Princess Diana Showed Off Her Killer Legs In These Outfits

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Decades after her tragic death, Princess Diana's status as a fashion icon endures. When she first became a working royal, her outfits were pretty conservative. Even so, they were intended to put her in the spotlight. "The rule was to make her as noticeable as possible. It wasn't to make her shrink, it was to make her stand out," designer Bruce Oldfield recalled to The Times. As time went on, the princess' rebellious streak emerged. Diana broke strict royal rules on several occasions, including protocol about fashion, like skipping gloves during royal appearances. While that might seem like a minor infraction, Diana eventually challenged so many aspects of royal dress that she racked up quite a list of inappropriate outfits.

Diana's legs were a standout feature, and they were inadvertently displayed when she wore a thin skirt, minus a slip back in 1980. "The sun came out and revealed those beautiful legs," photographer Arthur Edwards recalled to "Today."

Later on, Diana pushed against restrictions on how much skin she could show. To a certain extent, designers were on board with this strategy. "I would put as little fabric on her as possible," fashion designer Jacques Azagury informed Hello! magazine's "A Right Royal Podcast." However, as Diana advocated to display longer stretches of her legs, Azagury revealed his limits. "Paul Burrell, her butler, and myself would say, 'that's as short as you can go,'" he recalled. Even so, Diana still managed to show off her toned gams.

Even in the most casual attire, Princess Diana looked effortlessly cool. Between the relaxed-fit sweatshirt and the slouchy socks, this ensemble makes us zero in on Diana's legs. The clingy material of the bike shorts highlights her muscular pins. The peach hue creates the illusion of extending the line of bare leg even further. 

This sweatshirt was a frequent sight in the mid-'90s, and it's still sold. Diana's outfits often meant more than people realized, and while we can't look away from this stylish 'fit, she reportedly hoped it would encourage the press to turn their attention elsewhere. 

In 1997, Princess Diana attended the ballet in this stunning shift, which she reportedly thought was a little too long. However, fashion designer Jacques Azagury and her butler, Paul Burrell, disagreed. "We said, 'Well, look, there's not much dress at the top, there's not much dress at the bottom. You'll end up with nothing in between,'" Azagury informed "A Right Royal Podcast."  Their caution may have averted a wardrobe malfunction, since when Diana bends down in her signature gesture to connect with a child, the hem reaches the middle of her toned thighs.

By 1988, Princess Diana had clearly come a long wear from the early 1980s gloves/no gloves conundrum, since she showed off her legs in their entirety by wearing a bikini with a high-cut bottom. The vibrant floral pattern is a perfect choice for vacation wear, and Diana looks amazing, as usual. While it's unclear what royal protocol says in this situation, it's still possible that she's pushing the boundaries of skin revealing a little further. For instance if she had been hanging by the pool at Buckingham Palace in this same getup, Diana definitely would have been considered rebellious.  

Although this 1990 vacation 'fit is pretty conservative, the sarong's front slit reveals extra leg. However, Princess Diana didn't seem to be interested in showing off her killer legs for the camera. Diana was known to ask the media to back off when she was on vacation with her kids.

Diana wore this 'fit as part of a pre-arranged photography session. When she was spotted wearing a bikini soon after, it triggered the usual photo frenzy. Even though it was no more revealing than her 1988 bikini, it demonstrates how coveted Diana content was at the time.  

No mention of Princess Diana and her killer legs would be complete without the 1994 "revenge dress."  Surprisingly, Diana almost wore a completely different dress that night, reportedly making an eleventh-hour switch to this head-turning gown.

The princess proudly strutted in this ensemble during the tumultuous period between her 1992 separation and 1996 divorce from King Charles III. This dress is perfectly molded to Diana's physique. Although the hem really doesn't reveal that much thigh, the clingy skirt and her dark stockings provide the illusion of a lot more leg. 

Unless you're Princess Diana, school drop-offs are rarely this glamorous. Diana accompanied William, Prince of Wales, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, to Eton College in September 1995. Harry was just starting at the school, so there was plenty of media attention. Diana dressed to impress, choosing a belted black dress that landed just above her knees. She darker stockings and heels spotlighted her toned calves. While this was clearly a special day, the princess had been taking her kids to school since their education began. She wore high heels every day, sometimes opting for more relatable jeans-based ensembles. 

Princess Diana definitely raised the bar for what to wear for air travel, choosing a white dress during a 1995 visit to Argentina. She contrasted the look with black accessories, including a black belt to emphasize her waist. Diana kept things simple by ditching the hosiery in favor of spotlighting her unadorned gams. White 'fits appeared to be a theme for the trip, with Diana wearing a two piece suit and a white Versace dress that looks almost identical to this one. Besides their color, another thing all these outfits had in common was that they showed Diana's legs to perfection.

With this 1988 denim and boots combo, Princess Diana demonstrated that she had legs for days. These straight-legged jeans provide a just-right fit, neither too tight or too relaxed, and perfect for drawing attention to the princess's lithe frame. While some people may think this is another example of Diana pushing the envelop on protocol, jeans actually aren't forbidden for royals. Even so, decades later, denim still isn't a frequent choice among the members of the Firm. Diana, however, wore jeans on a number of occasions, and this look is definitely one of the outstanding examples.  

In September 1995, Diana dazzled in another Versace dress in Italy. "[Versace] gave her first pick of his couture collection and designed pieces exclusively for her that were classic but had a pinch of glamour," author Deborah Ball explained in "House of Versace." That description definitely describes the sleek dress Diana's wearing here. 

The princess' decision to go with minimal accessories confers the attention on both the 'fit and her unadorned legs. Diana was known for her commitment to physical activity, and based on this photo, it's clear she never skipped leg day.