Animal Print Swimsuit

The Cheetah Print swimsuit was worn on two different summer holidays, most recently in 1997 the month before she died. Diana played on the beach with the younger members of her party, which included her sons as well as members of the extended Royal Family and children of the staff.

The suit has a matching sarong style wrap skirt and Diana wore it barefoot most of the afternoon with sunglasses and wide hoop earrings. There was a press photocall and her body language makes it apparent she is conscious of being watched. During the trip to the Med, she runs, she dives, she larks about on a jetski with a life vest riding pillion behind Prince Harry and navigating. At one point, she wipes her face on a white beach towel.

In its earlier trip to the beach on Necker Island, she allows the children to build sandcastles around her looking like a very good sport.

Paul Burrell, Diana's butler once took credit for buying a lot of her swimsuits. The preferred brand was Jantzen and this one was one of them.

It has certainly been a popular outfit to copy for FM Diana. I have it on good authority that the most ideal fabric for print scale and stretchiness is to find women's underwear in the biggest size possible (a thong won't be useful) so that you can eke the matching wrap skirt out of it. See below.