A delightful photograph capturing the 16-year-old Princess Diana as a bridesmaid at her sister Jane Spencer’s wedding has recently surfaced.

In the image, the fresh-faced teenager dons a long white and red patterned dress, clutching a bouquet of roses in the midst of her Spencer family.

The wedding, where Jane Spencer married Robert Fellowes, the assistant private secretary to the Queen, took place at Westminster Abbey on April 20, 1978. This event occurred a year after Diana was introduced to Prince Charles at a grouse hunt, and he briefly courted her older sister, Sarah.

The charming photograph, part of the archive of renowned royal fashion designer Bill Pashley, fetched over £7,000 at Hansons Auctioneers of Etwall, Derbyshire. Among the treasures in the archive was a letter from Princess Diana, written three weeks after her wedding to Prince Charles in August 1981. In it, she humorously remarked that the Scottish climate had turned her honeymoon tan “light blue.”

Upon returning to Balmoral after their Mediterranean honeymoon on the Royal Yacht Britannia, Diana faced a challenge entering her room due to boxes of skirts and Scottish wear sent by the late Mr. Pashley. Grateful for his swift work, Diana expressed her thanks, recalling the wedding at St. Paul’s Cathedral and highlighting the kindness of Bill Pashley in crafting her Scottish attire.

The archive, consigned by Mr. Pashley’s family, also included 13 Royal Christmas cards from Diana to Bill spanning 1981 to 1994. The cards featured various family moments, including a wedding photograph in 1981 and images of Prince William and a newborn Prince Harry in subsequent years.

Auctioneer Charles Hanson emphasized the enduring fascination with Diana, noting the exceptional response and outpouring of love following her tragic death in 1997. The items connected to her life continue to be of great interest, illustrating her enduring popularity among royal enthusiasts worldwide.

Mr. Pashley, a talented designer whose clients included Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, and opera singers Dame Margaret Price and Dame Gwyneth Jones, left a lasting legacy with his specialization in crafting wedding dresses for the rich and famous.