Princess Diana's Brother Posted A Rare Childhood Picture To Mark Her 60th Birthday

Jul 02, 2021 by apost team

With July 1 marking what would have been Princess Diana's 60th birthday, the late princess has been in the press a lot with tributes of all kinds coming in. Perhaps the biggest tribute came from Diana's sons Prince William and Prince Harry, who unveiled the first official statue of her. Located at the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, one of Diana's favorite spots at her former residence, the public will be able to visit the statue and pay their respects in person.

Another tribute came from Diana's younger brother Charles Spencer, who honored his sister with a moving Instagram post on the Althorp House account. Sharing a black-and-white photo of his late sister when she was just a little girl, Charles captioned the post explaining that the young Diana is standing in front of the house in which she was born.

It's quite rare that Charles, the 9th Earl Spencer posts personal photos on his social media accounts, but when he does they're always very meaningful. Last November, Charles shared a moving photo of him and Diana from when they were children. He posted the vintage photograph to his Twitter account and there was no need for a caption — the image said it all.

A couple of years ago he also posted a stunning sketch of his grandmother, Cynthia Spencer, on his Instagram. In it, the beautiful woman bears a striking resemblance to her granddaughter Diana. 

Charles' love for his sister is evident even after all these years, and every time he posts a new photo, the public is thrilled to get a glimpse of a side of the People's Princess we may have not seen before.

Posting to the Althorp House Instagram account, Charles Spencer's birthday tribute to his older sister Diana, Princess of Wales was touching for many. In the black-and-white photo, Diana is seen standing in front of a stately ivy-covered house. The young girl looks incredibly sweet as she wears a white sweater, dark skirt, white knee-high socks and loafers. Wearing her hair in pigtails, she's looking straight into the camera, as she smiles ever so slightly. Charles captioned the image:

"Today is the 60th Birthday of Diana, Princess of Wales. 1 July 1961 was an exceptionally hot English summer's day, Diana's parents always remembered."

He went on to add a little more information about the house in the background, which happened to be the same one in which Diana was born:

"She was born in Park House, on the Queen's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. Park House is seen in the background of this family photograph taken by Diana's father, the 8th Earl Spencer."

Charles shared a similar bit of information when he appeared on "Good Morning Britain" last month. As reported by People, he said on the program:

"I remember my father always used to talk about the day Diana was born, 1st July 1961, and it was a sweltering hot day and this wonderful daughter appeared."

He went on to describe the feeling of his beloved but long-gone older sister turning 60, stating:

"It's so funny to be of an age now where your slightly older sister's 60. It will be an emotional day, but it will be a tribute to a much missed and much loved sister, mother, etc."

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Meanwhile, the official unveiling of the new statue honoring Diana's life and legacy on the occasion of her 60th birthday went smoothly. The unveiling's low-key nature is partly attributable to the fact that COVID-19 restrictions meant that the event was only sparsely attended, though Prince Harry and Prince William were able to reunite with their late mother’s siblings: Lady Jane Fellowes, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Charles.

The new statue, sculpted by Ian Rank-Broadley, shows Diana with short hair accompanied by three children. In front, a paving stone is engraved with words inspired by the poem “The Measure of Man.”

"The figure of Diana, Princess of Wales, is surrounded by three children who represent the universality and generational impact of the Princess’s work," Kensington Palace said regarding the statue’s special meaning.

The statement also continued:

"The portrait and style of dress was based on the final period of her life, as she gained confidence in her role as an ambassador for humanitarian causes and aims to convey her character and compassion." 

Fans from around the world took to social media to pay tribute to Diana on her 60th birthday and the new statue. Of course, the most important tribute came from the late princess’ children — William and Harry.

"Today, on what would have been our mother's 60th birthday, we remember her love, strength and character — qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better,” William and Harry said in their joint statement that accompanied the unveiling of their late mother’s statue. 

What do you think about the photo that Charles Spencer posted in tribute to his late sister Diana? Be sure to pass it on to any Diana fans you know so they can see the rare photo too!