Charles Spencer Shares Rare Childhood Photo of Princess Diana on Her Wedding Anniversary
Charles Spencer often shares precious throwbacks of his late sister, Princess Diana, as a way to honor and remember her. They reportedly shared the same sense of humor. Recently, on July 29, the 44th anniversary of her wedding to now-King Charles, Spencer again posted an adorable childhood photo on his Instagram. The black-and-white image showed him and Diana standing by the pool at their childhood home, Park House on the Sandringham estate, wearing swimming badges sewn onto their suits.
Spencer stirred nostalgia with a heartfelt tribute that’s caught the attention of both history lovers and royal fans. Sharing the image of them in vintage swimsuits, he detailed memories of summer days spent almost entirely in the pool under the guidance of their strict but skilled instructor, Mrs. Lansdowne. He wrote, "A long-ago summer, by the swimming pool at our childhood home, Park House, Sandringham... Diana and I were both proudly showing off our swimming badges (sewn onto our swimming costumes). These were awarded (sparingly) by Mrs. Lansdowne, a fairly terrifying but very gifted swimming instructor, who came to stay each year. We were never out of that pool."
The tribute came on the poignant anniversary of Diana’s 1981 royal wedding. The nuptials were one of the most-watched events in modern history, drawing an estimated global audience of 750 million. After Diana's untimely death in 1997, Spencer, who gave a long eulogy at her funeral, chose to put her to rest at Althorp House, the family estate where Prince Harry had stayed after he was kicked out of Frogmore Cottage. Over the years, Spencer has used personal photos and memories to publicly commemorate his sister’s legacy, the People magazine reported.
Just weeks earlier, on July 1, what would have been Diana’s 64th birthday, he shared another previously unseen photograph from their early years. The black-and-white image showed Diana and him riding a camel at her sixth birthday party, a visit from 'Bert the Camel,' hired by their father from a local zoo. Spencer captioned the same, "Another July 1st, from long ago... 1967, in fact: for Diana’s 6th birthday party, my father (standing, left) to huge excitement had secured the services of Bert the Camel, from Thorney Wildlife Park, in Peterborough."
As reported by Marie Claire, the post, like many of his throwbacks, sparked a wave of fan reactions, especially around the family resemblance. In the comments, many pointed out how Princess Charlotte is the spitting image of young Diana. Some also noted how Prince George looked like his great-uncle, Spencer. “A baby George and Charlotte, omg!” one follower wrote, while another echoed, “I see Charlotte in Diana’s face in this photo.”
These comparisons aren’t new. Charlotte has often been said to share mannerisms with her late grandmother. From her facial expressions to her calm poise during public events, fans have noted her 'Spencer stare.' Others have highlighted shared interests; Charlotte reportedly enjoys ballet and piano, hobbies that Diana also loved.