Princess Diana Was the Original Cobalt Blue It Girl—And She Used the Color to Project a Message
The late royal was decades ahead of this spring's hottest color trend.
Whether you call it cobalt blue or Klein blue, 2026's biggest color trend is absolutely everywhere right now. But for members of the Royal Family, the electric shade has been a favorite for decades.
Princess Kate frequently wears the bright color, as did Queen Elizabeth, who notably remarked that she had to be "seen to be believed." But Princess Diana was perhaps the most fervent cobalt blue fan, wearing the color for everything from her 1981 engagement announcement to glittering evening galas.
Perhaps it was a touch of the late Queen's philosophy of being easily spotted in a crowd, but there also could have been a deeper meaning behind Diana's love of the shade. Relying on such a vibrant, impossible-to-miss color during her turbulent marriage to Prince Charles projected a brightness and confidence that wasn't there internally for the royal. Call it emotional armor, if you will.
Explore some of Princess Diana's best cobalt moments, ahead.
Princess Diana and Prince Charles are pictured in one of their 1981 engagement photos.
Diana had trouble finding what she wanted for her official engagement photo call in February 1981, and in a Pretty Woman moment, ended up being turned away from designer Bellville Sassoon's boutique and told to go to Harrods by an unknowing assistant. The future royal bride did end up buying an outfit at Harrods, choosing a bright blue skirt suit by Cojana and a white pussybow blouse for her big moment.
Princess Diana is pictured with her sister, Sarah McCorquodale, in 1992.
In 1992, Diana went for a bold blue look, wearing a double-breasted Catherine Walker blazer with a long, pleated skirt and matching blue pumps. Years later, Princess Kate would go on to copy the look, wearing a cobalt Zara blazer with a matching pleated skirt by Hope in 2021.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana are pictured in 1986.
During a visit to British Columbia, Canada in May 1986, Diana wore a very dotty look, pairing a cobalt skirt and a blazer featuring black spots with a polka-dot blouse underneath.
Princess Diana is pictured in Wellington, New Zealand in 1983.
Diana leaned into the cobalt aesthetic two years after her wedding, wearing a bright blue dress with black trim and a matching hat on a tour of New Zealand.
Princess Diana is pictured in Venice in 1985.
Princess Diana once again brought blue energy while visiting Venice, Italy in May 1985, wearing a dress with sharp shoulder pads designed by one of her go-tos, Bruce Oldfield.
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