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Princess Diana and Princess Charlotte | Source: Getty Images
Princess Diana and Princess Charlotte | Source: Getty Images

Dressed in Diana's Memory: The Subtle Ways Princess Charlotte Honors Her Grandmother

Claudine Varela
Jan 22, 2026
05:34 A.M.

Though she never had the chance to meet her, Princess Charlotte is keeping her grandmother's memory alive in a subtle and beautiful way. Through a series of carefully chosen outfits, the young royal is paying a touching, fashionable tribute to the late Princess Diana.

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As Princess Charlotte grows up in the public eye, royal watchers have noticed a sweet and touching pattern in her wardrobe. While she is developing her own charming style, many of her most memorable outfits carry a quiet echo of her late grandmother, Princess Diana.

Princess Charlotte on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England | Source: Getty Images

Princess Charlotte on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England | Source: Getty Images

Through carefully chosen dresses and classic designs, a beautiful connection is being woven between a granddaughter and the grandmother she never met.

Princess Diana attends the gala opening of a cultural centre in Hong Kong, November 1989 | Source: Getty Images

Princess Diana attends the gala opening of a cultural centre in Hong Kong, November 1989 | Source: Getty Images

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These aren't just happy coincidences. According to fashion commentators, they are strategic choices by her mother, the Princess of Wales, to pay homage to the late princess and convey hidden messages through the language of clothes.

A Shared Love for Classic Style

One of the most direct tributes involves a nautical-themed dress. At Trooping the Colour in 2024, Charlotte wore a navy dress with white piping and a traditional sailor collar.

Princess Charlotte attending Trooping the Colour on June 15, 2024 in London, England | Source: Getty Images

Princess Charlotte attending Trooping the Colour on June 15, 2024 in London, England | Source: Getty Images

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The look was a perfect complement to her mother's own nautical-inspired outfit and was seen as a nod to a similar sailor-style dress Princess Diana wore back in 1981.

Then Lady Diana Spencer visiting Cheltenham shortly after her engagement in March 1981 | Source: Getty Images

Then Lady Diana Spencer visiting Cheltenham shortly after her engagement in March 1981 | Source: Getty Images

This love for a statement collar is a recurring theme. For the 'Together at Christmas' service, Charlotte wore a festive dress featuring an oversized pilgrim collar.

Princess Charlotte of Wales attends the 'Together At Christmas' Carol Service at Westminster Abbey on December 05, 2025 in London, England | Source: Getty Images

Princess Charlotte of Wales attends the 'Together At Christmas' Carol Service at Westminster Abbey on December 05, 2025 in London, England | Source: Getty Images

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This was immediately compared to a pastel blue maternity dress with a similar statement rectangular collar that Diana famously wore to Trooping the Colour in 1984.

Princess Diana with the rest of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for for Trouping the Colour in June 1984 | Source: Getty Images

Princess Diana with the rest of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for for Trouping the Colour in June 1984 | Source: Getty Images

This was no passing trend for Diana; even as a young woman, she showed a clear fondness for statement collars, often wearing pleated and ruffled styles long before she became a royal.

More Than Just a Dress

The connections go deeper than just similar styles. For the family's 2023 Christmas card photo, Charlotte was dressed in a specific white blouse from the brand Amaia Kids, fittingly named the "Diana blouse."

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A fashion commentator called it a "touching nod to the relative that they were clearly missing at Christmas."

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This idea of passing down traditions is also seen in the practice of re-wearing outfits. When Princess Charlotte re-wore a polka dot dress to a football final, she was following in the footsteps of both her mother and her grandmother.

rincess Charlotte during the men's final on day fourteen of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships on July 14, 2024 in London, England | Source: Getty Images

rincess Charlotte during the men's final on day fourteen of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships on July 14, 2024 in London, England | Source: Getty Images

Princess Charlotte during the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Final match between England and Spain at St. Jakob-Park on July 27, 2025 in Basel, Switzerland | Source: Getty Images

Princess Charlotte during the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Final match between England and Spain at St. Jakob-Park on July 27, 2025 in Basel, Switzerland | Source: Getty Images

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Princess Diana herself often repeated outfits, sometimes altering them to create a fresh look, proving that sustainable style has long been a royal practice.

Princess Diana during Derby Day in June 1986 | Source: Getty Images

Princess Diana during Derby Day in June 1986 | Source: Getty Images

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A Legacy in Every Stitch

These carefully chosen outfits do more than just honor Diana's memory; they also create a timeless look for the young princess.

Princess Charlotte of Wales taking part in the Big Help Out, during a visit to the 3rd Upton Scouts Hut in Slough, west of London on May 8, 2023 | Source: Getty Images

Princess Charlotte of Wales taking part in the Big Help Out, during a visit to the 3rd Upton Scouts Hut in Slough, west of London on May 8, 2023 | Source: Getty Images

It's a thoughtful strategy, as Diana herself had a flair for classic, sartorial choices even from a young age, with a wardrobe full of country attire, puffer coats, and elegant sweaters long before she became a royal.

Then Lady Diana Spencer with Souffle, a Shetland pony, at her mother's home in Scotland during the summer of 1974 | Source: Getty Images

Then Lady Diana Spencer with Souffle, a Shetland pony, at her mother's home in Scotland during the summer of 1974 | Source: Getty Images

From a shared love for a statement collar to the quiet tribute of a blouse named in her honor, Princess Charlotte's wardrobe is full of subtle connections to her grandmother. It's a beautiful and living legacy, ensuring that Princess Diana's iconic style continues to shine through a new generation.

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