The dream job connecting Princess Diana and Princess Charlotte is truly bittersweet

Princess Diana had reportedly wanted to pursue ballet professionally but had to abandon her dream because of an unfixable issue

The dream job connecting Princess Diana and Princess Charlotte is tinged with sadness
(Image credit: Getty)

Princess Diana was reportedly unable to pursue her love of ballet, but it looks like Princess Charlotte might have more of a chance. 


Princess Diana and Princess Charlotte share an unlikely passion - ballet. 

The Princess of Wales adored the Italian dance form, taking lessons from an early age and attending multiple performances in her youth. The aristocrat was particularly fond of Swan Lake and even won a school dancing competition in 1976, after practicing her choreography for hours at the Spencer family's residence, Althorp House. Diana's physical pastime was also an emotional outlet for her, allowing her to escape the troubles of her mind during her darkest moments. 

"It always released tremendous tension in my head," she said in Andrew Morton's biography, Diana, Her True Story - In Her Own Words

Diana had hoped to become a ballet dancer herself, but could not make a career out of it because of an unfixable issue - she was too tall. At 5 ft 10, her height was considered several inches too much to excel in the competitive industry. 

Diana

(Image credit: Getty)

"She had dance in her soul. I realized the pure enjoyment that it gave her," Anne Allan, Diana's former dance tutor, said in the documentary, Diana: In Her Own Words. "She loved the freeness of being able to move and dance. She loved it. I could see it helped to alleviate her emotional life. That was hard for her at that time." 

The Scottish dance coach, who the Spencer family hired in the 1980s to privately teach the princess-to-be, also said that ballet helped Diana to overcome her 'shyness.' 

Princess Charlotte appears to have inherited her late grandmother's passion, with the seven-year-old reportedly a big fan of dancing ballet at her family home. 

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge smiling during a visit to SportsAid House at the 2022 Commonwealth Games on August 02, 2022 in Birmingham, England. The Duchess became the Patron of SportsAid in 2013, Team England Futures programme is a partnership between SportsAid, Sport England and Commonwealth Games England which will see around 1,000 talented young athletes and aspiring support staff given the opportunity to attend the Games and take a first-hand look behind-the-scenes.

(Image credit: Chris Jackson - Pool/Getty Images)

"Charlotte is running around the kitchen in her dresses and ballet stuff and everything," Prince William revealed on an Apple+ podcast last year, before adding, "She goes completely crazy with Louis following her around trying to do the same thing." Kate Middleton also confirmed in 2017 that the Wales's daughter 'loves' ballet, after rumors whirled that the royal tot was attending a dance center in south London. 

Charlotte will also be able to practice the craft at her new school in Windsor, Lambrook. The private academy offers ballet lessons on Mondays as part of its 'Enrichment Afternoon', as a way for pupils to enjoy extra-curricular activities and cultivate their individual passions. 

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.

Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.