Princess Diana’s Love Affair with A Soap Opera, Unveiled by Her Loyal Hairdresser!

British royal family news shows that Diana, the People’s Princess had good taste in television, according to her hairdresser. At Fotografiska New York, on May 21, 2024, the Styling Princess Diana panel took place, featuring Richard Dalton, Diana’s hairdresser who talked about styling her hair and her television viewing habits.

British Royal Family News – Dalton Reminisced About Diana’s Favorite Show

Dalton had first met her a couple of years before Diana’s wedding to King Charles III (then Prince Charles).

For more than a decade, Dalton styled Diana’s hair daily, reminiscing, “It was a daily routine, sometimes even twice a day for tiaras.” Dalton also revealed that one of the princess’s favorite TV shows was “Dynasty.”

“She would say, ‘Richard, you can’t go out tonight because ‘Dynasty’ is on!’ I had to watch it closely for her.” The popular soap opera aired from 1981 to 1989, focusing on the fictional, extremely wealthy Carrington and Colby families, and was revived by The CW in 2017.

British Royal Family News – “Dynasty” Influenced Diana’s Fashion Choices

The program had a significant impact on some of Diana’s fashion choices as well; for example, a long pearl necklace was draped in the open V-neck back of her dress.

Dalton mentioned that she used to imitate the style of ‘Dynasty’ and even tied the pearls in a knot after watching ‘Back to the Future.’ Additionally, Catherine Oxenberg, who portrayed Amanda in the show, is the daughter of Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia and has connections to the British royal family.

Oxenberg also portrayed Diana in two films; The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana” and “Charles and Diana: Unhappily Ever After” (aka “Charles & Diana: A Palace Divided”).

British Royal Family News – Diana’s Butler Had A Different Take On Her Favorite Soap

“Dynasty” was considered to be in a soapy genre but aired in primetime; her former butler Paul Burrell said her favorite was “Brookside” although it was rumored she liked “EastEnders” better.

During a 2012 conversation with HuffPost UK and the Walford Gazette, Burrell mentioned regarding “EastEnders,” Princess Diana may have initially shown interest, but it wasn’t a show she would regularly watch.

He said she preferred “Brookside” and had the opportunity to meet many of the actors; he shared that Diana visited the set once and struck up a friendship with actor Dean Sullivan. But Diana was still an “EastEnders” fan and reportedly visited their set too, as recounted in the biography of actor Wendy Richard.

British Royal Family News – EastEnders Was A Buckingham Palace Favorite

Burrell, a former footman for Queen Elizabeth II and later for King Charles III and Diana, revealed that “EastEnders” was highly favored at Buckingham Palace right from the start.

Whenever the show aired, everything would come to a halt, and everyone would gather to watch “EastEnders” and “Dallas,” which were considered must-see TV.

Burrell even developed close relationships with “EastEnders” stars Barbara Windsor and Wendy Richard, and this wasn’t the only time Burrell fact-checked something related to the royals. He confidently affirmed that Josh O’Connor’s portrayal of Charles in “The Crown” was quite accurate.

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British Royal Family News – An EastEnders Actress Recalled Meeting Diana On Set

In a 2019 interview with the Daily Mail, Nish Joshi, a former friend of Princess Diana fondly remembered watching one of Diana’s favorite soap operas, “EastEnders,” with her. They would sit together at Kensington Palace, with Diana in her dressing gown, sharing funny stories.

Anita Dobson, known for her role as Angie Watts on the popular show, shared a heartwarming moment with Princess Diana during a visit to the “EastEnders” set.

Diana was a big fan of the show and Dobson described her as gorgeous, gentle, and respectful. They bonded over their sudden fame and later met at a movie premiere, sharing a special smile.

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