Prince William’s Engagement Photo with Kate Middleton Is Nearly Identical to King Charles’s with Princess Diana

Published Sep 2, 2023

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3:00pm

It’s hard to not think of Princess Diana while watching Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, carry out their royal duties. Although Prince William and Princess Catherine have paid tribute to Lady Di in the past, we never realized that it started with their engagement photos.

Prince William and Princess Catherine’s engagement photo recently resurfaced in a side-by-side comparison with King Charles and Princess Diana’s engagement picture. It didn’t take long for us to notice the similarities between the snaps, including the nearly identical pose.

kate middleton prince william engagement photo

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

First of all, Prince William’s arm positioning is nearly identical to that of his dad. While William’s hands are clasped together, both men positioned their right arm so the women could effortlessly drape their hand to display their matching engagement rings. (The sapphire sparkler was passed down to the new Princess of Wales.)

It also seems like Princess Catherine was inspired by Princess Diana’s outfit. While Diana’s ensemble was a slightly different blue, the silhouettes of the dresses resembled each other. Long sleeves, V-neckline, knee-length hem—need we say more?

Samir Hussein/Getty Images

Princess Catherine was wearing a dark blue wrap dress by Issa, which she paired with black pumps and minimal jewelry to draw attention to her engagement ring. Princess Diana was sporting a royal blue jacket and skirt set from Harrods, along with a white blouse for modesty.

We love this subtle tribute.

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Greta Heggeness

Senior Editor, News and Entertainment

Writes and edits news and entertainment content
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