David Bailey shares a never-before-seen portrait of the late Princess Diana
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The late Princess Diana, a timeless icon of grace and elegance, continues to captivate the world decades after her untimely demise.
A rarely-seen portrait of the beloved princess, captured by the legendary photographer David Bailey, is set to grace the front cover of UK magazine Tatler's January issue, offering a fresh glimpse into her enduring charm.
The black and white photograph, believed to have been taken in 1988 when she was 27, is a testament to Bailey's renowned talent for capturing the essence of his subjects.
The image is part of the National Portrait Gallery collection and is a poignant reminder of Diana's enduring legacy.
Bailey, now 85, has a long history of photographing royal figures, including Princess Margaret's husband, the Earl of Snowdon.
Last year, he shared some behind-the-scenes stories from his royal photoshoots, including a mishap where his assistant accidentally dropped a light on Diana's head during a shoot in 1988.
Diana, ever the epitome of grace, brushed off the incident saying: 'Don't think about it; it was a terrible accident.'
'I told her she had been very magnanimous,’ Bailey recalled. ‘That's right, because she asked me what magnanimous meant.'
The upcoming issue of Tatler will also feature a critical piece about the popular Netflix series, The Crown, by historian Hugo Vickers.
Vickers argues that the show's creators have shown 'no interest at all' in portraying the truth, particularly in their depiction of the royal family's recent history.
'It got worse and worse as it got closer to today. In fact, they were all awful. It is just that people found portrayals of the 1950s less offensive than the saga they remembered—Prince Charles, Diana, Camilla, etc.,' he said.
'I can only imagine how distressing it will have been for the young members of the Royal Family to see the drama surrounding Diana's fatal car accident the central feature in Series 6, not to mention her reported reappearance as a ghost.'
'How low can the producers stoop?'
The show has faced criticism for its creative liberties, particularly in its depiction of a photoshoot of then Prince Charles and his two sons in 1997.
The Crown presented the photo shoot as a private event and a response to Princess Diana’s new romance, a portrayal that has been disputed by those who were present at the time.
'We had been told three days, I think, before the pictures of Diana and Dodi had even been published that the palace were going to hold a photocall of Charles and his sons, who were going to arrive at Balmoral early,' Royal Expert Richard Kay said.
'I think in all there were about 40 of us: camera crews, photographers and a handful of reporters.'
A palace official who was in charge of the event was even asked whether the photoshoot was a response to the circulating photos of Diana and Dodi, Kay shared.
Kay added: '[The palace official] absolutely angrily denied it and pointed out that it had been organized before the pictures had even emerged of Diana and Dodi so it was not a quid pro quo.'
The series also misrepresented Princess Diana's efforts to raise awareness about the impact of landmines, according to writer Robert Hardman, and Royal Correspondent Natasha Livingstone.
It depicted Diana visiting Bosnia to meet with survivors and walking through a minefield. Diana, however, never walked through a minefield in Bosnia and the scene was known to be taken in Angola promoting the work of Halo Trust, an anti-mine charity, in January 1997.
The Halo Trust expressed disappointment that Netflix chose not to include them in the series. The charity believes that their inclusion could have helped promote their cause to the shows global audience of 73 million viewers.
'The Halo Trust said they were not asked or consulted about the scene and would have been delighted if their logo was featured in the show,' Livingstone said.
'It's another opportunity where [The Crown has] faked things, for reasons that are unclear.'
It also incorrectly associated Diana with the New Zealand-based charity 'ReliefAid', when she was, in fact, working with the Landmine Survivors Network and reportedly wore a badge that said 'British Red Cross'.
The legacy of Princess Diana continues to resonate with people around the world. Her humanitarian efforts, her style, and her grace under pressure have made her an enduring icon. This rare portrait by David Bailey offers a fresh look at the beloved princess, reminding us of her timeless elegance and charm.
What are your thoughts on this rare portrait of Princess Diana? Have you had a chance to watch The Crown and if so, what are your thoughts on its portrayal of the royal family? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
A rarely-seen portrait of the beloved princess, captured by the legendary photographer David Bailey, is set to grace the front cover of UK magazine Tatler's January issue, offering a fresh glimpse into her enduring charm.
The black and white photograph, believed to have been taken in 1988 when she was 27, is a testament to Bailey's renowned talent for capturing the essence of his subjects.
The image is part of the National Portrait Gallery collection and is a poignant reminder of Diana's enduring legacy.
A never-before-seen portrait of Princess Diana will be on the cover of Tatler magazine. Image source: Tatler/David Bailey.
Bailey, now 85, has a long history of photographing royal figures, including Princess Margaret's husband, the Earl of Snowdon.
Last year, he shared some behind-the-scenes stories from his royal photoshoots, including a mishap where his assistant accidentally dropped a light on Diana's head during a shoot in 1988.
Diana, ever the epitome of grace, brushed off the incident saying: 'Don't think about it; it was a terrible accident.'
'I told her she had been very magnanimous,’ Bailey recalled. ‘That's right, because she asked me what magnanimous meant.'
The upcoming issue of Tatler will also feature a critical piece about the popular Netflix series, The Crown, by historian Hugo Vickers.
Vickers argues that the show's creators have shown 'no interest at all' in portraying the truth, particularly in their depiction of the royal family's recent history.
'It got worse and worse as it got closer to today. In fact, they were all awful. It is just that people found portrayals of the 1950s less offensive than the saga they remembered—Prince Charles, Diana, Camilla, etc.,' he said.
'I can only imagine how distressing it will have been for the young members of the Royal Family to see the drama surrounding Diana's fatal car accident the central feature in Series 6, not to mention her reported reappearance as a ghost.'
'How low can the producers stoop?'
The show has faced criticism for its creative liberties, particularly in its depiction of a photoshoot of then Prince Charles and his two sons in 1997.
The Crown presented the photo shoot as a private event and a response to Princess Diana’s new romance, a portrayal that has been disputed by those who were present at the time.
'We had been told three days, I think, before the pictures of Diana and Dodi had even been published that the palace were going to hold a photocall of Charles and his sons, who were going to arrive at Balmoral early,' Royal Expert Richard Kay said.
'I think in all there were about 40 of us: camera crews, photographers and a handful of reporters.'
A palace official who was in charge of the event was even asked whether the photoshoot was a response to the circulating photos of Diana and Dodi, Kay shared.
Kay added: '[The palace official] absolutely angrily denied it and pointed out that it had been organized before the pictures had even emerged of Diana and Dodi so it was not a quid pro quo.'
The series also misrepresented Princess Diana's efforts to raise awareness about the impact of landmines, according to writer Robert Hardman, and Royal Correspondent Natasha Livingstone.
It depicted Diana visiting Bosnia to meet with survivors and walking through a minefield. Diana, however, never walked through a minefield in Bosnia and the scene was known to be taken in Angola promoting the work of Halo Trust, an anti-mine charity, in January 1997.
The Halo Trust expressed disappointment that Netflix chose not to include them in the series. The charity believes that their inclusion could have helped promote their cause to the shows global audience of 73 million viewers.
'The Halo Trust said they were not asked or consulted about the scene and would have been delighted if their logo was featured in the show,' Livingstone said.
'It's another opportunity where [The Crown has] faked things, for reasons that are unclear.'
It also incorrectly associated Diana with the New Zealand-based charity 'ReliefAid', when she was, in fact, working with the Landmine Survivors Network and reportedly wore a badge that said 'British Red Cross'.
What are your thoughts on this rare portrait of Princess Diana? Have you had a chance to watch The Crown and if so, what are your thoughts on its portrayal of the royal family? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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