Diana Used a Clever Trick to Stop Paparazzi from Taking Her Risqué Photos — And It Worked Every Time

Princess Diana’s bold fashion choices were once the talk of the town. What's lesser known however is that, hounded by the press, Diana often resorted to a secret trick to prevent wardrobe mishaps. Her favorite clutches were her go-to accessories to save face in public. Diana always held them close to her chest when stepping out of cars, blocking invasive paparazzi shots.

Dubbed the most photographed woman in the world, Princess Diana often paired her high couture dresses with iconic clutches. These were as essential to her wardrobe as the garments themselves, and hence she was rarely seen without one. A savvy royal, she knew the paparazzi were always lurking.

Handbag designer, Anya Hindmarch, revealed that Diana referred to her clutches as her ‘cleavage bags.’ “She was a very loyal customer and a lot of fun. We used to laugh when we designed what she called her 'cleavage bags'—little satin clutches which she would cover her cleavage with when she stepped out of cars,” Hindmarch shared. The Princess was one of Hundmarch’s first clients when she opened her Chelsea store in 1993. The designer has also embroidered the letter 'D' inside one of her clutches.

Diana isn't the only Princess of Wales to make clever use of her clutches to navigate tricky situations. Royal expert, Myka Meier, once told Good Housekeeping that Kate Middleton often also holds her handbag in front of her. “When the Duchess is at an event, she holds her bag in front of her in both hands when shaking hands might be awkward,” Meier explained. As per The Sun, body language expert, Judy James, added that Middleton also touches her husband Prince William’s leg to signal him that she can take over the conversation. “This is quite a dominant gesture of ownership as well as being quite flirty,” opined James.

Additionally, the late Queen Elizabeth II also put her bags to good use—her handbag placement was a secret signal for her aids to swoop in when needed. By shifting her bag from one arm to the other, she discreetly alerted her staff that she wished to be rescued from a sticky situation. Royal historian, Hugo Vickers, once explained, “It would be very worrying if you were talking to the Queen and saw the handbag move from one hand to the other." Vickers added, “It would be done very nicely. Someone would come along and say, ‘Sir, the Archbishop of Canterbury would very much like to meet you.’” Reportedly, the Queen also uses her handkerchiefs, mirror, and lipstick to secretly signal her staff when she would be ready to leave an event.