The British royal family has been in the headlines a lot in recent weeks, from a bombshell interview with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to the death and funeral of Prince Philip.
But for many people, any discussion of the royal family brings to mind the ultimate celebrity royal: the late Princess Diana, whose legend has loomed even decades after her tragic death in 1997.
Diana, the first wife of Prince Charles and the mother of William and Harry, was in her time one of the most famous women in the world. In addition to her charity work she was renowned for her fashion sense and beauty.
And one recently-unearthed family portrait shows that Lady Diana’s distinct looks ran in her family — and people have discovered that she bears a striking resemblance to her grandmother.
Diana was born into British nobility, the daughter of John Spencer, 8th Early Spencer, and Frances Shand Kydd.
Her brother, Charles Spencer, recently shared a portrait of their parental grandmother, Cynthia, who died in 1972. The drawing of this rarely-seen relative of the family is striking, not just because it is a beautiful old drawing, but because Cynthia bears a resemblance to her granddaughter:
The majority of the comments on the Instagram post remark on how the grandmother bears a resemblance to Diana.
“I see Lady Diana,” the top comment reads.
“Your sisters carry her resemblance,” another wrote.
“At first glance i thought its lady D.”
Charles writes that the portrait was commissioned in 1919, the year Cynthia got married.
In addition to bearing a resemblance to Diana, it seems the two relatives had more in common: they are remembered as beloved philanthropists.
“A very well-liked and respected figure locally, her presence is still felt: the local hospice is named Cynthia Spencer Hospice’ in her memory,” Charles wrote.
“In an age when aristocratic ladies were often not expected to do very much [she] radiated kindness towards all, and did so much for those less fortunate than her,” Charles wrote in another post.
Do you agree that it looks like Princess Diana? Share this story with your thoughts.
