I Never Knew Princess Diana – But She Became the Mythic Figure Who Shaped My Generation
EXCLUSIVE ANALYSIS: The late Princess of Wales remains a British icon, 29 years after her tragic death in Paris.
On the 29th anniversary of her death, many people around the world today are reflecting on the exact moment they found out about the death of Princess Diana.
It would be only a sobering moment to hear the tragic news that one of the world’s greatest figures was killed in a Paris car accident. For many, it wasn’t just a moment in time; it was a moment in history, especially for those in the United Kingdom. Sadly, I cannot remember my own experience of that moment as I was only around two-years-old. I’m sure if and when I found out, as a young child, I would not have been able to fully comprehend the gravity of that moment. I only have vague memories of my parents watching the funeral on television. However, I am of the generation of British children that grew up in her shadow, hearing about her, seeing the signature imagery surrounding her. Although she may not have been alive through my childhood years, both her presence and her absence were keenly felt within the country. Over time, to my generation, she almost became like a mythic figure.
The late Princess of Wales has been described as a unique presence within the Monarchy, one who could connect with anyone and everyone. Her actions in her life have been described as fearless, breaking protocol to hug victims of AIDS when the stigma around the disease was at an all-time high and knowledge around the illness was still developing. She famously walked through a Minefield in Angola as part of her work with the HALO Trust. She was also known for visiting homeless shelters, instilling the passion she felt for her causes in her two children. Her work today continues through Prince William and Prince Harry, who, whilst estranged, are nothing but strongly determined to carry her legacy into the 21st Century. The Institution is not just built to carry on the line of succession, but it is also there to make the lives of people in the UK better. Most royal engagements are focused on charitable endeavours. Indeed, organisations up and down the country benefit from the patronage of members of the Royal Family.
A Different Approach
But Diana was just different. Whilst married to then Prince Charles, she didn’t necessarily go out of her way to overshadow those higher up in the firm, but people flocked to her. In the 80s, she was seen as a modern princess offering a more personal and human approach. This was the power of Princess Diana, leading a generation of mums to look at her when bringing up their own children. Gone were the days of Prince Charles shaking hands with his mother and father after the pair toured Canada in 1951. Princess Diana loved nothing more than being involved and hands-on in the lives of her children. A visual metaphor that was on full display during her funeral as her two boys, heads bowed, were made to march behind her coffin in front of hundreds of thousands lining the streets of London and millions more across the world on television. British society was brought to a standstill. Prince Harry has since expressed how unimaginably traumatic that event was to be a part of, seeing thousands of people whilst the streets were eerily silent. He also described the unnerving feeling of shaking the wet hands of those on the street who were crying, those who didn’t even know his mother personally. Such was the connection that people felt with her.
Then there are the famous stories, not just of her incredible work, but of her vibrant personality. We have all seen the pictures from April 1993 of her laughing with her soaking-wet children after they rode the Logger's Leap log flume at Thorpe Park. She was keen for her children to see and enjoy the real world outside of the gates of Kensington Palace. We’ve all heard the stories of showbiz legend amongst friends including George Michael, Elton John and Gianni Versace. One story goes that she was dressed in a camouflage jacket, leather cap and dark aviator sunglasses so she could pass as an eccentric male model after she insisted on accompanying Freddie Mercury, Kenny Everett and actress Cleo Rocos on a night out. Even her home life was different to that of the Royal Household. Chef Darren McGrady revealed that whilst The Queen would prefer heavy creams and rich sauces, Diana would opt for a healthier lifestyle, choosing dishes like stuffed bell peppers with courgettes, rice and mushrooms.
Pop Culture Icon
With that also comes the fashion, which went hand in hand with the late Princess of Wales. At every stage in her life, she turned heads as she propelled the simple into the pop culture zeitgeist. In June 1981, she wore a red jumper emblazoned with flocks of cartoon sheep by the British knitwear brand Warm & Wonderful. Some have suggested the singular black sheep, which stood out from the flock on the sweater, came to symbolise her own eventual place of individuality and feeling of isolation outside the Royal Family after her divorce. On June 29, 1994, the night then-Prince Charles publicly confessed his adultery on national television, Diana stepped out in a plunging off-the-shoulder black dress by Christina Stambolian. This famously became known as the ‘Revenge Dress ’, and it symbolised a moment when, instead of hiding away or looking like a victim of heartbreak, she was ready to truly make her mark on the world as an individual. She stared her critics in the face, right in their eyes that night as she oozed confidence, radiance and power. Another black off-the-shoulder dress that was imprinted into the echelons of pop culture was the ‘Travolta Dress’, a ballgown designed by Victor Edelstein that she wore when she visited The White House in 1985. Her signature beaming smile was captured as she gleefully waltzed with A-list star John Travolta at the November gala dinner. Such is the fashion prowess that she even made jogging through the streets of London in a grey Harvard jumper look iconic.
Her iconic looks are something that is felt through the gaze of her daughters-in-law. Any time Princess Catherine or Meghan Markle even wear a similar colour, they are compared to their late mother-in-law. At public events, Kate has often worn outfits that are strikingly similar. Even in 2026, her blue Catherine Walker Trooping the Colour coat dress with white panelling, Horse Guards buttons and round hat was a nod back to Diana’s Easter Sunday service outfit from 1987. The year before, she paid tribute to Diana’s own Trooping the Colour look from 1988. In 2022, the year after the Pandemic, Catherine wore a black and white dress with a polka dot pattern by Alessandra Rich, a nod back to Diana’s own outfit from the same event in 1988. That year she even wore Diana’s emerald choker necklace at the Earthshot Prize ceremony, echoing a similar look from an event at the Dorchester in 1993. Meghan also took a similar approach, stepping out in a green Erdem coat on Commonwealth Day in 2019 with black detailing that was reminiscent of Diana’s coat in 1982. In 2020 at the same event, she wore a green fascinator which mirrored Diana’s Trooping the Colour look from 1982. In 2024, Meghan attended the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Gala dinner in a strappy red gown. This had both a similar structure and colour to the dress Princess Diana donned in 1995 when she attended a formal dinner hosted by the Association For The Struggle Against Infant Paralysis. The comparisons are prominent because every time Diana stepped out, it became a moment in fashion history.
Most of these memories I didn’t get the chance to live through, like many others who grew up in my generation, yet they have been etched clearly into my mind. Charles Spencer recently announced the release of a new book, all about his late sister, in which he promises to put new “revelations” about her into the public domain. Although some may feel this as something that is crass, it is a reminder of the interest surrounding Princess Diana. The fact that Meghan caused such uproar when she snapped her children Archie and Lilibet striding through the Althorp Estate on Instagram also goes to show how raw her absence is in the hearts of the British public. Such is the continued enduring power of Princess Diana, who is not just a figure known for her royal links, but a true icon of pop culture, who set the trends for the decades that followed.
As Sir Elton so beautifully sang at her funeral, 'Goodbye England's Rose, May you ever grow in our hearts.' And so she did; she did just that.
