Princess Diana and her Iconic Philadelphia Eagles Varsity Jacket
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As the Philadelphia Eagles gear up to face the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2025 Super Bowl, a question has resurfaced among fans of both football and royalty – was Princess Diana actually a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles? The late Princess of Wales was often seen sporting a Philadelphia Eagles varsity-style jacket during her school runs with her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. Although the stunning green and silver coat became one of her most memorable off-duty fashion statements, the true extent of her allegiance to the team remains a topic of intrigue.
Diana’s affiliation with the Eagles can be traced back to 1982 when she met Jack Edelstein, a long-time statistician for the team, at the funeral of Princess Grace of Monaco. Princess Grace, a Philadelphia native and a close family friend of Edelstein, led to a conversation where Diana, unfamiliar with American football, inquired about the team’s colours. Edelstein shared, “I said, ‘Green and silver,’ and she said, ‘Those are my favourite colors.'” This exchange led to Edelstein sending Diana a package containing Eagles gear, including the now-iconic jacket that she was later frequently seen wearing.
While Diana’s wardrobe often featured American influences, such as sweatshirts from prestigious universities like Harvard and Northwestern, she was known for her sporty-chic aesthetic. The Eagles jacket seamlessly fit into her collection of laid-back luxury, offering a cool and effortless image during the early ’90s. The jacket gained further cultural significance after a photograph of Diana donning it made the cover of PEOPLE magazine in 1994, solidifying its status as a piece of royal-meets-sports history.
Despite the jacket becoming a staple in Diana’s casual attire, those close to her suggest that she wore it more for its style than as a symbol of team loyalty. Her biographer, Andrew Morton, noted in 1991 that Diana’s interest in sports was limited, and she mainly wore such items to create a specific look rather than out of genuine fandom. It was evident that Diana always sought a sense of normalcy amidst her royal duties, with her sons preferring her to dress casually when accompanying them to school.
Princess Diana’s former bodyguard, Ken Wharfe, shared insights into Diana’s preference for casual attire in a segment for ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown. He highlighted how Diana yearned for a semblance of normality given the constraints of royal life, where dressing casually was her way of connecting with her children. Although Princess Diana’s connection to the Eagles may not have extended to watching their games, her link to the team through Edelstein and her fondness for their green-and-silver colour scheme undoubtedly added to the jacket’s significance.
To this day, images of Diana in the Eagles jacket continue to circulate online, sparking interest in its whereabouts and the depth of her connection to the team. Eagles announcer Merrill Reese acknowledged the unique bond between Diana and the fanbase, emphasizing that anyone embracing the Philadelphia Eagles would be cherished by their loyal supporters. While the jacket’s current location remains a mystery, it remains a piece of sports and royal fashion history, resonating particularly during Super Bowl seasons involving the Eagles, keeping Diana’s legacy intertwined with the team alive and thriving.