Princess Diana, now a global style icon, initially captured public attention as a humble young nursery school teacher. Arthur Edwards, one of the first photographers to document her life, recently reflected on a famous 1980 photo that unexpectedly made headlines.
At the time, Diana, only 19 and dating Prince Charles, was photographed in a park wearing a skirt that became see-through when backlit by the sun. Edwards, who has been a royal photographer for The Sun for many years, explained that the moment was innocent. “I never meant for the photo to come out that way,” he said. “It was a spontaneous, unplanned shot, but too compelling not to share.”
Assigned to cover the royal beat, Edwards was eager to capture images of Diana, who at the time was a quiet teacher and Charles’s girlfriend. After locating her preschool in London, Edwards received permission to take a few photos with Diana and two young students at a nearby park. “She struck a pose, and I snapped a few shots,” he recalled. As fate would have it, the sun emerged and backlit her skirt, creating a silhouette of her legs. “It was purely chance,” Edwards shared. “But it turned the shot into an iconic image.”
The photograph was published in newspapers across the U.K., much to Diana’s embarrassment. She reportedly confided in Charles that she didn’t want to be remembered as “the girlfriend without a petticoat.” This marked the beginning of Diana’s complex relationship with the media. Despite the awkward start, Edwards continued to photograph her as she evolved from a shy young woman to the beloved “people’s princess.” “She was always graceful, always kind,” Edwards said. Diana’s compassion and down-to-earth nature won the public’s heart, as she famously hugged AIDS patients and comforted those suffering from leprosy.
Diana’s legacy of service continues through her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, who remain dedicated to charitable work, with Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, also joining their efforts.
In 2017, Edwards had predicted the challenges Meghan Markle would face as a member of the royal family, commenting, “It’s a lot of pressure. If they can handle it, great, but if not, it’s best to step away.” In January 2020, Harry and Meghan made the decision to step down as senior royals and relocate to Santa Barbara, California, marking a choice that mirrored Diana’s own complex and sometimes difficult relationship with royal life.
