It's been nearly 24 years since Princess Diana tragically died in a car accident in 1997, but her legacy has continued to flourish. This is thanks in large part to the many ways today's modern royals pay tribute to Diana. It's not even like they just honor her on her birthday or the anniversary of her death — the royals have found many everyday ways to commemorate the late princess.
It makes sense that Prince William and Prince Harry would continue to pay tribute to their mother, but it's even more heartwarming when the royals who never even met her or had a chance to get to know her — including Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle — also help preserve her legacy. Both of these royal moms found one very special way to keep Diana's beautiful spirit alive through her grandchildren.
Kate's daughter, Princess Charlotte, has the middle name Diana in honor of her, and now Meghan and Harry have also given their new daughter, Lilibet — born on June 4, 2021 — the same middle name. And maybe one day, this youngest generation of royals will pass Diana's name on to their own daughters.
As what would be Diana's 60th birthday approaches in July, here are some of the sweetest, most touching ways the modern royals are keeping her memory alive all these years later.
Princess Charlotte's Middle Name
When the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge welcomed a little girl, they gave her a name that honored many of her family members — including William's mom. Princess Charlotte's full name is Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. It's a nod to Queen Charlotte (as seen in Bridgerton), Queen Elizabeth, and Princess Diana. Charlotte is also Pippa Middleton's middle name, so Kate got a tiny tribute in to her family as well.
Lilibet's Middle Name
Although Charlotte and her younger cousin, Lilibet, will grow up thousands of miles away from each other (Charlotte within the royal fold in London and Lilibet away from the spotlight in California), they will always share a very special connection. Like Charlotte, Lilibet has been given the middle name Diana. (Her full name is Lilibet 'Lili' Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.)
"Her middle name was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, the Princess of Wales," parents Harry and Meghan said in a statement announcing Lili's birth.
Kate Middleton's Engagement Ring
One of Diana's most iconic pieces of jewelry is now owned by Kate Middleton. William proposed with his mother's giant sapphire and diamond engagement ring. So now, every time Kate is spotted wearing the ring, she's helping to keep Diana's memory alive. It also helps associate some better memories with the ring since William and Kate's relationship is faring far better than his parents' did.
Meghan Markle's Jewelry Collection
Some eagle-eyed royal fans noticed that Meghan Markle wore one of Diana's bracelets during the Oprah interview. That's not the only item from the princess' collection that Meghan has. She's also been spotted wearing her watch and earrings, and her engagement ring is made of diamonds from Diana's collection.
William's Charity Work
One of William's patronages is The Passage, a resource center for people experiencing homelessness. He first visited the center with his mother back in 1993, and now he's carrying on her charitable legacy by making it one of his priorities as well. She would be so proud of her son seeing him doing the same work she once did.
Diana's Music Collection
Another way that Charlotte honors her late grandma is through their shared love of dance. Kate Middleton told reporters that the little princess is passionate about dancing, so William even dusted off some of Diana's old music for his daughter to listen to.
"She loved dancing. She was a fantastic dancer," William said of his mom. "We've been going through her music collection recently and there's some quite eclectic stuff in there."
The Kensington Palace Garden
In 2017, to mark the 20th anniversary of Diana's passing, William and Harry had a portion of Kensington Palace transformed. They created a garden in their mother's memory decorated with beautiful white flowers. This July, a statue of Diana will be placed in the garden to mark what would have been her 60th birthday.
Diana's Wedding Dress Exhibition
As a tribute to their mother, William and Harry gave permission for Diana's iconic ruffled wedding dress (complete with its 25-foot train) to be featured as part of an exhibit at Kensington Palace called "Royal Style in the Making." Running from June 2021 to January 2022, the exhibit marks the first time in 25 years that the dress — designed by Elizabeth and David Emanuel — has gone on display, giving the public a chance to glimpse a significant piece of royal fashion history.
Prince Harry & Prince William's Documentary
Also to mark the 20th anniversary of Diana's death, Harry and William collaborated on an HBO documentary about her legacy. Called Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy, it contained interviews with the princes speaking candidly about their mother in ways they hadn't previously done publicly.
A Memorable Quote
As the anniversary of Diana's death approached in 2019, Meghan and Harry shared one of her memorable quotes on their Instagram. "Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you."
That's just the kind of person Diana always was, and it's clear that she's inspired both the Sussexes to be equally kind-hearted.
Harry's Gift to Prince Louis
When little Prince Louis was born, Uncle Harry gave him a gift with a sweet connection to Diana. According to the Sun, it was a $10,000 first edition copy of Winnie the Pooh. A royal friend claimed to the news outlet that "One of Harry's happiest childhood memories was being read a bedtime story by his mother. She loved all the old classics and Harry had the brilliant idea of starting a little library of first editions for Louis, Charlotte, and George to enjoy as they get older."
Winnie the Pooh was a special favorite of Harry's growing up.
A Touching Wedding Hymn
Both brothers chose to honor their mother during their weddings with the hymn "Guide Me, O Thy Great Redeemer." It was first sung at Diana's funeral in 1997, and William and Harry both had it performed at their respective nuptials. Harry appeared to get teary-eyed when it played during his wedding ceremony.
Meghan Markle's Wedding Bouquet
Another nod to Diana at Harry and Meghan's wedding was the bride's bouquet. Among the flowers used were forget-me-nots, which also happen to be Diana's favorite buds. It was the kind of gesture that only the princess' biggest fans would have caught, and we're sure Harry was touched by the special meaning behind his wife's bouquet.
Kate Middleton's Chelsea Flower Show Exhibit
Meghan's not the only one who's used forget-me-nots to pay tribute to Diana. When Kate Middleton got a chance to design a garden space for the Chelsea Flower Show in 2019, she made sure to plant some of the pretty flowers. Kate never got the chance to meet the Princess of Wales, but Will's wife goes out of her way to make sure Diana's memory is never forgotten.
Archie's Christening Guests
Diana's nonroyal family is rarely talked about, but her sons are still in touch with them. Harry even invited Diana's sisters to Archie's christening. Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes are shown in the official christening portrait standing between Meghan's mom and Prince William.
Meghan & Harry's Baby Announcement
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were expecting their second child, and they announced their pregnancy on a very important date. Not only was it Valentine's Day, but February 14 was also the day that Diana's pregnancy news broke when she was carrying Harry. He carried on the tradition 37 years later.
Harry's Living Diana's Dream
Sadly, Diana was never really able to escape the royal family, but that's what Harry has done. He's living life on his own terms now, thanks in large part to his mother.
Harry said in the Oprah interview that it was his mother's inheritance that helped him pay for things when the royals cut him off last year. And because it's reported that Diana always wanted to move to California, she would be so proud of her son for achieving what she dreamed of doing.
