The amazing looks Princess Diana wore on her royal tours to Australia

Every single one of Princess Diana's fashion hits Down Under
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Sabrina Carder23 October 2018

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are currently in the middle of a 16-day tour of Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand.

The newlyweds are, of course, not the first royals to visit that part of the world. Since 1954 there have been over 50 visits by members of the royal family Down Under. Her Majesty The Queen has visited the country a whopping 16 times, meanwhile Princess Anne, The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have also made the long haul trip.

The royal tour that the newlyweds' visit is undoubtedly going to be compared to is that of Prince Harry's parents, Princess Diana and Prince Charles.

Meghan has already paid homage to her late mother-in-law on the the couple's Australian adventure. Following the news that they're expecting their first child, the 37-year-old wore a pair of butterfly earrings and a gold cuff, which once belonged to Diana.

Princess Diana on her first royal tour of Australia in 1983
PA Archive/PA Images

Diana visited Australia three times prior to her death in 1997 and, just like Meghan, Diana's first official international royal tour after marrying Prince Charles in 1981 was to Australia, but Diana's visit came two years after their nuptials.

Princess Diana and Prince Charles at Ayers Rock in 1983
Rex Features

The couple's first visit in 1983 saw the Prince and Princess of Wales accompanied by baby Prince William as they visited iconic sites such as the Sydney Opera House, Alice Springs and Ayers Rock.

The tour saw Diana don numerous '80s frocks in bold tones from sunshine yellow to hot pink, often accessorised with a matching hat and always a hint of shoulder pad.

Diana wearing the Spencer tiara during a royal tour of Australia in 1983
REX/Shutterstock

It was her ensemble at the State Reception in Hobart, Tasmania which had the most memorable personal touch.

Diana paired her striking red dress with the Spencer family tiara, which she had previously worn on her wedding day. She also accessorised with a necklace given to her by the Prince of Wales and a pin known as the Royal Family Order of Elizabeth II, an honour bestowed upon female members of the royal family and back then were often worn at formal occasions.

Princess of Wales poses with the winning team of lifeguards at a surf carnival at Terrigal Beach in 1988 
Getty Images

In 1988, on her second visit with Prince Charles, Diana experimented more with pops of print, her style staple for the trip being a plethora of vibrant floral frocks, which included a pink and blue blossom evening gown by her go-to designer Catherine Walker.

Princess Diana wearing a blue and pink rose-patterned silk gown by Catherine Walker in 1985 (PA Archive/PA Images)
PA

For her final visit in 1996, just one year prior to her death, her wardrobe had a very different feel. By this time she had divorced Prince Charles and had gone through a style transition away from glamorous gowns and more towards business attire.

After her divorce Diana opted for more business attire such as this white suit she wore in Sydney in 1996
Getty Images

For the four-day private visit suits and simple shift dresses were her uniform of choice as she visited numerous hospitals and fundraising events in the capital.

Princess Diana attending the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute dinner dance in Sydney in 1996
AFP/Getty Images

Even her evening gowns were noticeably more understated, as she attended the Heart Foundation Ball wearing a blue one-shoulder gown by Versace.

Scroll through the gallery above to see Princess Diana's Australian fashion hits...

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