLE magazine more than anyone else in the world

Princess Diana would have turned 62 on July 1, 2023. In her short but impactful time in the spotlight — she died on Aug. 31, 1997, in a car crash in Paris — she appeared on the cover of PEOPLE 45 times, and has reappeared on several covers since, continuing her legacy of love and service. Here, a look back at them all.

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June 22, 1981: Lady Diana

At 19 years old, Princess Diana’s very first PEOPLE cover was a “sneak preview” of her wedding to Charles, an article that featured details on all six of her wedding gowns, the A-list guest list and the “royal pain” of planning in the spotlight.

02of 59

August 2, 1981: Good Show!

Following the couple’s fairytale wedding, PEOPLE reporters uncovered all of the tiny details that went into making the big day a success. For example, to produce the silk for Diana’s gown, the proprietor of Britain’s only silk farm had volunteers scour the woods of two counties for the 20 bags of mulberry leaves needed to feed his hungry silkworms each day. Once the moth larvae had spun their cocoons, he and his wife reeled the silk skeins that made the cloth that was to be woven into Diana’s wedding gown.

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November 23, 1981: The Pregnant Princess

A baby on the way! An issue of PEOPLE leading up to the birth of Prince William offered up details on “nannies, nappies, names” and other plans Charles and Diana had for the heir to the throne.

04of 59

July 5, 1982: Oh, Boy!

Diana’s newborn son William didn’ appear on the cover, but the beaming new mom (in a blue, polka dot dress Princess Kate channeled when introducing the world to Prince George in 2013) was a vision while leaving the hospital in London.

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August 16, 1982: King of Hearts

Welcome, William! Diana’s first son made his debut on PEOPLE, captured in “a touching moment for Diana and her little prince.”

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January 31, 1983: Diana’s Ordeal

Paparazzi hounded the prince and princess on what was supposed to be a private trip to the Swiss Alps, leaving the woman called “shy Di” visibly angry at photographers and members of the press who followed her.

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October 1, 1994: Di’s Pride and Joy

A glowing Diana held newborn Prince Harry in photos featured on this 1994 cover, announcing that “little Prince Henry is checking into the royal nursery.”

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January 14, 1985: Harry

When Princess Anne and her husband, Capt. Mark Phillips, opted out of Prince Harry’s late 1984 Christening, sending their young children alone, rumors of a feud between the pair and Diana grew. Diana and Charles chose not to name Anne godmother to either of their sons, and PEOPLE reported the women’s matching “iron wills” often put them at odds.

09of 59

May 20, 1985: Talk About Power Trips!

A 1985 story compared the simultaneous European trips of Charles and Diana — who explored Italy by yacht with William and Harry — and President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan, who had a more regimented tour through Germany and Italy.

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July 22, 1985: Malice in the Palace

“Behind this facade is a willful woman who has family servants on the run and who’s dancing the night away — sometimes without Charles,” read PEOPLE’s barbed account, which claimed Diana was “boldly displaying a new assertiveness and self-confidence” to the royal family. Stepping out alone both for official engagements and social events, “she seems eager to enjoy her unspent youth,” PEOPLE editors in 1985 postulated.

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November 11, 1985: What’s Diana Worth to Britain?

A fashion feature on the young princess explored how Diana and her staff of three shopped for her 200-plus engagements a year. “What she wears is her choice and her taste,” one close companion told PEOPLE. In contrast to the queen, a royal re-wearer, Diana often chose new looks, putting a heavy preference on British designers.

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October 13, 1986: Fergie & Di, The Merry Wives of Windsor

“Eleven weeks after she wed Prince Andrew and nine weeks after their honeymoon in the Azores, the newest member of the House of Windsor has become a wildly popular costar in the royal road show,” PEOPLE’s story on Sarah Ferguson read. Fergie and Diana’s fast friendship also gave fans something to root for, adding “a certain piquancy to the drama” of the royal family, PEOPLE’s then-editors posited.

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June 9, 1987: Save the Wales!

“Happily? Or just ever after?” PEOPLE asked as the couple marked six years of marriage. As a friend said of the pair’s struggle to find common ground: ”He was a bachelor for a very long time before he got married. He got very set in his ways and has never made any real attempt to change.”

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July 26, 1987: The Follies of Fergie & Di

The friendship between Fergie, then 27, and 26-year-old Diana was given a a misogynistic spin in much of the press throughout the 1980s. Dubbing the “naughty” royal wives “that international fun couple,” PEOPLE’s 1987 cover story said, “Di relishes Sarah’s lighthearted company.”

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November 9, 1987: The Big Chill

Increasingly living apart, Charles and Diana reunited in the country for what was supposed to be a quiet weekend together, only for her to leave 21 hours after she arrived. As one insider told PEOPLE, “the bottom line is that with no completely convincing reason, the prince and princess are leading separate lives. It is clear that she is happier with her own set of friends in the south of England, while he is at his best living a rather Spartan life in the north. What is worse is that the time apart doesn’t seem to bother them.”

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Spring 1988: All About Diana, The Private World of a Princess

A special edition about the young princess included features about her beautiful homes and jewels, her accessible fashion choices and her parenting style. “Privileged princes William and Harry have nannies and footmen, but it’s Di who rules the roost,” read one line.

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April 25, 1988: Growing Up Royal

A photo with Harry focused on Diana’s ability to keep her boys down to earth despite their pedigree.

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August 1, 1988: Seven-Year Hitch

A psychologist spoke to PEOPLE about the truth beind the “seven-year itch” some say married couples face, pointing to examples of what Charles and Diana were weathering. However, the couple were still presenting a united front at times. ”There continues to be a lot of caring and mutual respect between [them],” one family source shared. Five couples married the same week as Charles and Diana spoke about their own seven-year itch symptoms, too.

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October 31, 1988: Life Without Di

As Charles “fishes, paints, broods over the symbols in his dreams and dallies abroad, Diana gets a taste of single motherhood,” read a cover foreshadowing the future of their relationship.

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July 16, 1990: The Woman Who Will Be Queen

A thoroughly modern royal at the time, Diana gained popularity in part for her devotion to keeping things real. “She drives the kids to school, does aerobics, reaches out to AIDS patients — and struggles to make a difficult marriage work,” read PEOPLE’s cover.

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February 11, 1991: Rich, Royal and … Home Alone

By this time, the press was well aware that Diana and Charles, who was seeing Camilla Parker Bowles, were living separate lives. ”I believe that the marriage is stone dead,” said a source. “I don’t think there is animosity between them; it’s worse than that. They just don’t care anymore. It’s just indifference.”

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June 17, 1991: Wounded Prince

At school at Ludgrove in June 1991, Prince William was accidentally hit in the head with a golf putter and rushed into surgery with a fractured skull. The British press immediately called out Charles for leaving his son’s bedside to attend to some official and private royal duties, as Diana continued to emerge as the more present parent, who “plans her professional schedule around the school calendar,” PEOPLE wrote.

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July 22, 1991: A Decade Later, Where Has Their Love Gone?

On the couple’s 10th anniversary, many were speculating on the future of Charles and Diana’s marriage. “Is he fit to reign?” read PEOPLE’s cover. “Will they finally divorce?”

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Fall 1990: The Decade of Diana

A special collector’s edition offered a peek into the “merry lives (and marital woes) of the tempestuous House of Windsor,” with insets of Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth and Duchess Sarah Ferguson.

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June 22, 1992: DIANA

”Behind the public smiles, Princess Diana is a lonely and unhappy young woman who endures a loveless marriage,” wrote reporter Andrew Morton in his explosive biography Diana: Her True Story, which so shook the monarchy (and the country) that it was banned at Harrods. The reporter said he had cooperation from Diana’s inner circle on the book. As he wrote, “[They] believed that for once the truth should be told about the difficult life Diana has led.” After her death, Morton revealed that Diana herself had been his primary source via secretly recorded audio tapes.

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June 29, 1992: Diana’s Rival

A 1992 story on the increasing tension between Diana and Camilla told the story of Charles and Camilla’s meeting years before Diana was even in the picture. Camilla, a friend told PEOPLE, “is able to relax Prince Charles. He feels cozy in her company.”

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April 13, 1992: Diana in Mourning

“A difficult month comes to a tragic end as the Princess of Wales copes with the sudden death of her father,” read PEOPLE’s cover. Diana was particularly close to her dad, Earl Spencer, who died unexpectedly of a heart attack that week at the age of 68.

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August 3, 1992: Battling Bulimia, Diana’s Diet Ordeal

In 1992, three different books about the royals alleged Diana struggled with bulimia, though the palace never addressed the rumors. Diana later revealed her struggle with the eating disorder in her 1995 Panorama interview.

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September 14, 1992: Diana’s Secrets

At the peak of the tabloid storm surrounding Diana, the August 1992 leak of a phone call between Diana and friend James Gilbey, published in The Sun, raised eyebrows as she described life with Prince Charles as “real torture,” among other confessions. That same week, a man came forward to say he witnessed “indiscreet action” between the princess and her riding instructor, Maj. James Hewitt.

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November 30, 1992: It’s Over

The news of Charles and Diana’s official separation was met with just two words on this cover.

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December 21, 1992: Diana Makes a Deal

With the separation official, “she gets what she wants,” PEOPLE brazenly declared. “Palace digs, co-custody of the kids and a chance to be queen.”

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April 12, 1993: Diana on Her Own

A post-separation cover touted “the perils — and pleasures — of life without Charles,” as Diana found life without the full protection of the monarchy could be both freeing and unsettling.

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September 6, 1993: Battle for the Boys

With their parents living separately, William and Harry were treated to special vacations — like their famous trip to Walt Disney World in Florida in August of 1993 — but also subject to endless press scrutiny.

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December 6, 1993: Diana’s Lonely Battle

One year after Charles and Diana separated, the princess joked at a Nov. 4 event, “I thought I might postpone my nervous breakdown.” But it wasn’t funny: a friend told PEOPLE the mom of two was “‘shattered and overstressed,” spending much of her time alone.

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June 13, 1994: Diana’s Daring New Life

By the summer of 1994, PEOPLE declared that Diana was “liberated” and raised an eyebrow at her then-radical pursuit of “holistic healing” and “aromatherapy.” Meanwhile, the British press criticized her for having too much fun in her post-Charles life.

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September 5, 1994: Diana on the Edge

The British tabloid News of the World claimed that, over a period of 18 months, the princess had made as many as 300 anonymous calls to platonic confidant Oliver Hoare. Though Hoare was acting as a go-between for Charles and Diana during a rocky time, and listening when Diana had something to say, the tabloid alleged that she would frequently call his home without saying anything, staying on the line quietly as Hoare asked who was there.

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October 17, 1994: Diana’s Secret Lover

When Life Guards officer James Hewitt, with whom Diana eventually admitted to having an affair, spoke for a book about his time with the princess, 75,000 copies sold in one day. Princess in Love revealed intimate details of the pair’s relationship, and left Diana “bitterly hurt,” a source told PEOPLE.

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October 31, 1994: He Never Loved Her

In a June 1994 interview, Charles shocked the nation when he admitted to committing adultery. A November 1994 book by the journalist who conducted the interview, Jonathan Dimbleby, went even further, excerpting Charles’ private diary entries about his wife, his parents and royal life. “Frequently I feel … that I’m in a kind of cage, pacing up and down and longing to be free,” he wrote in 1986, five years after his wedding to Diana.

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November 6, 1995: Royal Roulette

In an example of the pervasive misogyny of the media coverage at the time, Diana’s so-called “homewrecker image” was pitted against Camilla in a showdown described as “royal roulette.”

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December 4, 1995: Diana’s Revenge: Take That

Diana sat down for an interview with now-disgraced former BBC journalist Martin Bashir in late 1995, discussing everything from her mental health struggles to her husband’s affair with Camilla, famously saying, “Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.” An official BBC inquiry this year concluded Bashir used “deceitful methods” to secure the interview, which had devastating consequences for Diana and hastened her divorce from Charles.

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March 11, 1996: DI-VORCE! Her Future Begins

A photo of a confident Diana set the tone for the first issue after news of her divorce from Prince Charles broke on Feb. 28, 1996. They’d been separated for four years, and as one London reporter told PEOPLE, their situation “was beginning to divide not only politicians but the people of this country. The situation can only improve.”

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Spring 1996: The Diana Years

Another special issue focused on Diana’s life in the spotlight, from “her dazzling debut to the divorce and beyond.”

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June 17, 1996: Di Wows Chicago

“Putting aside her bitter divorce, a radiant princess lights up the Windy City,” read the cover line following Diana’s brief trip to the U.S. Fans lined the streets of Chicago to catch a glimpse of the royal as she visited Cook County Hospital — the inspiration for ER — and a fundraiser at the Field Museum of Natural History, where Michael Jordan’s mother dropped off autographed Bulls gear for William and Harry. Diana’s three-day visit was expected to raise $1.4 million, to be split among three charities: Northwestern University’s Robert H. Lurie Cancer Center, Gilda’s Club and London’s Royal Marsden Hospital, of which Diana was president.

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March 17, 1997: Class vs. Cash

The spring 1997 cover again pitted two royal women against each other, this time lauding Diana for devoting herself to “good works” while blasting newly single mom Sarah Ferguson for earning her own money.

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August 25, 1997: A Guy for Di

Diana’s relationship with Dodi Al Fayed was quite new in the summer of 1997 and had royal watchers wondering if the charming playboy was serious about the former princess — or “playing the field,” as PEOPLE asked.

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September 15, 1997

PEOPLE’s tribute to Diana immediately following her shocking death at age 36 on Aug. 31, 1997 is the first and only issue of the magazine to run without a cover line.

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September 22, 1997: Goodbye, Diana

The Sept. 22, 1997, PEOPLE focused on Diana’s emotional funeral in London. Two billion people — the largest audience in television history — tuned in as the People’s Princess was laid to rest following a service at Westminster Abbey. Friend Elton John memorably performed “Candle in the Wind” and her sons walked stoically behind her coffin, something Harry has since said was unbearably traumatic.

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October 13, 1997: The Secret Diana Interviews

Weeks after Diana’s death, British author Andrew Morton revealed that Diana had been the primary source behind his 1992 bestseller Diana: Her True Story.

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October 20, 1997: The Diana Interviews

A week later, the Morton tapes, which Diana had secretly recorded, and the updated book were featured in a sequel PEOPLE cover. “She had this crying need to speak out,” Morton said.

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February 2, 1998: Diana’s Legacy of Love

Months after her death, Diana’s legacy endured in the lives of those she’d helped with her extensive charity work through the years. Several of them spoke to PEOPLE about how the princess helped them. “No one,” says Ken Rutherford, a cofounder of the Landmine Survivors’ Network, who accompanied Diana to Bosnia, “could bring attention to an issue like she could.”

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August 31, 1998: Diana’s World, One Year Later

One year after Diana’s death, PEOPLE scrutinized the lives of those closest to the late princess, including Prince Charles, Charles Spencer, Camilla and Princes William and Harry.

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August 23, 1999: The Diana We Never Knew

Author Sally Bedell Smith released a biography of the princess. “Diana was trapped in a terrible hall of mirrors,” Smith told PEOPLE. “There was a huge disconnect between her public persona and her private life.” She argued, through interviews with friends and doctors, that Diana had undiagnosed borderline personality disorder, symptoms of which “include impulsiveness, feelings of abandonment and an inability to sustain relationships.”

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March 27, 2000: The Bodyguard’s Story

Trevor Rees-Jones was the only survivor of the crash that killed Diana; in a book, he detailed the days leading up to the event and his five-week hospital stay afterward. Speaking to PEOPLE about the months following the crash, he said, “A couple of times I felt if I had died instead of [Diana and Dodi], it would have been much easier both for me personally and for everybody else.”

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June 25, 2001: The Sister He Knew

Diana’s brother Charles Spencer spoke to PEOPLE four years after his sister’s death, on what would have been her 40th birthday. “I imagine she would not have been looking forward to being 40,” he said. “She was always conscious of her age and appearance. But I can’t see her losing that happiness and strength she had achieved.” After her painful marriage, he added, “she had reached the rebirth stage and was ready to move on.”

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April 3, 2006: Shocking New Evidence

Nine years after her tragic death, comments made by Lord Stevens, chief investigator of the government probe into the deaths of Diana and Dodi Al Fayed, implied the questions involved in the investigation were “far more complex … than any of us thought.”

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June 4, 2007: Diana’s Boys

“The most important thing to Diana was to make sure her boys grew up to be normal human beings,” a family friend told PEOPLE. “And apart from the fact that everyone in the world knows their faces, they are very normal boys. That is Diana’s legacy.”

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August 7, 2017: The Real Diana

Twenty years after Diana’s death, PEOPLE spoke to some of those who knew her best, including her brother Charles Spencer, who remembered her as “incredibly brave.”

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Summer 2021: PEOPLE Royals

Princess Diana appeared on the summer issue of the quarterly magazine PEOPLE Royals. In a story about how she “changed everything” in the monarchy, friends and confidants detailed how “her extraordinary life set the path for William and Harry today.”

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September 5, 2022: 25 Years Without Diana

PEOPLE’s September 2022 cover paid tribute to the princess on the 25th anniversary of her death, Aug. 31.

“It was such a shock that it remains imprinted on your mind,” Queen Elizabeth biographer Ingrid Seward, who knew Diana personally, told PEOPLE in the cover story. “There are very few moments like those in history.”

“I remember where I was in every tiny detail when I heard about Diana,” Steward added. “It affected everybody. Almost everyone in the world remembers where they were that day — it was an extraordinary, global phenomenon.”

In a shocking turn of events, King Charles III has reportedly expelled another member of the royal family, marking a dramatic escalation in the internal tensions that have plagued the House of Windsor.

While the identity of the individual remains undisclosed for the moment, speculation is rampant, with many pointing to ongoing controversies that have caused friction within the royal family in recent years.

King Charles, who has been intent on streamlining and modernizing the monarchy since taking the throne, appears to be taking decisive action to safeguard the integrity of the institution.

This recent expulsion is seen as part of his broader effort to reduce the number of working royals and distance the crown from individuals whose actions or behavior may bring controversy or embarrassment to the family.

Charles’ move follows a series of public disputes, most notably involving Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, whose departure from royal duties in 2020 caused a seismic shift in the royal landscape.

Many are speculating that this latest expulsion could involve a royal family member who has been embroiled in scandals or disputes that threaten the public perception of the monarchy.

The expulsion comes at a time when King Charles is determined to establish his own legacy, stepping out from the shadow of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, while also maintaining the values and traditions of the British monarchy.

Some commentators suggest that Charles’ actions signal a new era of accountability within the royal family. In previous generations, internal family matters were often kept private, but under King Charles’ reign, it appears that there is less tolerance for those who fail to uphold the standards of royal duty and public responsibility.

By removing another member from the royal circle, Charles is sending a strong message about his expectations and the future direction of the institution.

The public reaction has been mixed. Some have applauded King Charles for making tough decisions and prioritizing the future of the monarchy over personal relationships. Others, however, see this move as further evidence of deep divisions within the royal family that may be difficult to heal.

The expelled royal has yet to make a public statement, but the announcement is sure to spark further intrigue and debate about the inner workings of one of the world’s most closely watched families.

As the nation waits for more details, this decision marks another chapter in the evolving story of the British royal family under King Charles’ leadership.

The actress spoke exclusively to PEOPLE about the royal connection to one of her looks at the show’s season 3 premiere on May 13

Princess Diana and Florence Hunt. Photo: Antony Jones/UK Press via Getty Images; Liam Daniel/Netflix

Bridgerton is tapping into a piece of true royal history when it comes to the wardrobe for its latest season.

Speaking at the season 3 premiere of the series on May 13, actress Florence Hunt revealed to PEOPLE that she had the honor of wearing a dress cut from the same fabric as one of Princess Diana’s dresses.

“I wore this beautiful blue dress, and I believe it was a cut off from Princess Diana’s dress that she wore at some point,” Hunt, 17, tells PEOPLE at the New York City premiere.

“A cut off from one of her dresses that they made for Princess Diana and they made a dress out of that fabric, which was mental. It’s crazy, yeah,” she adds, noting it is favorite look her character wears in the new season.

Florence Hunt at the season 3 premiere of ‘Bridgerton’ in New York City on May 13.ANDREA RENAULT/AFP via Getty Images

Princess Diana Has a Surprising Connection to ‘Bridgerton’ — and Her Brother Approves!

The star, who plays Hyacinth Bridgerton in the Netflix series, added that the wardrobe team on the show “let me keep a little piece of the fabric” after filming.

“I just thought it was amazing. I felt like I was wearing a piece of history,” Hunt tells PEOPLE.

Some of Princess Diana’s most iconic style moments from over the decades include her wearing statement blue dresses.

In 1981, the late princess wore an ethereal off-the-shoulder Bellville Sassoon ballgown at a Victoria & Albert museum exhibition in London, while four years later, she dazzled in an emerald blue Emanuels gown while dancing with her husband, the then-Prince Charles during the Melbourne royal tour.

Princess Diana in a Bellville Sassoon ballgown at the ‘Splendours of the Gonzaga’ exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1981.Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

The Real Story of Princess Diana’s ‘Revenge Dress’

Princess Diana also famously sported a light blue strapless chiffon gown by Catherine Walker while attending the 1987 Cannes Film Festival, followed ten years later by wearing a sparkling blue shift dress by Jacques Azagury in one of her last looks in London in 1997.

Bridgerton costume designer John Glaser listed other style icons influencing the third season’s looks as Audrey Hepburn from My Fair Lady for the character of Eloise Bridgerton, and Grace Kelly and Katherine Hepburn for Franscesca Bridgerton, per British Vogue.

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Princess Diana pictured at the Cannes Film Festival in 1987.Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

Along with Princess Diana’s memorable fashions, Bridgerton has also been inspired by the late princess’ childhood home.

In December 2020, show creator Chris Van Dusen revealed that the Bridgerton family home was influenced by the Spencer family’s ancestral home — Althorp House — after he developed a connection with it while making the show.

“The interior of Bridgerton House was inspired by my visit to Althorp when I was developing the show. Elegance. Opulence. And that #staircase,” he wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter) at the time.