As far as athleisure icons go, Princess Diana is right up there with the best of them. More than 25 years since her tragic passing, she is still consistently heralded as a philanthropic ray of sunshine and beloved public figure, but she is also adored for her stellar sports-chic looks that she rocked in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Avid fans of Princess Diana's style will recall that the royal fashion icon strongly favoured graphic sweatshirts, cycling shorts and 'Dad' trainers. Even when nipping to the gym, she made her style a priority – and her low-key looks are still super relevant in 2023.
One piece in particular achieved iconic status: her custom Philadelphia Eagles jacket.
The garment has come back into the public’s consciousness following the Super Bowl LVII, which of course featured a stellar halftime performance by Rihanna.
The story behind the princess' one-of-a-kind sports jacket can be traced back to the funeral of former Hollywood star and Monegasque royal Grace Kelly.
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© Photo: Getty ImagesPrincess Diana rocked the unique jacket outside London's Wetherby Prep School
Princess Diana represented the British royal family at Princess Grace's funeral in 1982 whereby she met Jack Edelstein, a statistician and broadcaster for the Philadelphia Eagles. Princess Grace was born into a prominent Catholic family in Philadelphia, and Jack attended her funeral because he was friends with her brother.
Jack and Princess Diana got talking, and he recalled their conversation to Philadelphia Daily News after her death in 1997. Apparently, Jack told her that green and silver were his favourite colours and she told him that they were also her favourites.
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© Photo: Getty ImagesThe stylish wore her custom Eagles jacket on multiple occasions
She liked the Eagles' logo, and she was sent a custom jacket in her favourite colours. Princess Diana was thought to have sent Jack a thank you note, telling him that she had been wearing the "Kelly Green" jacket out and about.
She was spotted rocking the unique piece outside London's Wetherby Prep School in 1991 (where both Princes William and Harry attended), again on a family trip to theme park Alton Towers as well as on the cover of People magazine – all of which leads us to believe that Princess Diana was hugely fond of her bespoke gift.
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