Painted and Photographic Diana Portraits

[Canadiana]

Hi all, I got a reply from Clive Friend about that blue ruffled Diana picture and here's what he said in his reply~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi Lisa

Thanks for your comments. It is surprising how little this picture has been seen. All originals seem to have been lost by the commissioning agents although I fortunately have a scan of a sole surviving dupe. You are dead right about the date of course, I shall have to put that right.

Clive Friend

[Squidgy]

Well done Canadiana. I'm amazed that you received a reply and so quickly. I'm glad you let him know the error of his ways. I'm always amazed that there are so many errors in books, magazines, newspapers. You would think with the convenience the internet offers, people would take a few minutes to check their facts before writing a book, etc., but no ...

But what is really shocking is that Mr. Friend says the original copies of the portrait have been lost!!! Unbelievable! I guess as a photographer who was commissioned to take the pictures, he was obliged to hand over all negatives. Too bad, because I suspect he would have taken better care of them than the people who commissioned the portraits. You have to wonder where these portraits disappear to. Remember that portrait that they found that Snowdon had taken in 1991 for the Canada trip? I think it was "discovered" in 1998 by a researcher who just accidently came across it.

Lady Jean, as for the "rust coloured suit" portraits, I did find a little blurb on them in an old issue of the French mag Point de Vue. It didn't say much except that the portraits were taken a few months after William's birth. Like I mentioned before, the portrait was on the cover of the November 19th 1982 Paris Match. So it's probably safe to guess that it was taken in Sept or Oct.

[Squidgy]

Just realized it hasn't been posted yet. Here's the "rediscovered" Snowdon photograph of Diana taken in 1991.

[umbrellagirl]

Squidgy, Lady Jean, and Canadiana, you three are ama-a-a-a-a-zing! I too am obsessed with dating all of the Diana photos, and I thought I'm making pretty good progress, but you all have got me beat!

[Canadiana]

Originally Posted by umbrellagirl

Squidgy, Lady Jean, and Canadiana, you three are ama-a-a-a-a-zing! I too am obsessed with dating all of the Diana photos, and I thought I'm making pretty good progress, but you all have got me beat!

Thanx umbrellagirl. But actually squidgy and I are even more obsessed cause we do diana's fashion diaries in that we list her official engagements, polo matches, christenings, photocalls, airport arrivals & departures, funerals, weddings, etc then what she wore. Yes we are crazy but we LOVE doing this.

[Lady Jean]

Ouch my heart. And just when I wanted to enjoy a rare compliment.

Ok, back to the topic of the thread:


When were the Snowdon engagement photos taken?

[Squidgy]

Originally Posted by umbrellagirl

Squidgy, Lady Jean, and Canadiana, you three are ama-a-a-a-a-zing! I too am obsessed with dating all of the Diana photos, and I thought I'm making pretty good progress, but you all have got me beat!

I wouldn't be sure that we "have you beat". You just saw us struggling to date those last batch of portraits!! It took several of us, all providing different bits of info, to settle on a general date. I'm sure you know lots that we don't. The more, the merrier!:)

[Squidgy]

Originally Posted by Lady Jean

When were the Snowdon engagement photos taken?

I've always wondered that too. I've read in a few books that they were taken in April. However Charles was out of the country (in Australia, NZ, Venezuela & the US) for all of April, so unless Diana & Snowdon packed their bags & met up with him in one of these countries, we would have to rule out that month. Maybe March??

[Duchess]

I contacted the web site as well about the incorrect date and received the same reply. I hope he fixes it.

[Canadiana]

Originally Posted by Lady Jean

Ouch my heart. And just when I wanted to enjoy a rare compliment.

Ok, back to the topic of the thread:


When were the Snowdon engagement photos taken?

Sorry Lady Jean you are very knowledgeable too :o I can't recall if you do the fashion diaries or not. I think you said you have tried??????? It's alot of fun very investigative in a way trying to figure out stuff esp. if you've only a bit of info.

[Lady Jean]

I don't know whose office I would like to "raid" more: Tim Graham or J.Fincher's...a dream come true. And I'm sure all of their pictures are dated.

[Squidgy]

Sigh ... that would be a dream to have access to their archives! On a day to day basis, they photographed Diana the best (although I also liked A. Hussein & L. Cherruault).

T Graham seems to have sold many of his pics to Getty, but I haven't seen a lot of J. Fincher's in any database.

[Sammy]

Originally Posted by Squidgy

Sigh ... that would be a dream to have access to their archives! On a day to day basis, they photographed Diana the best (although I also liked A. Hussein & L. Cherruault).

T Graham seems to have sold many of his pics to Getty, but I haven't seen a lot of J. Fincher's in any database.

Camera Press has hers.

[asmadasitgets2003]

This is a scan out of my Testino book, I love this protrait

http://www.supload.com/free/63e0.jpg/view/

[Squidgy]

That's one of my favourite early pictures! Diana looks so fresh & young. Was this picture taken on the same day as the one of her in the Emanuel pink blouse??
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...0&d=1073505145

I always thought that one (or both?) these pictures were taken in late 1980 by Snowdon for the Feb. 1981 issue of Vogue. But I'm not sure.

[Squidgy]

Originally Posted by Sammy

Camera Press has hers.

Oh thanks Sammy, I didn't realize that! Too bad their pictures weren't more accessible.

[Duchess]

it's just incredible to see the young diana that didn't know much about fashion, to the princess that had access to anything and tried (and occasionally failed) lots of things and then the older, polished and sophisticated look she had at the end. the transformations are so interesting. i love the testino pics...they show a much more relaxed woman than the snowdon pics, which i find showed her being tense and unsure of herself. at the end of her life she was really finding herself and showed how self assured she was becoming.

[Canadiana]

Originally Posted by Squidgy

That's one of my favourite early pictures! Diana looks so fresh & young. Was this picture taken on the same day as the one of her in the Emanuel pink blouse??
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...0&d=1073505145

I always thought that one (or both?) these pictures were taken in late 1980 by Snowdon for the Feb. 1981 issue of Vogue. But I'm not sure.

I think it was taken the same time as you know the white blouse with overlaying collar and large bow by snowdon where she's slightly turned (used on alot of souvenirs for the RW) which I think was taken before the engagement and that appeared in vogue magazine before the engagement?? I'm not positive but thought I read it somewhere anyway the hair rather looks the same so maybe she just changed blouses for the same photo shoot.

[Squidgy]

Originally Posted by Canadiana

I think it was taken the same time as you know the white blouse with overlaying collar and large bow by snowdon where she's slightly turned (used on alot of souvenirs for the RW) which I think was taken before the engagement and that appeared in vogue magazine before the engagement?? I'm not positive but thought I read it somewhere anyway the hair rather looks the same so maybe she just changed blouses for the same photo shoot.

Do you think this picture was taken on the same day as the purple blouse & pink Emanuel blouse one?

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...5&d=1073493769

[Jo of Palatine]

Originally Posted by Squidgy

Do you think this picture was taken on the same day as the purple blouse & pink Emanuel blouse one?

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...5&d=1073493769

I'd say no. Different eye makeup... :)