A photo from the mid-80s has Princess Diana‘s fans on social media excited as it shows the late royal’s doppelgänger. It was shot in Washington D.C. during a Diana lookalike contest, and although many contestants could pass for her, one lady stood out from the rest.
Diana fans cannot stop gushing about contestant number 18, who wore a black turtleneck top underneath a black and white print coat. She accessorized with a layered pearl necklace, her haircut matching Diana’s ultra-feathered style of the ‘70s.
1984 Princess Diana lookalike contest shows her twin
Fans react to the 1984 Princess Diana lookalike contest
A history-based page on Reddit named OldSchoolCool posted the photo, and it has gotten over 18,000 upvotes so far. The black and white shot featured five contestants, including number 18 at the extreme right. “Are we sure 18 isn’t the real Diana?’ a user asked.
A few comments picked on contestant 27, who barely looked like the late royal. “The dude in the background looking like Patrick Swayze has a better shot than #27. What was she thinking?” someone asked, while another joked that she must have joined the contest for shits and giggles. “Girly looks nothing like Diana, come on now,” they teased.
Princess Diana look-alike contest in Washington D.C., 1985 pic.twitter.com/b4BTyXW6wX
— History Defined (@historydefined) October 26, 2024
Who was contestant 18?
As predicted, contestant 18 won the contest just before Diana and her then-husband Prince Charles visited Washington. Maureen Murray from Alexandria, Virginia, waved to the crowd at the Champion Sports Bar as she was crowned first place, and handed a scepter to match her tiara.
Diana was at the White House the following week for a private dinner hosted by President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan. Although Diana has been dead for more than two and half decades, the world still remembers her for the beautiful princess she was. Moreover, the late Princess of Wales left a lasting touch on humanity through her philanthropic act.