Princess Diana was ‘told off’ by Queen for looking too pretty

Princess Diana was scolded over her hairstyle at an important public event

Published September 27, 2026
Princess Diana was ‘told off’ by Queen for looking too pretty
Princess Diana was ‘told off’ by Queen for looking too pretty

Princess Diana was once told off by Queen Elizabeth II over her fashion choices.

The former Princess of Wales, who accompanied her Majesty and then husband Prince Charles at the 1984 State Opening of Parliament, was reprimanded over her look.

In his new book, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, Earl Spencer that Queen Elizabeth “was not amused” by Diana’s hair.

“Her hair stylist, RIchard Dalton, swept Diana’s hair into a ‘chignon’—a bun pinned at the nape of the neck, as favoured by some movie stars a generation earlier,” Earl Spencer wrote.

He added that fans let out “gasps of admiration” as she walked into the room.

“Diana was told off, and she—ever respectful of ‘the boss,’ as she called the Queen—from that point on, always wore her hair more simply at events that they both attended,” Earl Spencer wrote.

Eleen Bukhari
Eleen Bukhari is a London-based journalist and MSc graduate from Brunel University with over five years of experience. Specialising in the British Royal Family and global entertainment, she provides expert analysis of monarchy traditions, celebrity culture, and the evolving media narratives surrounding the world’s most high-profile figures.