Charles Spencer is remembering his late sister Princess Diana on the anniversary of her royal wedding to the future King Charles.
On July 29, the 9th Earl Spencer posted a previously unseen throwback photo from childhood with his elder sister to Instagram, along with a bit of history about the picture. The day doubled as the 44th anniversary of Diana's wedding to the future monarch in 1981, in which she officially became a member of the royal family.
"A long ago summer, by the swimming pool at our childhood home, Park House, Sandringham - Diana and I both proudly showing off our swimming badges (sewn onto our swimming costumes)," Charles, 61, wrote below the black and white snap.
"These were awarded (sparingly) by Mrs Lansdowne, a fairly terrifying but very gifted swimming instructor, who came to stay each year. We were never out of that pool," he continued.
The shot showed a young Diana and her brother standing beside a pool in swimsuits accessorized with the badges, looking into the camera.
The 9th Earl Spencer, an author, historian and podcast host, closed the caption with the hashtags #learningtoswim #sandringham #parkhouse #blackandwhitephotography #brotherandsister #childhoodmemories #proudachievement and #1960s.
Princess Diana was the third daughter of John Spencer and Frances Shand Kydd, born at the family's Park House home on Queen Elizabeth's Sandringham estate.
In 1975, the year Diana turned 14, the family moved to Althorp House, the Spencer family's ancestral home in Northamptonshire, where her brother Charles continues to live today and where she is buried.
While his Instagram caption didn't mention the significance of the date, it was a poignant choice for Earl Spencer to honor his late sister on July 29. Diana married then-Prince Charles on July 29, 1981, in what was dubbed the "wedding of the century," which drew a record-breaking 750 million televised viewers.
Diana became the Princess of Wales upon her marriage, and the couple went on to welcome two sons. Prince William was born in 1982, and Prince Harry followed in 1984.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996, amid allegations of infidelity by both parties.
In August 1997, Princess Diana died age 36 in 1997 following a car accident in Paris, and her younger brother delivered a passionate eulogy at her royal ceremonial funeral at Westminster Abbey six days later.
Earl Spencer has previously spoken about the heartbreaking pain of sibling grief and is known to honor Diana with love on social media.
On July 1, what would have been her 64th birthday, he posted another previously unseen childhood throwback photo of him and Diana riding a camel together at her 6th birthday party.