Rare Unseen Photos Of Princess Diana That Shed A New Light On Her Troubled Life
Princess Diana captured the world's attention from the moment she began dating Prince Charles. People from all over the world were interested in what she was wearing, where she was gong, and who she was with. Throughout the '80s and '90s, she became one of the most revered public figures on the planet.
She lived through several scandals, trials, and tribulations before meeting her untimely death in a motor vehicle accident. The world still isn't over that great loss. Keep reading to see some rare, never before seen photos of Diana in her glory.
A Beach Day With Her Boys
Diana had a lot of responsibilities as the Princess of Wales. Even though she was a busy lady, she always made time for her two sons. This photo was taken in 1990. That year, Diana and Charles had traveled for business to Nigeria, Cameroon, Hungary, and Japan.
That April, they took a family vacation to Necker Island, in the British Virgin Islands. Diana let her boys bury her in the sand while she took a much-needed break from her work life.
Smiling For The Camera
Most of the photos we've seen so far have been taken by the paparazzi, but this is a rare family photo of Daina that was allegedly taken by Prince William on a camera that he borrowed from his friend's nanny.
Diana's family was close friends with Carolyn Bartholomew. ON this occasion, the royal family was visiting the Bartholomew family at their Highgrove estate. The Bartholomew's nanny, who owned the camera, kept the photos and then passed them on to a family friend when she died. The friend finally shared the photos with the public in 2007.
Always Up For A Good Time
When you think of the royal family, you probably imagine them dressed in their Sunday best at some high profile event. Diana wasn't like other royals. She was a cool royal. She was always up for a good time, especially when that good time involved spending time with her sons. In this photo, you can see her enjoying a waterslide at Thorpe Park with her son Harry.
While at the park, she requested that the park staff treat her just like any other guest.
Diana And Dodi On Holiday
After divorcing Prince Charles, Diana began dating Dodi Fayed, the son of Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed. This photo was taken in July 1997, just a month before the tragic car accident that claimed both of their lives.
Here, they're vacationing in the south of France surrounded by a whole team of security officers. Fayed's father bought Diana and her sons a multimillion-dollar yacht just for fun. Diana was thankful for the gift, and she enjoyed spending time with Dodi on that boat.
Harry Was Always A Ham
While Diana always hated the paparazzi, her son Harry seems to be hamming it up for the cameras in this photo. Harry's wild side is really on display here. Diana doesn't seem to mind that he's pulling a silly face. Also photographed on this balcony at Buckingham Palace are Prince William, Lady Gabriella Windsor, and Lady Rose Windsor.
Princess Diana was a very hands-on mother. That wasn't typical for royal mothers who almost always let the nannies handle much of their child-rearing duties.
A Nice Afternoon Walk
Hunter rain boots have become all the rage in recent years, but of course Diana was way ahead of the trend in 1981. These boots were perfect for her to wear as she strolled the grounds of the Royal Family's estate at Craigowen Lodge with Prince Charles and his yellow Labrador.
This photo was taken on May 6, 1981, just a few months before she became the Princess of Wales. Diana gave up her job as a kindergarten assistant before marrying Prince Charles at age 20. She was the first royal bride to have a paying job before her engagement.
Diana And Harry Enjoying The Sunshine
Princess Diana's love for her sons was never questioned and everyone could see it. She was a positive influence during their upbringing but unfortunately, she was grasped out of their lives without warning. Still, William and Harry live by their mother's influence to this very day.
"My mother took a huge part in showing me an ordinary life, including taking me and my brother to see homeless people. Thank goodness I'm not completely cut off from reality. People would be amazed by the ordinary life William and I live," Prince Harry told Newsweek in 2017.
A Bikini Shot In France
This is another incredibly rare and candid snapshot of Diana. It was snapped while she was on vacation in the South of France. She's sporting a cute floral bikini and she has a matching cover-up in hand.
It's a comfort to those of us who admired her so much to see these candid shots of her relaxing while she was away from the public eye. This photo was taken in 1985 while the family was on holiday.
Talking With Landmine Victims
Princess Diana is best remembered for her good works and frequent involvement with charities across the globe. One such example was HALO Trust, a British charity and American non-profit that worked to remove debris and landmines from war-torn areas.
In 1997, photos of Diana visiting an Angolan minefield in a ballistic helmet surfaced, which caused politicians to accuse her of meddling in politics. But HALO stated that Diana's efforts brought awareness to their cause. While she was there, she took the time to get to know some Angolan victims at an orthopedic workshop, as depicted in this photo.
In Her Younger Days
This is a photo of a young Diana Spencer taken on vacation in West Sussex during the summer of 1971. She was around ten years old in this photo. She grew up in Park House on the Sandringham Estate, which her parents leased from Queen Elizabeth II herself.
Diana was initially home-schooled, but by the time this photo was taken she started attending an all-girls boarding school called Riddlesworth Hall School. Throughout her youth, Diana was a talented pianist, swimmer, diver, and dancer in ballet and tap dancing. One of her jobs as a young adult was a youth dancing instructor.
The Crown Wants You To Think They Hated Each Other
Diana's sister-in-law was Sarah Ferguson. Although many accounts state that the two royal women had a "complicated" relationship, this photo tells a different story.
Here's Diana chatting it up with Sarah at the Guard's Polo Club in Windsor, in June of 1983. Sarah would go on to marry Prince Andrew and become the Duchess of York in 1986. Diana's cute and casual sweater was from a London shop called Warm And Wonderful.
Diving Right In
The same book, Remembering Diana: A Life in Photographs, also included this photo of a teenaged Diana jumping into the family swimming pool. "Always poised, even when jumping off a slide into the family's pool at Park House, a youthful Diana shows off her fun side. Her red swimming badges can be seen at the bottom of her bathing suit."
As we've seen time and time again, Diana was incredibly playful and loved to swim. She certainly caught some air with this elegant jump!
The Famous White Dress
During an official visit to Hungary in May of 1990, Diana arrived at a state banquet at the Parliament Building in Budapest wearing an incredible strapless dress by designer Catherine Walker. The French designer's label has become synonymous with Princess Diana's style ever since they met in the early '80s. The brand is largely responsible for the modernization of royal style in general.
Princess Diana and Prince Charles were visiting Hungary in what was the first official visit by members of the Royal Family to a "Warsaw Pact" country. Diana certainly dazzled all of them.
Enjoying Some Juice With William
Luckily for us, there are quite a lot of pictures of Princess Diana with her children, being a very hands-on mom. This one shows Diana sitting with William for refreshments at Windsor Great Park. The photo was taken on June 1, 1991. At this point, Diana already knew about Charles' extramarital affair.
But in case you think she was a perfect mother, one of her former chefs later dished about her cooking skills to Hello Magazine: "She couldn't cook, the Princess was a terrible cook. She really was. I would actually leave food for her," he said.
She Loved Animals
Diana was known for her compassion for people, but she also loved animals. In 2017, a book about Diana called Remembering Diana: A Life in Photographs was published. This adorable photo was included. The caption read:
"Diana's pet Shetland pony Soufflé moves in to nuzzle her 14-year-old owner. Diana kept the pony at her mother and stepfather's house on the Isle of Seil, off Scotland’s west coast, which she visited during vacations."
Diana Iconic Revenge Dress
The night after it was announced that Diana and Charles were formally separating, Diana showed up to a Vanity Fair party wearing a swanky, little black off the shoulder dress. This dress quickly became known as her "revenge dress."
That day, a tell-all documentary dropped about the end of Diana and Charles' relationship. While people expected the documentary to reveal some unflattering truths about Diana, it actually exposed Charles as a cheater. People saw Diana a bit differently after that.
Meeting With The Saudi Royal Family
In November 1986, Princess Diana and Prince Charles visited Saudi Arabia, where they attended a picnic in the desert near Riyadh. Dressed in a Catherine Walker design, Diana enjoyed the company of the Saudi Royal Family that hosted the Prince and Princess of Wales in a Bedouin tent.
While there, Princess Diana and Prince Charles watched horse races and visited Riyadh's historic Masmak fortress. Princess Diana personally visited a home for handicapped children. This was on the last leg of the Middle East tour that they took during the '80s.
A Princess For The People
Diana liked to keep herself fit, but we rarely got to see photos of her in workout gear. Unlike her daughter-in-law the Duchess of Cambridge, who has frequently been photographed in athletic gear, it wasn't common to see Diana in such casual attire.
Here, she’s in simple shorts and a Virgin Atlantic sweatshirt as she leaves the Chelsea Harbour Club in London in 1995. Her charming smile indicates that she must have had a good workout!
Hugging Her Two Sons
We've already seen just how much Diana loved her children, and this photo further cements that sentiment. In the snapshot, the princess holds her arms wide open, ready to hug Prince William and Prince Harry.
This special image was captured on the deck of the yacht Britannia in Toronto. William and Harry went along with their parents on an official visit to Canada, 23rd October 1991. The stunning red-and-white checked suit that Princess Di is wearing was by fashion house Moschino.
Diana's Stepmother, Raine Spencer
To say that Diana didn't have the best relationship with her stepmother would be an understatement. Raine Spencer was notoriously known as Diana's "wicked" stepmother. Daina would often refer to Raine as a bully or as "Acid Raine."
Diana's father died in 1992, and after that, Diana seemed to forge a new, more cordial relationship with Raine. They were on very good terms after Diana and Charles got divorced. In this photo, you can see them mingling at a charity auction.
Diana Visiting A Hindu Temple
A true princess of the people, Diana didn't consider herself too good to take off her shoes when she paid a visit to the Shri Swaminararyan Hindu Temple in North London. Diana respectfully removed her shoes before entering the temple, where she was welcomed with open arms. She spent a considerable amount of time getting up close and personal with everyone there.
It's customary at Hindu temples to remove your shoes since footwear carries dirt. Practitioners and visitors are asked to remove their shoes to maintain cleanliness out of respect, since it is a holy place.
A Casual Day In The Park
We've seen her in a sweatshirt before, and here's another shot of her wearing one. This shows Prince William with Diana. They're at Guards Polo Club, and the Princess' shirt bears the British Lung Foundation's logo on the front.
She's paired the shirt with a blazer, blue jeans, knee-high boots, and a baseball cap. Even when she was dressed casually she always looked perfect for whatever occasion or event she was attending.
An Austrian Ski Trip
The first time William and Harry ever went skiing was in 1991. Diana took them to Lech, Austria so that they could learn how to master some serious slopes. This photo was taken on April 10th of that year.
Also in 1991, Diana and Charles' relationship was entirely broken. They were both having extramarital affairs and the tabloids were all over their personal business. Still, in the midst of all that, Diana found time to enjoy a ski trip with her sons.
When Diana And Charles First Started Dating
This photo was taken in 1980 when Lady Siana Spencer and Prince Charles were just starting their relationship. Nobody knew then what an icon Diana would become, how messy their relationship would get, or how all of this would end. Here, Diana is seen getting into a car outside of the flat her mother bought for her in Coleherne Court for her 18th birthday in 1979.
Charles and Diana actually met because Charles was dating Diana's older sister, Lady Sarah.
Princess Diana And Mother Teresa
There are few people with purer souls than Princess Diana, but on that shortlist you might just find Mother Teresa. This photo was taken on June 18, 1997, when Diana visited Mother Teresa in New York. These two first met when Diana visited Mother Teresa when she was in hospice in Calcutta, India back in 1992.
Mother Teresa passed away six days after Diana's fatal accident. When she heard the news about Diana, she said of the princess, "She was very concerned for the poor. She was very anxious to do something for them, and it was beautiful. That is why she was close to me."
Everyone Cared About Diana's Hair
Throughout much of her public life, Diana was revered as a style icon. But through her outfits and daring makeup looks, one thing that seemed to stay relatively the same was her hair. Diana was known for her perfectly coiffed, ashy-blonde short hair.
Sometimes her signature pixie-length hair would be blown out in a way that was popular for the late '80s, like this photo of her in Australia from 1988. Diana was very secretive of her haircuts, getting little by little done over several weeks so that the media didn't notice and it wouldn't distract from her charity work.
A Backyard Moment
Here's a cute picture of Princess Diana playing with William and Harry at their home, Highgrove. The boys are dressed in miniature Parachute Regiment uniforms for their playtime in the garden.
Of raising the two princes, Diana once said, "I want my boys to have an understanding of people's emotions, their insecurities, people’s distress, and their hopes and dreams." If their adult lives are any indication, she certainly accomplished her parenting goals.
They Were Once A Happy Family
Diana's first pregnancy was announced shortly after marrying Prince Charles. Prince William was born on June 21, 1982, and Prince Harry was born two years later on September 15, 1984. The Princess has said that she and Charles were closest during her second pregnancy.
However, media reports suggest that their marriage started crumbling about five years in, which is when this photo was taken on July 14, 1986. They obviously show no signs of that here as they smile in a meadow outside of their Highgrove House residence.
Doing Her Best To Make The World A Better Place
Diana was known around the world as the "People's Princess" because of the way she consciously interacted and bonded with members of the public that she encountered. In 1988, she became a patron of the British Red Cross, whose symbol she wears on her shirt.
She didn't hesitate to hold and care for this baby that she met while visiting landmine survivors in Angola. Shortly before her passing in 1997, she traveled to Washington, D.C. to help the American Red Cross promote their own landmines campaign and subsequently traveled to Bosnia with the Landmine Survivors Network.
Deep In Thought
Diana looks thoughtful as she waits by a car following a polo match in Windsor after the Ascot races on June 16, 1981. Perhaps she was having cold feet – or maybe she was bottling excitement – as she was due to wed Prince Charles a month later.
She would go from Lady Diana Spencer to Diana, Princess of Wales after a whirlwind engagement that lasted just five months. We'd be nervous too if we knew we were about to marry into one of the most prominent families on the planet!
Red On Red On Red
Diana was spotted arriving at St. Mary's Hospital in Paddington on March 1, 1989. It seemed that the paparazzi we're always there to capture the latest on Diana's whereabouts. The paparazzi still try to hound the royal family today, but perhaps no one had it worse than Diana – especially after her acrimonious split from Prince Charles.
In the BBC documentary Diana, 7 Days, Prince William says, "About every single time she went out there'd be a pack of people waiting for her... [they] followed her, chased her, harassed her, called her names, spat at her, tried to get a reaction to get that photograph of her lashing out, get her upset."
Easy, Breezy, Beautiful
Here, a photographer snapped a candid shot of Diana. This was taken at a desert picnic in Saudi Arabia in November 1986, as she and Charles were on a Royal tour of Saudi Arabia. This blue floral outfit is yet another by favored designer Catherine Walker.
Auctioneers who later sold some of Diana's iconic wardrobe wrote of it, she "tried to conform to local customs by wearing concealing clothes but still exposed her neck and left her head uncovered," but during "evening banquets, she appeared in… long-sleeved demure dresses made especially for the tour."
Tackling Those Landmines
As we know, one of Diana's most beloved lines of charitable work involved assisting landmine survivors and advocating for the abolishment of landmines worldwide. Lou McGrath, from Mines Advisory Group, later said of her work with the organization: "It was tremendously important [to have her on board]. It was a turning point."
He continued, "we'd tried to push forward a ban on the use, production and export [of mines] and it was only when Diana decided to come on board that the British government declared a moratorium." He added that a ban treaty was later signed, but sadly that day didn't come until after Diana's death.
Taking Her Sons To School
Always the devoted and dedicated mother, Diana even escorted her beloved sons to school every now and then. You could almost (but not quite) believe she was just a regular person at times.
In this photo, Prince William arrives with Diana and Prince Harry for his very first day at Eton College on September 16, 1995, in Windsor, England. William looks pretty nervous about starting school – he's even biting his nails!
The Whole World Loved Her
People around the world loved, and still do love, Princess Diana. In this 1983 photo, the Prince And Princess Of Wales are greeting a large group of school children while they were on a visit to Alice Springs, Australia.
This belted yellow dress is frequently cited as one of Diana's most popular travel outfits. When Prince Harry and his new bride Meghan traveled to Australia in 2018, the Duchess wore some of Diana's jewelry in tribute to her late mother-in-law.
The Media Was Relentless
Diana was certainly photogenic and was, at times, happy to pose for photographers as she went about her life. Her biographer, Tina Brown, wrote this of her friend: "The media surrounding Diana could be relentless."
"One adviser cautioned her not to have anything to do with the media, a warning that supposedly shocked her." In this photo, taken in France while she was attending an event called the International Night of Childhood, she waves to the paparazzi from the car she's riding in.
She Was Extremely Compassionate
Ever the humanitarian, Diana worked with dozens of charities during her brief life. In this photo, we see her shaking with a resident of Casey House, which is an AIDS hospice located in Toronto, Canada. This photo was taken in 1991.
Years earlier, Diana met with another AIDS patient and shook his hands without gloves, which startled the world and challenged the world's (then incorrect) opinion of how the disease was spread.
She Loved The Public
Here's a touching photo of Princess Diana, beaming as she leans in to embrace a woman in the crowd. This was shot on the streets of Carmarthen, Wales, on October 29th of 1981. She had become a princess just three months earlier.
Compared to the 750 million viewers worldwide who had tuned in to watch her wedding on television in July, this gathering on the street must have seemed very small.
Dressed Up For A Banquet
Diana once said, "I would like to be a queen in the hearts of the people." She certainly is, and in this 1983 photograph looked stunningly regal. She's wearing a cream-colored Gina Fratina gown at a farewell banquet in Aukland, New Zealand.
The look was topped off with a pearl tiara and dropped earrings. Known as the Lover's Knot tiara, the elegant headpiece has been worn several times by Diana's daughter-in-law Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambrid.
Her Kid Brother
This 1968 photo shows Diana posing with her younger brother Charles, Viscount Althorp, at their Berkshire home. Also known as Earl Spencer, he and Diana had two more siblings, sisters Sarah and Jane.
At Diana's funeral in 1997, Charles gave a moving and powerful eulogy. It included this line, referring to the paparazzi's treatment of his sister: "of all the ironies about Diana, perhaps the greatest was this: a girl given the name of the ancient goddess of hunting was, in the end, the most hunted person of the modern age."
