ACROSS GENERATIONS

Did Princess Charlotte inherit Princess Diana’s 'Spencer stare'? Royal watchers notice striking similarity

Diana and Charlotte have been linked to a love of dance, with ballet frequently mentioned as a passion.

MAY 11, 2026 3:50 PM EDTMAY 11, 2026, 3:50 PM EDT

Royal fans and observers have been drawing fresh comparisons between Princess Charlotte of Wales and her late grandmother, Princess Diana, after noticing what many are calling a familiar “Spencer stare." The iconic, soft yet expressive gaze is long associated with Diana.

The “Spencer stare” comparison:

Fans have pointed out that Charlotte often displays a composed, slightly shy expression in public, frequently looking upward through her lashes with a subtle tilt of the head. This has led royal watchers to link her to Diana’s well-known photographic presence, often described as the “Spencer stare.”

The fascination continues, with royal fans celebrating what they see as a subtle but touching visual link between past and present members of the royal family.

The resemblance has been most widely discussed during major royal occasions, including the Coronation of King Charles III and the 2024 Christmas celebrations at Sandringham, where Charlotte appeared alongside senior members of the royal family.

At events such as the royal Christmas concert, observers noted how Charlotte’s quiet, poised expressions in formal settings echoed some of Diana’s most iconic public portraits.

Both Diana and Charlotte have been linked to a love of dance, with ballet frequently mentioned as a passion that connects them across generations.

The similarities have not gone unnoticed online. Social media users have created viral compilations pairing images of Princess Charlotte with archival photographs of Princess Diana, focusing on their eye shape, soft gaze, and similar expressions.

These edits have sparked widespread engagement, with many royal fans commenting that Charlotte appears to naturally carry elements of Diana’s visual legacy. Some posts highlight how even subtle expressions, including a glance, a pause, or a head tilt, feel reminiscent of the late Princess of Wales.

Princess Charlotte and Princess Diana's shared interests:

Alongside the visual comparisons, observers have also pointed to shared interests between the two. Both Diana and Charlotte have been linked to a love of dance, with ballet frequently mentioned as a passion that connects them across generations.

Princess Diana and Prince William in his playroom at home in Kensington Palace.

While such comparisons remain largely observational and fan-driven, they have contributed to a growing narrative that Charlotte may be carrying forward more than just family resemblance.

Royal watchers continue to embrace these moments as a symbolic continuation of Diana’s legacy within the younger generation of the royal family. Whether through expression, presence, or public poise, the comparisons between grandmother and granddaughter have become a recurring theme in royal commentary.

Observers have been drawing fresh comparisons between Princess Charlotte of Wales and her late grandmother, Princess Diana, after noticing what many are calling a familiar “Spencer stare." Hussein/WireImage)

Many commentators note that such observations are subjective and based on selective imagery, urging the public to appreciate Charlotte as her own individual personality as she grows up in the public eye.

For now, however, the fascination continues, with royal fans celebrating what they see as a subtle but touching visual link between past and present members of the royal family.

Fans have pointed out that Princess Charlotte often displays a composed, slightly shy expression in public, frequently looking upward through her lashes with a subtle tilt of the head, similar to Princess Diana.