Pre-Diana, Princess of Wales, royal fashion wasn’t really a big deal. But when Princess Di joined the royal family, her style inspired millions around the world. The formerly drab royal fashion, which involved tweed skirts, wellies, Barbour coats, and headscarves, suddenly got a lot more exciting. The paparazzi were always snapping her daring looks; we can’t forget that iconic see-through skirt moment photographed by Arthur Edwards, where Diana’s bare legs were captured in a fashion faux pas.
If the internet and social media existed back in 1980, that photo certainly would have gone viral and broken the internet. Instead, the only alternative happened. The photo was all over magazine and tabloid covers in the UK. It wasn’t rare for Princess Diana’s face and name to be in these tabloids daily, and this was common until she passed away in 1997.
The paparazzi documented each step of Diana’s inspiring transformation from a timid nursery teacher assistant to a worldwide superstar and fashion icon. As they tailed her (and were ultimately the reason for her demise), Diana had a love-hate relationship with these photographers, who harassed her every moment up until her death.
She decided to make the most of her celebrity status and use being in the spotlight to promote causes she championed, like advocating for the unfortunate and illuminating all the injustice, wrongdoing, and crises around the globe.
Though she’s been gone for decades, her spirit and legacy live on — not just in her noble causes but in how royal fashion was perceived. The new generation of royals has been out and about in some amazing looks, while others are rocking a more outlandish style that some see as being in poor taste or just straight-up awful. Here are five that broke the internet.
Queen Elizabeth in a stained dress with a broken purse
You’d think that Queen Elizabeth II would be seen in nothing less than perfect attire, but nothing could have been further from the truth in 2010. Despite the royal family earning about £510 million ($634 million) from taxpayers, the Queen was seen wearing a badly stained dress and a bag with a broken chain to a party hosted by Greece’s deposed King Constantine.
The shabby look had every corner of the internet whispering about why on earth she would wear something like this in public. The truth? A waiter spilled coffee on her, and we dread to think what happened to them after! We don’t have an explanation for the bag, though…
Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice wear outrageous fascinators
Eugenie and Beatrice looked like something out of a fantasy novel when they wore these fascinators to Kate Middleton and Prince William’s wedding in 2011. Beatrice wore a hideous sculptural one in pastel pink with a pretzel-in-a-bow style, while Eugenie looked like an exotic bird mixed with Robin Hood. Both looks were designed by the reputable milliner Philip Treacy.
These two aren’t strangers to negative press, but the endless memes and trolls on social media that resulted from this headwear led to intense bullying that took a toll on the two.
Megan Markle wears ripped jeans to the Invictus Games
Meghan has been called out for her outfits (and other things) more than a few times. The racist reception she got started at the Invictus Games in 2017, which was Markle’s first public appearance with Harry. The two were still in their honeymoon phase, but the press wasn’t interested in covering how they were all lovey-dovey. Instead, the focus was on a frayed slash on her jeans. The Sun said, “Is ripped-jean fan Meghan Markle shreddy to be royal?” Another editor called her look suitable for a pub and called her appearance “messy.” It’s just ripped jeans, guys!
Princess Michael of Kent’s blackamoor brooch
Princess Michael of Kent has been embroiled in scandal for much of her life, but her racially insensitive faux pas in December 2017 really took things to new heights when she wore a “blackamoor brooch” to meet Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, at a Christmas lunch held in Buckingham Palace.
Blackamoor items were popular in the 1600s, a period of white supremacy, and as of the 21st century, it was seen as a style rooted in bigotry that fetishized horrific images of slavery and colonialism. No one is sure whether the princess wore it on purpose, though she claimed to be “very sorry,” according to the BBC, but we’re willing to bet that Meghan wasn’t impressed…Apparently, the princess has a racist and problematic past and once said at a party that some diners who were people of color should “go back to the colonies.” She also owned black sheep named Venus and Serena.
Pippa Middleton’s figure-hugging bridesmaid dress that showed off her bum
Obviously, Kate Middleton wanted to be the star of her own wedding, but her sister Pippa took the spotlight when the media and public became obsessed with her rear end, which was on full display as she held Kate’s dress. The gown, designed by Sarah Burton, had normally buttoned-up Brits feeling some spicy emotions as they saw Pippa’s dress. Burton did tell Insider that if she had the chance to redo it, she would have given the dress a bit more space so that it “wasn’t so clingy.” Can you believe that there were even fan accounts inspired by Pippa’s derriere called Pippa Middleton Bum” and “Pippa’s Bum”?
