“The fast rise of this internet aesthetic has been mainly driven by young fashion lovers, who put aside the idea of monarchy as an establishment and see royals as style influencers; a part of popular culture,” says Brenda Otero, cultural insights manager at Lyst, which cited ‘royalcore’ as a key trend in its Year in Fashion 2021 report. “Recently premiered titles, like Spencer and the documentary Diana: Queen of Style have highlighted the popularity of Lady Diana Spencer amongst Gen-Z, who see her as almost a rebel figure within the constraints of royal life.”
Brands have capitalised on this demand, too: Warm and Wonderful, the brand behind Diana’s ‘Black Sheep’ jumper, partnered with preppy cult label Rowing Blazers to bring back the knit as part of a Diana-inspired collection. Lanvin paid homage to it too, with its own take on the jumper. Meanwhile the aesthetic of Alexa Chung’s latest collection for Barbour nods to the royals’ longstanding relationship with the outerwear brand.