Princess Diana was a style icon, and her bold looks inspired women’s wardrobes around the world.
She used her clothes to send statements to royal watchers, and in the lead up to her royal wedding to Charles, she used her jewellery to show just how in love she was.
Search through the archive today and – before the photos of her single days, her charity work and happily playing with sons William and Harry – you’ll find a young, soon-to-be princess with a strange accessory.
There are photographs of Lady Diana Spencer from the days leading up to her wedding to Prince Charles in which she is wearing two watches on one wrist
Of course, one of them was hers – a pretty, delicate metallic watch with a thin strap.
The other, more masculine, watch with a chunky brown leather strap belonged to Prince Charles.
At the time she was snapped wearing the watches, the couple were engaged and got married later that month.
And there’s a sweet reason for the doubling up of accessories.
The image was taken while the young Diana was watching Prince Charles play polo at the Guards Polo Club in Windsor, during July 1981.
She put on Charles’ watch as a tribute to him and to wish him good luck, according to Marie Claire.
However insiders have claimed that things weren’t as perfect behind the scene as everyone believed, and Diana’s fears about Charles’s ex Camilla started before they said their vows.
Insiders say she frequently asked Charles about the nature of their close bond in their lead up to their Royal Wedding in 1981.
But her heart was shattered just a few days before she said her vows when she walked into his private secretary Michael Colborne’s office.
She saw a package sitting on the desk with Camilla’s name written on it, and demanded to see what was inside of it.
She found a gold bracelet engraved with the letters G and F, which stood for Gladys and Fred – the nicknames Charles and Camilla used for each other.
Speaking in Channel 5 documentary, Charles and Di: The Truth Behind their Wedding, biographer Christopher Wilson said: “I think she was very suspicious of anything Camilla.
“She asked to see what was inside and eventually she was allowed to have her way.
“She was absolutely in tears, in a terrible state about it.
“It was clear that this was Prince Charles’ farewell present to Camilla.”
PRINCESS DIANA
It wasn’t the first time Diana has seen a gift from Charles to his ex, and weeks previously had found a bunch of flowers with the same initials signed on the note.
Royal expert Ingrid Seward added: “Her suspicions went absolutely off the radar.
“When she confronted Charles he said ‘well yes, I brought her a present because she’s a very good friend’.
“I think any woman can understand that that is pretty suspicious.”
