Princess Diana's never-before-seen portrait unveiled

A stunning rare portrait of late Princess Diana has recently been made public, nearly two months after new portraits of Kate Middleton were released in honor of her 40th birthday.

E! News reported that the never-before-seen portrait of the late Princess Of Wales is now on display at a new exhibition, titled Life Through a Royal Lens, at London's Kensington Palace. The simple yet elegant, monochrome image shows a then roughly 27-year-old Diana staring into the distance, wearing a satin gown paired with teardrop earrings.

The portrait was taken in 1988 by David Bailey who famously photographed a number of pop-cultural icons including Andy Warhol, Twiggy, and The Beatles. The fashion photographer was reportedly hand-selected by Diana, who passed away in 1997 for his high-contrast lighting and minimalist style.

According to a news release from Historic Royal Palaces, Diana's decision to work with David "reflected her desire to establish a new photographic identity for herself," a stark contrast from the more established forms of royal portraitures of the past.

The picture drew comparisons to Kate Middleton, who had three new portraits released by Kensington Palace in January in honour of her 40th birthday.

In one portrait, Kate, who shares three children with Diana's oldest son Prince William, can be seen sporting a white ruffled dress with diamond and pearl drop earrings that once belonged to her late mother-in-law.

Kate has previously expressed her views on Diana as an inspiration, sharing with an outlet, "Obviously I would have loved to have met her and she's obviously an inspirational woman to look up to." (ANI)