New Princess Diana photography exhibition will tell the real stories behind famous pictures – including the late royal’s favourite photo of herself

The hidden stories behind famous photographs of Princess Diana are set to be shared in a hit exhibition coming to London for the first time. 

Iconic moments including Diana’s 1981 wedding to Charles, her black ‘revenge dress’ and game-changing gym wear style all feature in the Princess Diana: Accredited Access Exhibition. 

Photographers Anwar Hussein and his two sons Samir and Zak will share their remarkable photographs of the late Princess and her family, paired with their first-hand accounts of the stories behind each moment. 

It has so far been featured in Melbourne, South Carolina, Las Vegas and more – and is now coming to St Katharine Docks in London for the first time from May 25. 

The exhibition consists of ‘larger than life images, bespoke art installations and first-hand narration’ in a 60-minute experience delving into the lives of the royal family.

The hidden stories behind famous photographs of Princess Diana are set to be shared in a hit exhibition coming to London for the first time. Pictured: Diana’s ‘revenge dress’

Diana attends Ascot the month before her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981 wearing a striped dress and a matching lilac hat

The exhibition shares several lesser-known images, such as this one of Diana wearing a casual white shirtdress for a visit to Ayers Rock during a royal tour of Australia in 1983

Anwar said Diana told him that a picture of her cradling a child during a visit to a hospital in Lahore in 1996 was her ‘favourite photograph of all’

Accredited by the Royal Family, the Husseins make up the longest-standing family of official royal photographers, having collectively spent over four decades working side-by-side with the princess and her family. 

They received special access to document the lives of the royals in public, as well as capturing more intimate, private moments, including the unforgettable revenge dress which dared to break royal protocol and the princess’ simple handshake with an AIDS patient that showed the world how to be human. 

Samir and Zak followed their father’s footsteps into royal photography by capturing the lives of Diana’s sons Prince William and Prince Harry, and now are multi-award winning and celebrated photographers themselves  

One story the exhibition tells is the touching image of Diana cradling a sick child in her arms during her visit to Imran Khan’s cancer hospital in Lahore, Pakistan, during April 1996. 

The photographers tell of the moment: ‘Diana later told me that out of so many pictures taken of her, this was her favourite photograph of all… 

‘She was so sad when she found out the boy had passed away shortly after her visit.’ 

The exhibition tells how iconic photographs of Diana wearing her ‘Fly Virgin Atlantic’ jumper, a gift from Sir Richard Branson, may never have come to light without the personal relationship between Anwar and the princess. 

Anwar Hussein and his two sons Samir and Zak (pictured outside Buckingham Palace) will share their remarkable photographs of the late Princess and her family

Some of the photos on display include the infamous image of Diana sitting alone outside the Taj Mahal while her marriage to Prince Charles crumbled 

Photos of Diana wearing her Virgin Atlantic sweatshirt in 1995 may never have come to light without a conversation with photographer Anwar

Princess Diana attending a passing out parade at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, Surrey, April 1987

Princess Diana visits Mianpur Old Age Welfare Centre in India in February 1992, wearing a cream dress with a pleated skirt and gold buttons designed by Catherine Walker

Diana wearing a pink dress with blue polka dots and a pink jacket by Paul Costelloe

Wearing a cream halter dress in 1992 for a Plácido Domingo event at Covent Garden, London

Diana was often seen wearing it when she left the gym at the Chelsea Harbour Club in London. 

Anwar’s sons describe: ‘Father had mentioned to Diana that he wanted to see how health conscious she was and be inspired by her. 

‘She agreed, so he snapped these photographs where we see Diana coming out of the gym.

‘Her popularity sky-rocketed as the public showed their adoration for her willingness to go against the grain and to forgo formality.’ 

As well as the famous revenge dress and the iconic shot of Diana by the Taj Mahal, the family also cast a light on photographs of Diana that haven’t been seen as often by members of the public. 

One shows Diana wearing a casual white shirtdress for a visit to Ayers Rock during a royal tour of Australia in 1983. 

Anwar is a long-standing photographer of the royal family and his family have collectively spent four decades working alongside them

Diana in her wedding carriage during her 1981 marriage to Charles 

Wearing a strapless black dress for her first official public engagement with Charles in March 1981 to a black-tie event at Goldsmith’s Hall in aid of the Royal Opera House

Diana in Melbourne, Australia 1988, visiting the Victorian College of the Arts School of Music

Pictures of the exhibition, which will be coming to St Katharine Docks from May 25

It also features other iconic photos of the Royal Family, such as Prince Harry and Meghan

In another, she attends Ascot the month before her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981 wearing a striped dress and a matching lilac hat. 

Anwar said: ‘I am honoured and humbled to have been given the opportunity to photograph Princess Diana so extensively and to have had the pleasure of having many friendly and insightful conversations with her.

‘I am delighted that the images captured, as well as those of my sons, are coming home to London to recognise and memorialise such a remarkable woman and her sons. 

‘There are so many memories of our two families connecting and creating a special relationship, which I am pleased to be able to display in such a unique way through the exhibition.’ 

The Princess Diana: Accredited Access Exhibition is set to open on May 25, 2024 at Dockside Vaults in St Katharine Docks until September 2. 

Tickets will be available to book from 10am on Thursday, February 29 and are available to pre-order now from £17 at PrincessDiana.London