Prince William Recreates Princess Diana’s Iconic Photos 34 Years Later

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Prince William is taking a bow for his mom.

Almost 35 years after Princess Diana was photographed with the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil, Prince William recently visited the same landmark and posed for his own picture.

On November 5th, Prince William revisited the iconic photograph, posing in front of the almost 100-foot-tall statue while wearing a blue blazer and his Remembrance Day poppy pin. He did this before attending the Earthshot Prize Impact Assembly hosted by the Royal Foundation.

During his five-day trip to Brazil, Prince William, 43, was reminded of his mother, Princess Diana. He thought of her as he stood in the sunshine with his wife, Kate Middleton, and their three children: Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7.

According to a Kensington Palace spokesperson, the Prince has really enjoyed meeting people from all over Rio during his recent visit. They said he was particularly touched by how many residents fondly remember his mother’s trip to the city, as reported by InStyle.

Before the prince arrives, he discussed both the awards gala—which celebrates people dedicated to environmental issues—and the upcoming UN COP30 climate summit.

In a recent interview with Hello! magazine, William shared his thoughts on the future for his children. He expressed a desire for them to grow up with access to nature, opportunities, and optimism. However, he stressed the urgent need for decisive action to protect that future.

Diana and King Charles III experienced a similar sentiment during their 1991 trip to Brazil, where they aimed to raise awareness about environmental issues and strengthen trade ties.

Back then, Diana, who was also a mother to Prince Harry, made it a priority to visit children’s hospitals and spend time with patients who had AIDS – a cause she truly cared about.

For William, his mother, who died in a 1997 car accident, is role model in philanthropy.

He remembered wanting to make his mother proud of the man he was becoming. He didn’t want her to worry, or for her memory to be defined by the grief William and Harry experienced after her death. He hoped all the love and effort she’d invested in raising them wouldn’t be for nothing, as shared in the 2017 BBC documentary, Diana, 7 Days.

For a closer look at Princess Diana’s royally impressive legacy, keep reading.

Princess Diana was a groundbreaking royal who championed causes others avoided, like AIDS research, removing landmines, and helping the homeless in the U.K. She famously broke barriers by being one of the first public figures to publicly touch and interact with people living with AIDS, which helped reduce stigma and fear surrounding the illness.

Ironically, Princess Diana’s death actually led to a stronger relationship between the royal family and the press. Following the tragedy, the palace and British media reached an understanding to respect boundaries and avoid intrusive behavior. This has resulted in more controlled photo opportunities arranged by the palace, and a generally more cooperative approach to managing the balance between a public figure’s privacy and the public’s interest.

Diana had a remarkable impact on the royal family, largely because she was unusually open about her personal struggles. She spoke candidly about her mental health, including her experience with postpartum depression after Prince William’s birth. In a famous interview with Martin Bashir, she pointed out that she may have been the first member of the royal family to publicly discuss depression or show emotion, which was challenging for the family because they hadn’t dealt with such issues before and didn’t know how to respond.

Years after their mother’s passing, Princes William and Harry have continued her work by starting Heads Together, a campaign dedicated to improving mental health awareness and support in the U.K.

Princess Diana continued to change life within the royal family by forming unusually relaxed relationships with the palace staff. Her well-known friendship with butler Paul Burrell often made headlines, and she apparently arranged playdates for Princes William and Harry with the children of her employees. Princess Di also encouraged her sons to help in the kitchen, a practice that may have influenced Kate Middleton’s habit of cooking meals for her own family.

Princess Diana broke with royal tradition when she chose to have both of her children outside of Buckingham Palace, unlike Prince Charles who was born there years earlier. This meant Prince William became the first future British king born in a hospital, on June 21, 1982. Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, continued this practice, welcoming Prince George and Princess Charlotte at the same London hospital, St. Mary’s.

Princess Diana didn’t treat her sons, William and Harry, like royalty, even though everyone else did. She intentionally tried to give them a normal upbringing. Prince Harry explained that she was determined to give them as much of a normal life as possible, despite the challenges of growing up in the public eye. This meant simple things like taking them out for burgers, sneaking them into the movies, or driving around in her old BMW with the top down, listening to Enya.

In 1983, Princess Diana broke royal tradition by insisting her baby son, Prince William, join her and Prince Charles on their tour of Australia and New Zealand. Traditionally, royal children didn’t accompany their parents on official trips. However, Diana’s desire to keep her family together set a precedent, and is why we now often see Prince George and Princess Charlotte joining their parents on overseas visits.

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2025-11-05 19:50