Princess Diana attended Trooping the Colour 12 times during her time in the British Royal Family and her appearances at the annual event will always have a place in our hearts.
Trooping the Colour commemorates the official state birthday of the British monarch, though it is not their actual birthday. In Diana’s time, Queen Elizabeth II was celebrated at Trooping the Colour. During Trooping the Colour, the Royal Family forms a parade outside Buckingham Palace, waving to crowds at they pass by on carriages or on horseback.
Diana attended her first ever Trooping the Colour in 1981, when she was just 19 years old. At the time, Diana was engaged to King Charles III, who was still a prince. She rode in a carriage alongside Prince Andrew while her fiancé rode on horseback past the adoring crowds. Charles and Diana married the following month, shortly after the Princess of Wales’ 20th birthday.
Over the next 11 years, Diana attended the event pregnant, as a new mom and then as a proud parent of Prince William and Prince Harry.
Though no one knew it at the time, 1992 was Diana’s last ever Trooping the Colour. By the end of that year, Buckingham Palace announced that she and Charles were separating. Soon after, Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles’ long-rumored affair was confirmed and, in 1996, Diana and Charles divorced before the beloved princess tragically died the following year.
Diana’s time in the Royal Family was tumultuous and often proved challenging for the Princess of Wales, however, Trooping the Colour always seemed like a joyous day for the People’s Princess and her sons.
We’re looking back at every time Princess Diana attended the Trooping the Colour.
1981
Princess Diana’s first ever Royal engagement, at the Trooping the Colour in 1981, almost went awry when a teenager fired blank shots at the Queen as she passed by on horseback. Thankfully, the Queen and her horse were unharmed and the day otherwise ran according to plan.
1982
In 1982, almost a year after marrying Prince Charles, Diana attended Trooping the Colour while pregnant with Prince William. She gave birth to William 11 days later on June 21.
1983
Almost a year after becoming a mom for the first time, Diana joined her husband and the rest of the Royal Family back on the balcony. Still an infant, Prince William was not at the typically loud fly over. Here Queen Elizabeth is seen laughing joyously as the family waved to the crowd.
1984
In 1984, Princess Diana coordinated with Prince William in blue outfit for his first ever Trooping the Colour. She had announced that she was expecting her second baby in February.
1985
Princess Diana wore peach as she held Prince Harry on the balcony to watch his first Trooping the Colour flyover. A young Prince William is seen at the center front of the balcony.
1986
Diana brought a pop of color to Trooping the Colour in 1986 when she wore a polka dot dress with a red straw hat. Then a toddler, Prince Harry stood up proudly on a colum to watch the festivities.
1987
In 1987, Diana wore white and happily tended to her boys while also chatting with Prince Andrew’s wife, Sarah Ferguson. Prince Harry leaned on his mother’s shoulder while standing on his favorite perch. William, meanwhile, looks uncannily like his son Prince Louis as he made faces from the balcony.
1988
It was another matching look for Harry and Diana in 1988 when they joined their family at Buckingham Palace.
1989
Diana was pretty in pink while the Queen opted for a purple-toned look in 1989.
By this time, rumors of trouble in Charles and Diana’s marriage were at an all time high but the couple were doing their best to keep up appearances in public.
1990
In this 1990 photo, Diana is seen in a pale green dress and hat while riding alongside her sons and Queen Elizabeth’s mother in a carriage on the way to Buckingham Palace.
1991
In 1991, Diana wore a Catherine Walker suit, one of her most beloved designer, and a Philip Somerville hat.
1992
During her last ever Trooping of the Colour appearance, Diana looked poised while once again joined the Queen Mother and Prince Harry in a carriage.
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