Have you ever seen a photo of a royal at a huge, momentous time, and thought that looked a bit familiar? Well you're not alone! We're always doing it and love digging back through the royal photo archives to find similar moments from royal history.
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For example, Prince Louis could be a young Prince Harry's doppleganger with his crowd-pleasing cheeky antics. When the Prince and Princess of Wales' youngest son stole the show earlier this year at the Queen's Jubilee with some tongue-poking action, Prince Harry's early behaviour was front of mind.
And when Prince George was shushed by cousin Savannah Phillips in 2018 while standing on the balcony at Trooping the Colour, many fans recalled the exact same moment his uncle Prince Harry did the same 28 years earlier to cousin Princess Beatrice.
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And when the Duchess of Cambridge stepped out onto the steps of the Lindo Wing following the birth of Prince George in 2013, the image called to mind Princess Diana and Princess Anne from decades before.
Here are our favourite snaps of royal history repeating itself…
Grace van Cutsem and Prince Louis
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrince William and Kate's bridesmaid Grace van Cutsem may not technically be royal, but when the Cambridges' youngest child, Prince Louis, stepped out onto the balcony of Buckingham Palace at Trooping the Colour in 2022, the image of him putting his hands over his ears and pulling a face reminded us of three-year-old Grace back in 2011.
Louis, four, was a hit during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, making headlines for his hilarious public antics.
The Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Diana
© Photo: Getty ImagesKate is often compared to Princess Diana thanks to their elegant sense of style, and during a visit to Cleve Court Care Home in Bath in December 2020, she wore another similar look to that of her late mother-in-law. Kate's pillar-box red, recycled Alexander McQueen long-line coat bore a striking resemblance to the scarlet Catherine Walker coat Diana wore on a visit to Birmingham in 1984.
The only real difference is that Kate accessorised hers with a mandatory face mask.
SEE: 14 times Duchess Kate has dressed just like Princess Diana
Meghan Markle and Princess Diana
© Photo: Getty ImagesWe had to look twice when we saw Meghan rock up to Princess Diana's niece Celia McCorquodale's wedding back in 2018. Meghan's blue-and-white patterned Oscar de la Renta shirt dress looked almost identical to what Diana wore during a royal visit with Prince Charles to Saudi Arabia in 1986.
The Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Diana
© Photo: Getty ImagesThese pictures were taken on Princess Diana and the Duchess of Cambridge's wedding days, when the brides had arrived at Buckingham Palace following their ceremony. The photos, which are almost identical, were taken thirty years apart, with both brides arriving in the same carriage, a touching tribute by Kate to Princess Diana, who she sadly never met. Both pictures show the pair straightening their dresses as they step out of the carriage, and we love that the moment was caught on camera!
READ: 21 of the most iconic – and expensive – royal wedding dresses in history
Prince William and Prince George
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrince George made his first appearance at Trooping the Colour in June 2015, wearing a hand-me-down from dad Prince William, who had worn the same light blue outfit at Her Majesty's Birthday Parade in 1984. George looked delighted to make his first appearance on the balcony, pointing up at the sky during the RAF flypast.
We love the fact that Princess Diana and Prince Charles had kept their children's clothes saved for so long!
SEE: 11 times royal parents doted on their children: from Kate Middleton to Prince Harry
Prince Harry, Prince Louis and Prince William
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrince Louis stole the show at Trooping the Colour 2019, when he appeared for his debut balcony appearance. The then one-year-old waved, laughed and pointed at the planes that flew overhead as he made an adorable appearance in the arms of his mother Kate, and then father, Prince William.
Louis wore a white and blue patterned shirt with blue shorts, paying a sweet tribute to his dad William and uncle Prince Harry, who both donned the same outfit in 1984 and 1986, respectively.
We also love how Kate and Princess Anne (pictured with Harry) both opted for yellow dresses, making this photo even more similar! The picture comes four years after Prince George wore the same light blue outfit on the balcony as his father had worn in 1984.
Prince Harry and Savannah Phillips
This picture shows Savannah Phillips being quieted by Prince George in 2018. Exactly 28 years earlier at the same event, Prince Harry put his hand over Princess Beatrice's mouth in 1990.
Prince Harry and Prince George
© Photo: Getty ImagesA playful Prince George can be seen sticking out his tongue in this snap as he excitedly looks out of the window on the Queen's 89th birthday in 2015. The young royal obviously gets his cheeky personality from uncle Harry, who was spotted in the arms of Princess Diana, poking out his tongue in 1988 at the same family event.
Princess Diana and the Duchess of Cambridge
© Photo: Getty ImagesKate made us do a double-take during her tour of Scotland in May 2021. She stepped out in a royal blue Zara blazer and pleated skirt from Hope for her first outing, which was strikingly similar to a two-piece Princess Diana wore in 1992.
Prince Harry and Princess Diana
During the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's royal tour of Africa in September 2019, Prince Harry retraced his mother Diana's footsteps when she famously walked through a partially cleared Angolan minefield in 1997 to highlight the work of the Halo Trust. Harry walked down the former minefield in Huambo, which is now a bustling community.
He also visited Dirico to see the charity's work first-hand, donning body armour and a face mask to inspect an area of bush being cleared of ordnance by the charity.
Princess Eugenie, Meghan Markle and Lady Gabriella Windsor
© Photo: Getty ImagesLady Gabriella Windsor married Thomas Kingston in May 2019 in Windsor, following in the footsteps of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank, who all wedded at St. George's Chapel in 2018. These photos were taken following the ceremony, when the couples were making their way down the stairs to leave the chapel.
The Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Diana
© Photo: Getty ImagesKate channelled another Princess Diana look following the birth of her second son Louis in 2018. As she stood on the steps outside the Lindo Wing once again, fans couldn't help but point out the similarities between Kate and Diana. The Duchess' Jenny Packham red dress looked so similar to the frock worn by Diana when she stepped outside the same hospital with a baby Prince Harry in 1984.
READ: Duchess Kate's birth stories of her three children George, Charlotte and Louis
Prince William and Prince Louis
Prince William is pictured here in the Honiton christening gown, in the arms of his mother Princess Diana. The dress has been worn by 62 royal babies over the course of its 163 years of royal service. The last royal to wear the original gown was Lady Louise Windsor, the daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie in 2004.
The cream gown that Prince Louis is pictured in is a replica of the intricate lace and satin dress made for Queen Victoria's eldest daughter in 1841.
Princess Diana and the Duchess of Cambridge
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe Duchess of Cambridge first wore one of Princess Diana's favourite tiaras at a state banquet at Buckingham Palace in 2015. In 1981, the Queen loaned the Lover's Knot tiara to Princess Diana as a wedding gift, and although Diana wore the Spencer Tiara for the big day, the Lover's knot was one of her favourite pieces.
Following Diana's death, the tiara wasn't seen publicly until Kate borrowed it from Her Majesty. She has since worn the special tiara on a number of occasions.
The Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Diana
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge stepped out of the Lindo Wing with their newborn son, Prince George, in July 2013, with Kate stunning in a Jenny Packham dotted dress. The choice of outfit was undoubtedly inspired by Princess Diana, who wore a polka dot dress when she introduced her first son, Prince William, to the world in 1982. We love this sentimental touch from the new parents.
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