Trooping the Colour, the traditional military parade held on the streets of London on a Saturday in early June (this year it will be the 13th), is technically a celebration of the monarch’s birthday. However, it also gives the public the chance to observe royal style, and to look back at the royal family’s fashion choices through the years. The late Princess Diana is considered one of the most important fashion icons of the last century, and her historic appearances at the annual celebration saw her grow from a young fiancée on the eve of her wedding to a woman on the verge of separating from the heir to the throne. Diana attended this event as a member of the Royal Family from 1981 to 1992, then saluting Queen Elizabeth II, without ever missing a single one.
Bows, collars, flowers, polka dots: this roundup of a decade-plus of balcony outfits features all the elements that defined Princess Diana’s style, elements that have been adopted and reinterpreted by contemporary royals, especially Kate Middleton. The current Princess of Wales, for example, seems particularly fond of the contrast between the bold colors of her outfits and bright white of lapels and cuffs; just look at the photos taken at Trooping the Colour 2025.
Unfortunately, archival images often show us only glimpses of Diana at the event, seated in a carriage or on the balcony of Buckingham Palace amid the group, so we cannot fully appreciate each look in its entirety. However, since the ceremony honoring the sovereign is a highlight of the British royals’ summer, the princess wore outfits that left a lasting impression, partly because they were sometimes re-worn on other high-profile occasions, sometimes reworked. Diana was the queen of rewear before it became the highly popular royal trend it is today, and these vintage photos prove it.
Before we find out which outfits Queen Camilla, Princess Catherine, and Duchess Sophie will choose for Trooping the Colour 2026, let’s take a trip down memory lane to revisit Diana’s past style choices for the late Queen Elizabeth’s summer birthday.
At the 1981 Trooping the Colour in Bill Pashley
