Princess Diana's Never-Before-Seen Portrait on Display at Kensington Palace

The portrait appears in the Life Through a Royal Lens Exhibition.

Princess Diana is being seen from a new lens!

A never-before-seen image of the People’s Princess appears as part of the new exhibition, Life Through a Royal Lens, dedicated to the royal family, in Kensington Palace. In the black and white photo, Diana, who was thought to be 27-years-old at the time, looks away from the camera. For the occasion, the princess wore a sleek one-shoulder gown, with her hair feathered just below her ears. The royal's keen eye for accessorizing was put on display, as she wore a pair of diamond drop earrings.  

The photo was taken by renowned photographer, David Bailey, in the late 80s at her home in Kensington Palace. Although the photo was shot in 1988, nine years before her death, it was commissioned for the National Portrait Gallery, but was kept by Bailey in his personal archives.  

Photo by Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images

“For me, it’s one of the most powerful images from the sitting,” curator, Claudia Acott Williams, said. Life Through a Royal Lens, explores the royal family through photography, and brings together some of the most iconic images ever taken to Kensington Palace.  

In addition to the photo of Princess Diana, the exhibition has pictures of Queen Elizabeth and her late husband, Prince Philip, from their 70th wedding anniversary shoot, images of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, all taken by their mother, and the queen’s only daughter, Princess Margret and her family. In addition to photos of William and Kate together. 

The exhibit celebrates over 200 years of the monarchy, captured on camera, from the 19th century to the present day. Life Through a Royal Lens opened on March 4, and will continue until October 30, 2022, at Kensington Palace.  

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