ROYAL CONFESSION THAT STUNNED HISTORY 👀💔
Newly engaged Princess Diana was so overwhelmed meeting Princess Grace of Monaco that she fled to the ladies’ room in tears — a raw, private moment that revealed just how fragile and unprepared she truly felt stepping into royal life… and one detail from that encounter still haunts royal watchers today.

Newly-engaged Diana was a nervous wreck when she met Princess Grace of Monaco and ended up bursting into tears in the ladies’ loos

When Oscar-winning actress Grace Kelly got engaged to Prince Rainier of Monaco, 70 years ago tomorrow, she posed for photographs in the Philadelphia Country Club, showing off her Cartier ruby and diamond ring, in the colours of the Monaco flag.

She went onto become a cultural ambassador for the principality, meeting world leaders, royals and presidents including John F Kennedy and his First Lady wife, Jackie Kennedy.

However, there was one meeting, which was particularly poignant: on March 7, 1981, as the couple were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary, she met Lady Diana Spencer, who had just got engaged to Prince Charles.

It was the 19-year-old Diana’s first public appearance since her engagement, and she caused a furore, shifting the budget off the next day’s front pages, and boosting publicity for the Royal Opera House’s fundraising concert and reception.

Wearing a décolleté, black taffeta evening gown by the designers David and Elizabeth Emanuel, she emerged out of the limousine in a frenzy of flash bulbs and walked into London’s Goldsmith’s Hall.

However, behind the scenes, Diana was a nervous wreck: she ended up bursting into tears in the ladies’ loos and being comforted by Princess Grace, then 51.

It was the first time that the aristocratic nursery teacher had come face to face with the Hollywood icon, who won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in 1954’s The Country Girl.

Eighteen months later she would be attending Princess Grace’s funeral and 15 years later the world was yet again plunged into mourning when Princess Diana died. In an extraordinary parallel both women died in car accidents.

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When Grace Kelly got engaged, she posed for photographs in the Philadelphia Country Club, showing off her Cartier ruby and diamond ring, in the colours of the Monaco flag

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It was the 19-year-old Diana’s first public appearance since her engagement, and she caused a furore, shifting the budget off the next day’s front pages, and boosting publicity for the Royal Opera House’s fundraising concert

In his book Grace, Once Upon a Time: Behind The Fairy Tale Of Princess Grace And Prince Rainier, author J. Randy Taraborrelli wrote: ‘That evening, the swanlike Diana wore a black, very décolleté, strapless evening gown.

‘Even if she had appeared in a high-necked and long-sleeved muumuu, she would have created a sensation. The paparazzi—as would become the norm—went wild for her. But Diana wasn’t used to this treatment yet, if one ever does get used to it.’

It was during a reception afterwards at Buckingham Palace, which Grace attended with her companion Gwen Robyns, that she noticed that Diana was in a ‘panic’.

‘Concerned for her, Grace asked if she would like to accompany her and Gwen to the ladies’ room for a chat,’ added Taraborrelli, who revealed that Diana burst into tears while Grace was touching up her make-up.

‘She also said that she now realized more than ever how unbearable it would be to have so many people jostling for her attention, asking questions, not only of her, but of anyone who knew her. She foresaw a life totally devoid of privacy.

‘She was frightened. What could she do? She was certainly asking the right woman for advice. Grace had always known how to use her celebrity to her advantage, whereas Diana seemed to shrivel under the spotlight’s glare.

‘Grace, then 51, put her arms around 19-year-old Diana and patted her on the shoulder. She then put one hand on each of Diana’s cheeks, cupping her face: “Don’t worry, dear,” Grace told Diana with a gentle smile. “You see, it’ll only get worse.”’

In his book Diana: Her True Story, author Andrew Morton wrote: ‘I remember my first [royal] engagement so well. So excited. I got this black dress from the Emanuels, and I thought it was OK because girls my age wore this dress.

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Princess Grace asked if Diana ‘would like to accompany her and Gwen to the ladies’ room for a chat,’ added Taraborrelli, who revealed that Diana burst into tears while Grace was touching up her make-up

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Prince Charles made it clear that he didn’t approve of his fiance’s black gown as he insisted that only people in mourning wear black

‘I hadn’t appreciated that I was now seen as a royal lady, although I’d only got a ring on my finger as opposed to two rings. I remember walking into my husband-to-be’s study, and him saying: “You’re not going in that dress, are you?”

‘I replied, “Yes, I am.” And he said: “It’s black! But only people in mourning wear black!” And I said: “Yes, but I’m not part of your family yet.”

‘Black to me was the smartest colour you could possibly have at the age of 19. It was a real grown-up dress. I was quite big-chested then and they all got frightfully excited.

‘I learned a lesson that night. I remember meeting Princess Grace and how wonderful and serene she was – but there was troubled water under her, I saw that.’

Grace went onto attend Charles and Diana’s wedding four months later at St Paul’s Cathedral in London with her son Prince Albert, then 23, after her husband fell ill.

They were guests at Buckingham Palace and led a procession of royals from around the world down the Mall, across Trafalgar Square, down the Strand and Fleet Street, and finally climbing Ludgate Hill to St. Paul’s.

While Charles and Diana were given opulent gifts from around the globe, Grace and Rainier gave the newlyweds a simple silver picture frame, which Grace thought was ‘quite lovely’.

Diana gave birth to Prince William on June 21, 1982, and three months later, she attended Princess Grace’s funeral. It was her first official function as Princess of Wales.

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Three months after giving birth to Prince George, Diana attended the funeral of Princess Grace who tragically died in a car crash

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According to designer Sarah Burton, the dress was a 50/50 collaboration between the designer and the royal, who is believed to have been inspired by the frock that Grace wore to her 1956 wedding to Prince Albert of Monaco

She teamed a black dress and black boater hat with a netted veil with a heart-shaped diamond necklace that Charles had given her after William’s birth. ‘I hope she was happy at the end,’ she reportedly said afterwards.

Tragically, less than 15 years later, on September 6, 1997, Diana’s own funeral would be held at Westminster Abbey, and Grace’s eldest son, Prince Albert of Monaco, paid the family’s respects.

However, Grace’s influence on the Royal family didn’t end on Diana’s death: when Kate Middleton walked up the aisle with Prince William, on April 29, 2011, her frock bore more than a passing similarity to Grace’s wedding dress.

According to designer Sarah Burton, the dress was a 50/50 collaboration between the designer and the royal, who is believed to have been inspired by the frock that Grace wore to her 1956 wedding to Prince Albert of Monaco.

Kate visited the ‘Grace Kelly – Style Icon’ exhibition about the Hollywood actress at the Victoria & Albert Museum in the year before her 2011 wedding and fashion pundits noticed parallels between the two gowns.

The dress, which featured a Victorian-style corset, which narrowed at the waist and was padded at the hips, underneath a lace bodice, was a closely guarded secret: the designer did not even tell her mother about it.

The lace was created by the Royal School of Needlework, which cut individual flowers – the rose, thistle, daffodil, and shamrock – from antique lace and appliqued them onto ivory silk tulle.

Diana: A Life in Dresses is published by ACC Art Books and costs £40.