A Rare Photo of Princess Diana Is Coming to Cover of 'Tatler'

The black-and-white portrait dates back to 1988.

Photo:

Anwar Hussein/WireImage

Princess Diana was the most photographed woman in the world at one point, but there are still new photos of the People's Princess being discovered. One, lensed by her friend and famed photographer David Bailey, will be on the cover of the January 2024 issue of Tatler, a British fashion, society, and lifestyle magazine.

People reports that Diana sat for the session in 1988 when she was about 27 years old. The image was officially commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery, however, Bailey kept this specific shot for his archive and, until now, it has never been seen by the public. The photo shows Diana in an asymmetric outfit paired with stunning statement earrings. She looks into the camera for the shot and offers up a slight smile.

People notes that Diana chose Bailey because she was drawn to his "bold minimalism" and the session was a way for her to "establish a new photographic identity for herself."

Just last year, another image from Bailey's session with Princess Diana was on display in Kensington Palace as part of an exhibit called "The Life Through a Royal Lens." That special exhibit ran from March to October 2022.

a portrait of Diana, Princess of Wales, taken by photographer David Bailey

Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images

"For me, it is the most powerful of images from the sitting," curator Claudia Acott Williams said at the time. 

Tatler's cover coincides with Netflix's release of The Crown, which split its final season into two parts. The first focused on the death of Princess Diana and the second will shine a light on the fallout that the royal family faced after her passing. 

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