Princess Diana Was Horrified by Her Iconic Sheer Skirt Photo: “She Was Not Wearing…”

Lady Diana Spencer, as she was rightly called, was a true People's Princess. She had an exceptional ability to connect with the world, not only through her compassion, but also her wardrobe, creating trends that inspire many. However, not all that's considered iconic today sat well with the Princess. For instance, her sheer white Laura Ashley skirt photo left Diana 'horrified'.

At first, Diana’s outfit seemed effortlessly casual—a white skirt paired with a purple vest and a simple undershirt. Her makeup and hair were equally minimalistic, giving her a fresh, natural look. Reflecting on the infamous photo, royal author, Charles Rae, wrote, "What no one realized at the time was that the sun now behind her had lit up her legs like a spotlight through the dress. She was not wearing a petticoat. The photo session with the amazing silhouette picture lasted no more than two or three minutes." Unsurprisingly, the photo made it to every front page the next day, which deeply upset Diana, as reported by InStyle magazine.

Rae said, "When Diana saw the picture the following day, she was appalled and moaned to Prince Charles, 'I don't want to be known as the girlfriend with no petticoat.'" In the picture, Diana stood shy with a child perched on her hip. Rae shared that it all began with two journalists from competing newspapers being assigned by their editors to learn more about the 19-year-old Diana who was to marry the heir to the throne. Rather than competing, they teamed up and tracked her down, discovering she worked at a nursery in Pimlico.

Rae revealed, "So, they set about hitting the phones and eventually struck lucky at the Young England Kindergarten. A deal was agreed that in return for her posing for a picture, she and the kindergarten would be left in peace." As reported by the Daily Mail, Rae explained, "Around half a dozen photographers and a few reporters turned up and Diana went with them to a nearby park." Photographer Arthur Edwards also spoke about the photograph, acknowledging that it wasn't intended but that the timing was just too perfect. The sun's position turned the innocent picture into something scandalous.

Edwards went on to work closely with Diana until her unfortunate death on August 31, 1997, in Paris. He later reflected on how Diana’s evolution into the People's Princess played a pivotal role in reshaping the public’s view of the monarchy. Her willingness to be photographed with sick children, embrace those with AIDS, and touch the hands of leprosy patients, humanized her in a way that captivated the world, as reported by TODAY.