A Strange Detail About Princess Diana’s Hair Is The First Clue In Unraveling A Larger Story

At first glance, this photograph of Princess Diana and Luciano Pavarotti seems pretty self-explanatory. It’s simply two celebrities having a fun moment backstage at an event, right? But then you notice Diana’s hair, which looks unusual for a member of royalty. This is the first clue that this photo actually tells a story — and Diana’s locks are a key part of the tale.

The Hyde Park celebration

The year was 1991, and the event in question was a concert marking the 30th anniversary of Italian tenor Pavarotti’s glittering career. The setting was London’s Hyde Park, and 125,000 people — including members of British royalty — were expected to descend upon the venue for the free gig. It seemed as if the stars had aligned for a magical evening.

Pavarotti

By ’91 Pavarotti was at the height of his fame. The previous year, his stirring version of “Nessun dorma” was used as the BBC’s theme for the soccer World Cup. The song became his biggest and most enduring hit around the world. The singer also performed as part of the Three Tenors for the first time before the World Cup final, with the global audience utterly mesmerized.

Diana

Conversely, ’91 wasn’t great for Diana. By the time Christmas rolled around, she endured a tumultuous three days at Sandringham, during which she reportedly vowed to call time on her marriage to Prince Charles. By that point, in fact, their marital strife had been all over the tabloids for four years.

The photographer

Throughout this period photographer Anwar Hussein worked closely with Diana, just as he had done years earlier with Charles. He wound up taking so many memorable photos of Diana that 140 were spotlighted in the Princess Diana Exhibition: Accredited Access, which opened in 2022. One wet-haired image, in particular, became famous, and we’ll soon explain why.