Princess Diana’s Brother Shares Rare Childhood Photo (& I Can’t Get Over the Princess’s Mischievous Pose)

Whenever I think about Princess Diana, I always find myself browsing her brother Charles Spencer’s Instagram page, which is filled with hidden gems. From rare childhood photos to buried artifacts, the historian has made a hobby of reminiscing about the good ol’ days and his relationship with his sister (including how she was his protector). 

This week, Spencer took another trip down memory lane by sharing an old photograph he uncovered. Princess Diana was 11 years old when the photo was taken, and I couldn’t help but notice how poised she looks for such a young age.

From left to right, the photo shows Lady Sarah Spencer (Diana’s sister), Charles Spencer (Diana’s brother), John Earl Spencer (Diana’s dad), Lady Jane (Diana’s sister) and—of course—the soon-to-be Princess Diana. 

Her pose made me do a double take. Princess Diana’s knees are angled away from the camera, and her hand is placed in her lap. She’s showing major potential in the soon-to-be royal department, but she isn’t as innocent as she seems. If you look closely, you’ll notice that her right hand is tugging at the curtain behind. And her mischievous grin tells me there’s more to this photo than meets the eye. 

The caption read, “Family photograph, 1972.” 

Followers filled the comments section with positive messages about the throwback photo. One person wrote, “I absolutely love this photo. A memorable family, xx [heart emoji].” Another added, “Beautiful photo with your family and Diana was a wonderful and beautiful woman, she deserved a long and happy life.” 

Someone else commented, “We miss our Di [red heart emoji] Beautiful family. You are so blessed to be surrounded by beautiful sisters and the memory of one who will always be remembered throughout history.”