When it came to matters of the wardrobe, there was rarely a foot put wrong by Princess Diana. A certified style icon, you could look at just about any outfit she wore during her years in the spotlight and envision it worn by some of the very best-dressed celebrities and influencers of today.

Today, as we mark what would have been the princess‘s 61st birthday, we take a look back over what was undoubtedly her most widely-adored fashion remit: summer style. 

Sure, her Christmas coats and ski holiday ensembles will forever be major mood board material, but when it came to the summer months something happened to Princess Diana’s wardrobe that rendered it truly iconic. 

So much so, that pictures of a Princess Diana on a sun-kissed beach in Mallorca, wearing gingham checks at the polo and bright cycling shorts at the Chelsea Harbour sports club are all frequent sartorial references splashed across social media today – almost twenty-five years on from her death.

But there are also endless summer outfits that you may not have seen from Diana.

From yellow denim dungarees to halter-neck minis, bright pink bikinis to animal print swimsuits, here are 27 photos that justify Princess Diana’s reputation as a summer style icon…

For more from Glamour UK’s Fashion Editor Charlie Teather, follow her on Instagram @charlieteather