Unseen pictures of Diana show how Kate’s countryside chic is inspired by the late Princess of Wales

The Princess of Wales is often said to pay homage to her predecessor with her beautifully-curated looks.

And a new photoset of Princess Diana shows how Kate Middleton appears to channel her late mother-in-law’s countryside chic when enjoying the great outdoors.

A portrait of the then 21-year-old Diana sitting in front of the picturesque Scottish Highlands on the Balmoral estate perfectly showcases the Princess’s timeless style.

Prince William‘s mother posed for the scenic shot wearing a long brown cardigan, white polo neck, tweed knickerbockers and brogues.

While Kate, 41, is unlikely to sport this old-fashioned cut of trouser and is rarely seen in oversized cardigans, she has become known for conveying a similar classic style to Diana’s, which is perfect for rural settings.

The candid shot of King Charles III’s first wife was taken by the Royal Family‘s close friend, Lord John King of Wartnaby.

The similarities between Diana’s relaxed demeanour as she leans on a bench for the portrait, and a picture of Kate taken in 2004, are clear to see.

There are echoes of the tweed trousers Diana wears in Kate’s matching skirt and jacket, a look Diana also donned while at Balmoral with Charles.

Kate is regularly pictured in classic tweed jackets, as Diana has been, both during visits to the Scottish estate and on official engagements.

Diana’s long wellie socks are another countryside staple Kate has often reached for  over the years.

The Duchess of Cornwall regularly wears her trusty £475 leather Penelope Chilvers boots, which she bought almost ten years ago.

Kate was first spotted in the boots at the Blenheim Palace Game Fair in August 2004, shortly after news of her relationship with Prince William first emerged. 

The boots have become a go-to for the thrifty Kate, who is known to rewear staple items of her wardrobe, in the years since.

Before changing into her brogues, Diana is likely to have worn knee high boots like these with the plus fours trousers she was pictured in at Balmoral.

Visiting Balmoral in September, these trousers are traditional sporting attire worn during the hunting season.

The country sports style and earthy tones of Diana’s looks are regularly mirrored in Kate’s outfits.

The Princess is known to wear her olive green Defence Barbour jacket and other outdoor wear during trips to the country.

When opting for more dressed down looks, Kate opts for statement knits – something Diana was well known for. 

Specifically, Diana also paired her brown cardigan with a white polo neck jumper during the royals’ September 1982 trip to Balmoral, a look Kate has gone for on a number of occasions. 

During her first Christmas at Sandringham as a working royal in 2011, the Princess was photographed wearing a chunky white knit with a brown sheepskin coat.

She has since donned a similar combination, wearing a white roll neck again but with a khaki jacket as she visited Denmark last year.

Again this year, she wore a white knit, this time a Holland Cooper fair isle style jumper, which she paired with her beloved sheepskin coat over ten years since she was last pictured in it.

The picture of Diana in Balmoral is not the only one to show the parallels in her and Kate’s fashion.

In another photo from the collection, Diana was also pictured wearing a trusty pair of green wellington boots as she sat in the grass overlooking water on the estate.

While the Princess often opted for Hunter wellies, Kate’s favoured brand is Le Chameau when enjoying a country jaunt or undertaking rural engagements.

Both keen photographers themselves, another photo from Balmoral, revealed to the public today, shows Diana holding a camera – as Kate has often been pictured doing.

Next month, the set of 22 pictures which the photos are included in will go under the hammer at Willingham Auctions in Cambridge.

The never before seen set include a series of touching images of the late royal cradling her firstborn outside what appears to be Balmoral Castle. 

Other pictures from the photo collection show the adorable between mother and son as Diana cuddles Prince William, who is wrapped up in a white blanket.

The late Princess of Wales – who had become a mother for the first time just three months earlier – gazes down at William lovingly as Lord King peers over her shoulder.

The photos will be sold at auction in Cambridge on March 4 along with their original negatives. 

Lord King of Wartnaby – who passed away at the age of 86 in 2005 – left school school  without any qualifications and is best known for overseeing the privatisation of British Airways.

Despite his humble beginnings, Lord Wartnaby  began rubbing shoulders with royalty when he became master of the Belvoir Hunt. In 1979, John was given a knighthood by the Queen.