Prince Harry's HRH Titles 'Removed From Princess Diana Fashion Exhibition'

Jun 07, 2021

Princess Diana is still considered a true style icon, not just to women around the world but to those in the royal family as well. Although Kate Middleton never met her mother-in-law due to Diana's untimely passing, it's clear she's played a strong influence on her, especially when it comes to style.

Diana was an icon not just because of her sense of fashion but also because she was embraced as the "People's Princess." Her overall style inspired others to recreate her wardrobe and for good reason: Princess Diana was a stunning woman who could pull off any look she wanted.

One of the most memorable pieces of Diana's wardrobe is currently available to be seen by the public: her intricate and lavish wedding dress. This iconic dress is part of an outstanding exhibition titled "Royal Style in the Making" that opened its doors to visitors this summer on June 3 in the Orangery of Kensington Palace, Vanity Fair reports.

The centerpiece of the exhibit is the wedding dress of the late Princess. It was donated to the exhibition by Prince William and Prince Harry and features a placard attributing Diana's two sons as the actual owners of said dress. Now, however, the placard's inscription had to be changed upon urging of the Royal Collection Trust. Due to what was reportedly a slight error and oversight during the exhibition's planning stage, Prince Harry was wrongly referred to as "HRH," meaning of course, "His Royal Highness." As the royal Sussex couple stepped down from senior royal duties in 2020, this title was no longer allowed.

The exhibition that now includes the original version of the dress opened its doors to the public on June 3, 2021. While the wedding dress is certainly considered the main attraction and centerpiece, it is not the only item of historical note. According to news obtained by Vanity Fair, the exhibition also includes many more iconic pieces of fashion and even some that have never been open to the public before, such as a surviving toile from the Queen Mother's coronation from 1937.

Matthew Storey, the curator of the exhibition at Historic Royal Palaces, explained in a statement that the show is supposed to shine a light on the designers and artists behind the royal family's fashion:

"Our summer exhibition at Kensington Palace will shine a spotlight on some of the greatest talents of British design, whose work has been instrumental in shaping the visual identity of the royal family across the twentieth century.

We'll be exploring how the partnership between each designer and client worked, and revealing the process behind the creation of a number of the most important couture commissions in royal history. While one of the highlights will undoubtedly be Diana, Princess of Wales's show-stopping Emanuel designed wedding dress, which goes on show at the palace for the first time in 25 years – we've got some real surprises up our sleeve for fashion fans!"

While many fans of the royal family and fashion alike are already anticipating the upcoming exhibition, it should be mentioned that Diana's wedding dress was only added to the collection after both Prince Harry and Prince William gave their seal of approval.

The wedding dress entered Prince Harry and Prince William's ownership after their mother's death back in 1997. The 2021 exhibition has been long-planned, and both Princes gave their permission in advance of the grand opening this June. The placard next to the iconic dress was meant to signify the thanks of the curators and simply read "Lent by HRH the Duke of Cambridge and HRH the Duke of Sussex," according to the Daily Star.

"HRH" is the abbreviation for "His Royal Highness," the official title and way to address a royal prince. Following Harry and Meghan's decision to step down as senior royals, one of the main points of the historic negotiation between the royal family and the now ex-senior-royal couple was the fact that this title would not be rescinded - leaving Harry theoretically in line of succession to the throne - but that the couple promised to never use the title. 

Unfortunately, due to what the Royal Collection Trust, which operates the exhibition, called "an administrative error", the placard at first wrongly called Harry "HRH." A spokesperson for the Royal Collection Trust told the Daily Mail:

"The items were loaned by HRH The Duke of Cambridge and The Duke of Sussex. Due to an administrative error, for which Royal Collection Trust was responsible, the labels were incorrect and will be updated."

While it's good to know that this was only a small oversight and not a willful breach of the "stepping-down agreement," this little error might cause tension to rise again within the royal family.

Would you take the chance to see Princess Diana's wedding dress up close if you could? Is there any piece of royal fashion that you would really like to see in real life? Tell us your thoughts and pass this along to fellow royals and fashion fans!