I followed Princess Diana's morning routine, and I could easily keep it up forever
- I tried Princess Diana's morning routine, and it helped me out of my lockdown slump.
- I started with a morning stretch before having a plate of beans and a pink grapefruit for breakfast.
- Then, it was time to create Diana's signature look — blue eyeliner and an oversized sweater.
The world fell in love with Princess Diana all over again after that first glimpse of the royal roller skating in Buckingham Palace was shown in "The Crown."
The late Princess of Wales led a remarkable life, one which has been documented through books, documentaries, and vivid accounts from her former staff.
Like many Diana fans, I always wanted to know what it would be like to spend a day in the princess' shoes - so that's exactly what I did earlier this week.
Read more: I tried the Queen's lockdown routine every morning for a week, and I wouldn't do it again
Using articles by Insider, The Free Library, and Hello! Magazine, I attempted to replicate Princess Diana's morning routine. Here's what the princess' schedule reportedly looked like:
- Woken up at 7:30 a.m. by a royal butler
- Swim or stretch at Buckingham Palace
- Breakfast: A can of beans and a pink grapefruit with orange juice
- Get ready for the gym
- A workout session at the Chelsea Harbour Club
There was one part of Diana's morning routine that I would happily never do again
I decided to follow Diana's morning routine on a work day, which meant the 7:30 a.m wake-up call wasn't a major shock to the system. Although, sadly, I didn't have a butler to wake me.
According to a 1989 article in the Saturday Evening Post which was re-published by The Free Library, the princess traveled from her Kensington Palace home to Buckingham Palace, where she used the swimming pool and went for a stretch.
Since local gyms, leisure centers, and swimming pools are currently closed due to the UK lockdown, I made do with a five-minute stretch routine from a video I found on YouTube.
I'll admit, I'm not usually a morning stretch kind of person - but just five minutes of movement helped me to feel energized for the day ahead.
Then it was time to prepare Diana's favorite breakfast. I recently interviewed the princess' former chef, Darren McGrady, who told me that the royal favored a can of beans, a pink grapefruit, and an orange juice.
"She wanted Heinz beans because someone had told her they are low in carbs, low in fat, and high in protein, which is great for someone working out," McGrady said.
While baked beans are considered a common breakfast food here in the UK, it is usually served as part of a cooked breakfast rather than consumed as a meal on its own. It's definitely unusual for it to be served with grapefruit.
I usually have a small bowl of granola and fruit for my breakfast, so consuming something as filling as baked beans was definitely a challenge.
Although, I can see where Diana's logic comes from. The Heinz website describes the British version of the product as "high in fiber, high in protein, and low in fat" so I knew it would set me up well for my workout session later that day.
That being said, I could have done without the grapefruit. Surprisingly, I had never tried it before - and I won't be trying it again. The sour taste meant I could barely get through one bite.
Next, it was time to create the 'Diana look'
Diana was known for her daring blue eyeliner, which she wore to multiple engagements throughout the 1980s. The princess favored Elizabeth Arden's Blue kohl 636 pencil, which she applied on her lower lash line, Hello! Magazine reports.
I used Rimmel London's Exaggerate Aqua Sparkle pencil. Here's how the finished look compared to Diana's:
Since I work from home, I don't usually wear makeup. Back when I was going into the office in London (before the first UK lockdown last year), I never would have worn such a bold color on my eyes.
I have to say, it was a surprisingly nice change, and made me feel like I had somewhere important to be - a rare feeling during lockdown.
I also tried to recreate one of the princess' outfits. Since I was planning to work out later that day, I decided to mimic the royal's oversized sweater and bicycle shorts that she wore to the Chelsea Harbour Club in 1997.
I opted to wear my Inglewood/California sweater - which I purchased for £32 ($43) from Nasty Gal last year - with a pair of black shorts.
There were various options when it came to Diana's exercise routine
I ended my morning with a Diana-inspired workout.
According to Diana's former personal trainer Jenni Rivett, the princess enjoyed a variety of exercises, including step aerobics, power walks, and roller blading. She was also frequently spotted at her local gym, the Chelsea Harbour Club.
The princess was an avid cyclist, and there are several photos of her cycling around Kensington before her engagement to Prince Charles, and also with her family while on vacation in the Scilly Isles in 1989.
Unfortunately, I don't own all the equipment required to follow most of the royal's favorite activities - but I do have an exercise bike.
I spent 30 minutes cycling on the bike at home. Since the gyms are closed at the moment, this was a welcome activity and something I've missed doing on a regular basis.
Having the beans for breakfast earlier that day also meant I had plenty of energy for the workout, which is something I have found myself struggling with from time to time in the past.
Overall, it was a fun and productive end to an already excellent morning routine - with the exception of the grapefruit.
My favorite part had to be recreating the "Diana look." The blue eyeliner forced me out of my comfort zone. It helped me to feel less like I was stuck at home, despite not having any particular reason to leave the house that day.
Spending the morning like a princess was a fantastic distraction from lockdown, and the ultimate mood boost. I'd encourage everyone - especially those working from home - to give it a try.