Rare Photos Show Princess Diana Sleeping with Head Down at an Event, Fans Say, “She Was Actually…”

Princess Diana was renowned throughout her life for creating powerful images. One of her most iconic pictures is when she fell asleep during a royal engagement, Diana had a tender Disney princess moment while attending the 'Splendours of the Gonzagas exhibition at the V&A Museum in 1981. The media admiringly dubbed her 'Sleeping Beauty' after the image went viral, as per Vogue. Given that her first pregnancy with Prince William was kept a secret up to this point, the Princess of Wales was most likely exhausted. As expected the royal news was revealed by Buckingham Palace the very next day i.e. on November 5, 1981. 

The image has evoked precious reactions from netizens to this date with some even calling her the 'original one'. "She was a real one...couldn’t program she," a netizen expressed. "It was the way we all found out she was expecting. Sweet," an online user noted. "She was actually pregnant with William here. That’s what she fell asleep," another person agreed.

"Flawless," a person wrote. "They hadn’t yet announced that she was pregnant when this photo was taken," a netizen revealed. "Princess Diana fell asleep during an appearance in 1981, which gave her the nickname “Sleeping Beauty”. She would announce her pregnancy with Prince William shortly after," a person chimed. 

According to Hola! Magazine, photographer Tim Graham captured her dozing off in a soft red chair at the perfect moment. The then 20-year-old was pictured wearing a voluminous dress by upscale designer Bellville Sasson made of chiffon. At the time, it was a surprising development because Diana and Prince Charles had just been married for four months. Naturally, it explains why she might have been so exhausted, in addition to the hectic beginning of her royal life. During the pregnancy, Queen Elizabeth II politely requested the media to respect her daughter-in-law's privacy. 

On June 22, 1982, Princess Diana gave birth to Prince William at St. Mary's Hospital. In Andrew Morton's Diana: Her True Story, she subsequently disclosed that it was a challenging period for her. “When we had William, we had to find a date in the diary that suited Charles and his polo,” she said. “William had to be induced because I couldn’t handle the press pressure any longer, it was becoming unbearable. It was as if everyone was monitoring every day for me.” “Anyway, the boy arrived, with great excitement,” she added. “Thrilled, everyone absolutely high as a kite – we had found a date where Charles could get off his polo pony for me to give birth. That was very nice, felt grateful about that!”

"I felt compelled to perform," Diana had said according to People, "To do my engagements and not let people down." She had a packed calendar during that time and in 1981, she couldn't resist dozing off. "I felt the whole country was in labor with me," Diana said of her pregnancy.