Elegant style icon wardrobe essentials: Princess Diana in swimwear

Like Audrey Hepburn, Princess Diana had been nourishing her dream of becoming a professional ballerina since childhood; and like Audrey Hepburn, Diana's dancer dream was crushed as a teenager because of her height; again like Miss Hepburn, Princess Diana thus became one of the most lasting style icons the 20th century ever saw.

​Since becoming Her Royal Highness, Princes Diana lived under the global scrutiny for almost every single minute of her life, no matter where she went, no matter what she did. The only time she could be a little bit safer from the prying eyes of thousands of paparazzi's cameras, was when she was in the water, wearing a swimming suit. She could stretch, run, jump, in the blithe and graceful dancer's body that she was blessed with, and perhaps even let down her guard, let the sadness show on her face. 

As one of those very few who can pull off any outfits, Princess Diana looked good in almost all types of bathing suits, but when she wore that ballerina leotard inspired black swimsuit with front mesh insert, Princess Diana was wearing her childhood dream again, she became a water sprite, she was Diana the Dancer.