How Princess Diana Became a Generation Z Influencer

Princess Diana would have turned 61 on July 1st. What her life would be like today, if not for the fatal and tragic accident, we can only guess. 25 years after her death, Diana, Princess of Wales continues to dominate the media space, second only to her daughters-in-law. Hollywood and Netflix continue to shoot shocking biographical dramas about her life, glossy magazines dedicate style articles to her, elevating her to fashion icons of all time.

Her death was a national tragedy for Britain and grief for hundreds of millions of people around the world. Her life will forever go down in history. We tell how the queen of hearts is still changing the world for the better, and how she became the main influencer for Generation Z.

Style

Interestingly, Lady Dee’s popularity is also growing in social networks, which did not exist during her lifetime. Instagram account @Ladydirevengelooks, dedicated to her daring post-divorce style, now has 117,000 followers. Its creator, Los Angeles-based writer Eloise Moran, deciphers the images of the princess and what she was trying to say through her clothes.

No one was posting 1990s Diana looks, and when I started researching them, I discovered a treasure trove of outfits. It seemed clear to me that many of her looks were part of a wider revenge wardrobe,” Moran told British Vogue.

Thus, Diana tried to survive the breakup and the painful divorce from her husband. Interestingly, all of these high-profile headlines were partly addressed to her ex, Prince Charles. In them, millions of women somehow, no matter how ridiculous it may sound, found an outlet and an opportunity to survive their own difficult partings.

20-year-old tiktoker Caden Luna became an internet sensation, celebrating Diana’s style. His account focuses on 1980s fashion, where he posts videos of finding and wearing pieces in the style of the Princess of Wales.

@simplesmurf Me and my #princessdiana sweater collection vs the world #SephoraLipLooks#MaiselChallenge#CorollaCrossStep#90s#thecrown Big And Chunky – Juan Torres

Yes, Luna was not even born when Diana tragically died. He learned about it by reading an article in the media and watching the series “Crown”.

The guy is inspired by her images and says that Diana’s fashion choices are still mesmerizing.

She took risks, especially as a member of the royal family, and she really set a lot of trends that are still present today – like the combination of sweatshirts and biker shorts or a t-shirt, jeans and a blazer. I love the fact that some of her most famous sweaters were fan gifts and could be bought and worn by just about anyone.

HIV AIDS

Diana was not just called the queen of hearts. Her philanthropic work changed the world. She was one of the first celebrities, and even more so royals, to become involved in the issue of HIV/AIDS. It is worth knowing that at that time there were various rumors and myths around the disease, which meant certain death. The Princess of Wales was not afraid to be photographed, shake hands and hug with HIV-positive people. In the late 1980s, even medical staff did not always dare to touch such people, for fear of contracting a little-studied virus.

Princess Diana with one of the patients of the AIDS Hospice, in Toronto, Canada (1991)

Breaking royal protocol

Lady Di was never subject to the strict conservative rules of the monarchy. Elizabeth II, and many members of the British royal family, disliked Diana precisely for her courage to resist established traditions. The yard went crazy! She chose her own engagement ring instead of having it ordered from a jeweler; removed from the wedding vow the phrase about submission to her husband; refused to give birth to children in the royal residence and went to the clinic; sent her sons to a regular school, took them to McDonalds, rode the subway with them and allowed them to wear jeans and baseball caps; walked through a minefield to draw the attention of the world to the problem of their use; filmed for glossy publications; wearing inappropriate clothing…

Princess Diana / Photo: Getty Images

The list of her provocations is endless, but it was they who were unthinkable for the highest echelon of the British nobility.

Honesty before the people

Thanks to Diana, the royal family became closer to the people. She was not perceived as a state symbol, but rather a ray of light in the world of conservative nobility. In dealing with people, she was open, direct and relaxed.

Princess Diana with mine victims at a medical center on the outskirts of Luanda, Angola

Diana was one of the first to raise issues of the importance of mental health in the media, openly talking about her problems with bulimia, stress after a divorce, the severity of family life in an interview with the BBC.

Right to privacy

Divorce is one of the most painful topics in the lives of many couples. How to decide on it, how to survive, what to do next. The Princess of Wales found herself in an even more depressing and difficult situation. After all, the interests of the crown and public opinion were above it.

A seemingly happy marriage between a princess and a prince turned out to be a disaster / Photo: Collage: Today

Diana managed to get the title and annual payments from the monarchy, tried to build relationships with men, spend all her free time with children and do charity work. The world went crazy with her new appearances in public, and she continued to fight for her place in the sun.

See: 17 images of Princess Diana that are relevant to this day.