What Is Princess Diana's Connection To Bridgerton?

Netflix's hit period drama "Bridgerton" tells the steamy story of the relationship between socialite Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor), and Duke Simon Bassett (Regé-Jean Page) during the Regency Era in the United Kingdom, per Collider. Although the characters are fictional, the series is based on an actual era in Britain. Showrunner Chris Van Dusen put meticulous detail into the set and costume designs to capture that time in England. For Van Dusen, developing accurate costumes was more than simply relaying an aesthetic. "The women, they were clad in all of these incredibly restrictive clothes, and they were literally tied into their corsets, but they still wanted to bust out of them and find their agency," he told Collider after the show's release in December 2020.

The lavish show caught the attention of royal family member Sarah Ferguson, who was previously married to Queen Elizabeth's son Prince Andrew. "I adored 'Bridgerton' so much that I watched it twice, deliberately. I'm obsessed with it," she told Us Weekly in January. Fergie mentioned how she was drawn to Daphne's character, who she believed was emblematic of women in the social climate today. The Duchess of York was also floored by the intricate detail put into creating the "Bridgerton" world. "The costumes and set designs were incredible too," she added.

Fergie's obsession with "Bridgerton" wasn't the only connection the show had to the royals. Keep reading to find out about Princess Diana's surprising connection to the series. 

Princess Diana was raised at the palatial Althorp House, which is her family's ancestral home. The estate, which has 90 rooms on 550 acres, is also where Diana was first introduced to her future husband, Prince Charles, per Hello! Althorp House served as inspiration for Chris Van Dusen when he was brainstorming set designs on "Bridgerton." In December 2020, the showrunner explained how the home inspired the series. "The interior of Bridgerton House was inspired by my visit to Althorp when I was developing the show. Elegance. Opulence. And that #staircase," Van Dusen tweeted.

It took some time, but Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, eventually learned how his home was connected to the hit Netflix show. "Just seen this, below — such a compliment to those of my family who went before me, making @AlthorpHouse what it still is today," Charles wrote on Sept. 28 while retweeting the showrunner. Charles also thanked the "Bridgerton" fan who made him aware of Van Dusen's tweet. "You're very welcome! Glad to see your lovely home influencing like this today. Could be a brilliant summer opening theme," the fan replied on Twitter.

Not only was Althorp House the place where Diana grew up and met her husband, but it also became her resting place when she was buried in 1997 after her fatal car crash, per People. While the grounds are open to the public, Diana's gravesite is limited to visitations from family members only.