You can wear Diana’s clothes – yes, really

If ever there was proof of the prevailing power of the Princess of Wales, it’s the fact that stores are stocking up with identical outfits to those the iconic royal wore. Including the really bad ones

Welcome to the first ever The Royal List - for the top five must-reads of the week. Hope you enjoy it, let us know what you think.

1. You can wear Diana’s clothes – yes, really

This week Kerry wrote about the news that designers are actually remaking Diana’s clothes, in time for the new season of The Crown, in her weekly column for The Sunday Telegraph in Australia.

We can’t decide if it’s creepy or cool, but now you can wear everything from that black sheep jumper by Warm & Wonderful Diana sported to a polo match in Windsor, or the Gyles & George pink sweater with “I’m a Luxury” emblazoned on it which she pointedly wore in a photo with William and Harry, both in the 1980s.

Or how about the sweatshirt, jeans, blazer and baseball cap combo the princess wore to the polo in 1988. New York fashion brand Rowing Blazers has collaborated with the original designers to recreate the exact designs. “Princess Diana is enduringly fascinating. She still feels very contemporary,” Warm & Wonderful co-designer Joanna Osborne told Harper’s Bazaar.

Even her funny old pussy-bow blouses are back – with everyone from Target to Dolce & Gabbana doing versions of what is now known as the Diana blouse.

And you can find red carpet re-boots too, from her one-shouldered blue satin Versace gown she wore in Sydney in 1996, revived by designer Aidan Mattox, to the pink polka-dot dress she wore in Perth in 1983, which Zara recently re-ran.

Diana really did have something special. A couple of years ago, Kerry reviewed the amazing Diana: Her Fashion Story exhibition at Kensington Palace for Escape.com.au, which was really moving. You could follow Diana’s life through the evolution of her wardrobe, from shy debutante in her 1979 strapless Regamus gown, to enchanting princess in the midnight blue Travolta dress, which is still on display in the palace, to uber-glamorous superstar in Versace.

We don’t know about you, but we fancy a right royal dress-up.

2. The maskless Queen’s romantic secret

The Queen carried out her first public engagement in seven months, on Thursday, when she and Prince William visited the British military laboratory Porton Down, where scientists are working on the UK’s Covid-19 response.

She received some criticism, however, for not wearing a mask. Buckingham Palace said team members had been tested, but royal commentators such as Piers Morgan, still claimed it was not setting the right example as much of the UK re-enters lockdown.

Wearing a pastel pink Stewart Parvin coat dress, matching floral hat from Rachel Trevor-Morgan and one of her trusty Launer London handbags, the Queen added a romantic final touch with an Andrew Grima gold, diamond and ruby brooch, which was a gift from Prince Philip in 1966.

But the Queen was also wearing another love token from Philip - one which carries a secret inscription and which she never takes off. Royal biographer Ingrid Seward reveals in her latest book Prince Philip Revealed, that the Queen’s rare Welsh gold wedding band carries a hidden message. “She never takes it off and inside the ring is an inscription. No one knows what it says, other than the engraver, the Queen and her husband.”

Never knowingly predisposed to PDAs, back in 1997, the Queen publicly spoke about her love for Philip on their golden anniversary. “He is someone who doesn’t take easily to compliments but he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know,” she said.

3. Catherine’s wildlife week

The Duchess of Cambridge announced the winner of this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition on Tuesday. Sergey Gorshkov snapped the top prize for his spectacular photo The Embrace of a tiger hugging a tree. See the winning image here.

Catherine looked stunning in her black trouser suit by one of her favourite designers Alexander McQueen as she introduced the prize at the Natural History Museum in London, of which she is patron.

It’s great to see the passion Catherine and Prince William have for the environment. It follows on from William’s ambitious global initiative, The Earthshot Prize, which he recently launched with David Attenborough, that’s basically going to save the planet as we know it.The £50 million project, will see £1m offered to five people every year for a decade who come up with a ground-breaking solution to key environmental issues.

Royal insiders however, wonder how all this activity sits with their former Royal Foundation partners Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and their environmental vision. We wonder if – just slightly – they might lament they are no longer part of the Fab Four.

4. Charlotte’s bargain dress

She’s renowned for dressing her kids in classic clothes, but Catherine came up trumps recently when she clad her clan in high street brands. When Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis met David Attenborough, Charlotte sported a pretty floral dress from Zara, with Peter Pan collar, £23, teamed with Hampton canvas plimsolls from Trotters. George and Louis also sported matching £40 checked shirts from the brand. Charlotte’s dress promptly sold out, of course.

5. Meghan’s magical mascara

The Duchess of Sussex has had a bit of an emotional week, discussing social media and her trolls, but there’s one thing that never lets her down, her “I just got out of bed looking like this” effortless beauty. One of her secret go-tos was revealed by her former make-up artist Lydia Sellers, who worked with her on Suits. Sellers, who was interviewed by UK Hello! in 2018, revealed that during their two years on set together, Meghan always raved about one beauty product - Maybelline Lash Sensational Luscious Mascara. “I keep it stocked in my kit now at all times thanks to her,” she said.
Best of all, it’s a total bargain, at £8.99 and promises to add volume and length.

• Bonus Meghan beauty tip: before applying mascara, Meghan curls her lashes and once confessedeyelash curlers are “the one product” she couldn't live without.

• Follow US-based celebrity make-up artist Lydia Sellers here.