Decades before Princess Diana was gracing magazine covers around the world, her grandmother, Cynthia Spencer, was a cover star herself.
In a new Instagram post from Princess Diana's younger brother, Charles, the 9th Earl Spencer shares a 1924 edition of The Bystander, in which his and Diana's grandmother was featured on the front cover.
“My grandmother Cynthia Spencer, 99 1/2 years ago, gracing The Bystander magazine (later merged with @tatlermagazine) cover,” the 59-year-old wrote in his caption.
It turns out this was the 9th Earl Spencer's first time seeing the magazine, and he shared the story of how he discovered it. “This is an image I’d not seen before - I see that it was taken soon after giving birth to my father,” he wrote. “I received this, framed, as a present today, from a very thoughtful friend.” (Spencer kept mum about which friend gave it to him, though.)
The historical author finished by sharing memories of his late grandmother, writing, “My Spencer grandmother was much less severe than this in real life, thankfully, and I remember her for her love and laughter. She was a popular figure around @althorphouse -and after her 1972 death the local hospice, Cynthia Spencer, was named after her.”
As the 9th Earl Spencer shared this vintage magazine cover, we couldn't get over the family resemblance. Not only did Princess Diana look strongly like her grandmother, but Charles especially took after her.
In the comments, a few royal followers noted the resemblance to other members of the family too, like one user who commented, “Prince George looks like her!” Another noted the similarity between the grandmother and Lady Di’s older sister, Cynthia Jane Fellowes, Baroness Fellowes. “I can see a strong resemblance in Lady Jane, Baroness Fellows,” the follower wrote.
This family has spent the past century being glamorous.
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