A family resemblance should be an unsurprising occurrence but that hasn’t stopped royal fans delighting over a new photo of Princess Diana’s late mother, Frances Shand Kydd.
On Wednesday Diana’s younger brother, Charles Spencer, took to Instagram to share a never-before-seen portrait of his late mother to mark what would have been her 85th birthday.
The painting depicts a young Frances, with a blonde wavy bob, rosy cheeks and blue eyes, all of which strike an uncanny resemblance to her late daughter.
“My mother – on this, her 85th birthday. She was born in Sandringham, Norfolk, on the very same day that King George V died – in the same parish,” Charles explained in the caption.
“She died 3 days after the 50th anniversary of her marriage to my father. This portrait is to be found in the Library at @althorphouse.”
Charles, who is the 9th Earl Spencer, currently resides at Althrop House where the portrait is hung.
Frances and Diana at Wimbeldon in 1993.
(Getty)Fans were eager to note the stunning resemblance between mother and daughter.
“Looks just like the little one. The eyes are always the giveaway. Spencer genes are strong,” one fan commented.
“So beautiful. You and Princess Diana look like her. ♥️” another added.
“‘Beautiful, I can see where Diana got her stunning looks from,” a third wrote before another added: “Beautiful…just like Diana!”
The resemblance is easy to see.
(Getty)Frances wed Earl Spencer Johnnie at just 18 years of age in 1954, but the marriage wasn’t fated to last with the couple divorcing in 1969. Frances went on to remarry Peter Shand Kydd, whom she divorced in 1990.
Diana and her mother shared a complicated relationship with Diana admitting she carried many demons from her turbulent childhood.
Tragically, Frances and Diana were not on speaking terms when Diana died in a car crash in Paris in 1997.
Meanwhile Frances passed away at age 68 in her home in Scotland.
Charles opened up about his late sister in an interview featured in the two-part ABC television event, The Story of Diana.
Charles with Diana’s sons William and Harry at her funeral.
(Getty)In the revealing special, which was also produced by People, the 53-year-old intimately discussed his state of mind following his sister’s untimely passing – particularly, the troubling thought that he may have been able to prevent her tragic fate.
“I was furious, I wasn’t just angry,” he said. “[I thought] what could I have done. But you always think, God, I wish I could’ve protected her. It was just… it was devastating.”
He then added: “I always felt…intensely protective towards her.”
