Lots of British royals wear animal prints, but few have worn whole animals. Princess Diana of Wales, being the fashion maverick that she was, included a variety of offbeat, relatable designs in her wardrobe that may have been almost too casual for royal stylists to sign off on. Case in point: her printed sweaters and, in particular, that iconic one with a koala sewn on it. Diana was spotted out and about in her navy “Blinky” koala sweater in 1982 at a polo match in Windsor. She was pregnant with her first child, Prince William, at the time, and was predictably rocking maternity fashion in the most Diana way possible.
She ditched the sober, color-blocked winter wardrobe the royals are typically seen in for lively prints that looked like they could have been borrowed from any of our wardrobes. Say what the high powers may, the public loved them; she was, after all, the “people’s princess.” Diana’s koala sweater was the work of Australian designer Jenny Kee, who brought a limited edition of her vintage knit back in 2020 to raise funds for koalas, per 7News Australia. Recalling the moment Diana wore the jumper, Kee told the channel: “It was a big moment because this was my iconic knit and this was the iconic koala.”