Princess Diana’s royal take on capri pants was unapologetically modern

Capri pants have been the trousers of summer 2026. Exploding onto the catwalks in 2025 with Louis Vuitton leading the way with their offering, the trend has been further embraced by many this year, with high street chains presenting their own, sleek offerings.

Loved by many celebrities, from Hailey Bieber to Zoë Kravitz, the hybrid trousers are nothing if not unique. Too long to be shorts but too short to be trousers, they sit anywhere from under the knee to a few inches above the ankle and are available in many different fabrics and styles, from baggy to close-fitting.

Also known as pedal-pushers to some, many see them as an ’00s craze – with fashionistas donning them over twenty years ago.

© Getty Images

Princess Diana wearing capri pants

When it comes to prolific fashion trends, you can be sure that the late Princess Diana nailed it first, and sure enough, in 1983, the former wife of King Charles donned a sleek and tailored pair at a polo event.

© Getty Images

Looking the picture of modern elegance, Diana wore a slightly muted, olive green pair, with their hems lightly folded over at the knee. Keeping it timeless, she added a pressed white shirt and a swish red jumper, which she wore loosely tied over her shoulders. 

Accessorising to perfection, she added red heels. This look may have been worn 43 years ago, but it’s still as prevalent today; another example of Diana’s fashion icon status living on. The influencer of her generation, no one took on style quite like Diana during the ’80s and ’90s. The royal always set the pace and made every look work for her in her own unique way.

Princess Diana’s cycling shorts

Another modern trend Diana arguably put on the map was probably her most humble – cycling shorts with an oversized sweatshirt.

© JOHNNY EGGITT

Diana single-handedly made this casual combo mainstream back in 1995, when she was often pictured leaving the Chelsea Harbour Club, looking like the poster girl for glam gym attire. Unsurprisingly, fans went wild for her dressed-down look.

This look was also ahead of its time, due to the sheer volume of people who still don this very ensemble almost 30 years later.