From unrecognizable to nothing changed: do you recognize them all?
Anyone who is active on Instagram will have noticed that a new trend has emerged in recent weeks: friends, family, colleagues and celebs are sharing massive amounts of snapshots in their Instagram Stories from when they were 21. Glamial was inspired and, while searching through the archives, discovered a lot of special photos of all kinds of royals in their early twenties.
Instagram trend
In addition to ‘normal’ photos and videos, you can now share all kinds of works of art and special ‘challenges’ via Instagram Stories. There is currently a so-called ‘Template’ that has gone completely viral. With the text ‘Everyone tap in. Let’s see you at 21′, users are invited to share snapshots from the archives, and this is gratefully accepted. From editorial colleagues to all kinds of celebrities – everything from the well-known and unknown to the Netherlands has already been reviewed.
However, the royals have plenty of other things on their minds than joining in on social media trends – we get it! That’s why Glamial took a tour through the archives himself.
Oranges
To start with, we delved into the images of the National Archives for our retrospective, where we managed to spot plenty of vintage snapshots of our Oranjes. This includes this snapshot from the backyard of Huis Ten Bosch Palace from the summer of 1988. On the right, Prince of Orange Willem-Alexander can be seen at the age of 21.
But even if we delve even further into the archives, this produces special snapshots. How about this photo of Princess Beatrix? This photo was taken in August 1959 during a visit to Friesland and Groningen.
There is also a set of special photos of 21-year-old Princess Margriet from 1964 in which she poses with ‘a hamster or marmot’, according to the caption.
Hilarious! It just goes to show: pets make every photo session more fun.
Windsors
There are also plenty of snapshots of the British royals from their younger years. For the late Queen Elizabeth, her 21st year had a special meaning: that was when she tied the knot with her great love, Philip Mountbatten.
Most of the photos of King Charles and his sons William and Harry at the age of 21 were taken on the polo field. For example, a young adult Charles wipes the sweat from his face in a snapshot from 1970…
The gentlemen also enjoyed playing polo together, as in this photo from July 2003, when Prince William had just turned 21.
A few years later, in 2005, Prince Harry also reached that magical age. Just before his 22nd birthday, the prince was spotted with his long-term girlfriend Chelsy Davy along the line at the polo field.
Our favorite photos remain the images from decades ago in which the trends of that moment are clearly visible – such as this nice, busy seventies scarf around the hat of Anne, Princess Royal, a few months before she turned 21.
Or how about this nice, sleek bobline on 21-year-old Zara Tindall?
Busy print? Check. Puff sleeves? Check. Voluminous hairspray? Check! 21-year-old Diana was eighties through and through. No wonder she was seen as a style icon by many – she always appeared trendy.
It turns out that all those adult royals used to go through life as young adults. Join us – but in accordance with the protocols, please. In any case, we will continue to enjoy this journey through time.
Which old photo is your favorite?
Header image: National Archives
