
The unexpected story behind Princess Diana’s Kelly green Philadelphia Eagles jacket
When the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Miami Dolphins in an NFL fixture airing on Sunday evening (or in the early hours of Monday morning, if you’re watching from the UK), the team’s uniforms will have a nostalgic significance. When they take to the field, the Eagles will be wearing their classic Kelly green outfits for the first time since 1996. The mid-green “Kelly” shade is a brighter and bolder hue compared to their now-customary midnight green shirts, which are closer to teal in colour. The old-school Kelly green uniforms aren’t just famous in the world of American football, though, after they were popularised around the world by one unexpected famous fan: Princess Diana. In the early Nineties, the late Princess of Wales started to adopt a more casual, low-key style when she was off-duty, swapping the puffed sleeves and pie crust collar blouses for graphic sweatshirts, cycling shorts and sports-inspired outerwear. One of her favourite pieces was a bold green and white varsity jacket, with the Philadelphia Eagles’ distinctive logo on the back, which she wore on the school run and on a trip to Alton Towers with sons William and Harry. According to Diana’s former bodyguard Ken Wharfe, who worked as her personal protection officer between 1988 and 1993, the princess favoured the laid-back jacket because it made her feel like “a normal mother” – and because William and Harry preferred it when she dressed down at the school gates too. “Diana always craved the normalcy,” he told ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown in an interview celebrating the return of the “Kelly Green” uniform. “By being a member of the royal family, that was almost impossible,” he explained. “Neither William or Harry, when they were kids, wanted their mother to sort of dress in her finery, [to] take them to school. So all Diana would do is be as casual as possible.” “She wanted to be seen as a young mother that was, you know, ‘with it,’” he added. “Diana loved to be different, this was her style. It sort of showed the public and her children that she was a normal mother in a style that people liked.” So how did a piece of NFL merch end up in Diana’s wardrobe? Apparently, it’s all thanks to a chance meeting at the funeral of Grace Kelly, later Princess Grace of Monaco, who originally hailed from Philadelphia. Diana attended Kelly’s funeral in 1982 on behalf of the British royal family, and met the Eagles’ statistician Jack Edelstein at the event. When he learned that her favourite colours were green and silver, the Eagles’ team shades, Edelstein offered to send Diana some branded t-shirts. At the suggestion of the Eagles’ then-owner Leonard Tose, he also gave her “a beautiful Eagles jacket, made for her”, Edelstein recalled to the Philadelphia Daily News after Diana’s death in 1997. The princess, he added, “sent [him] a very nice note” to thank him, telling him “how she’d been wearing [the gifts] around”. According to her biographer Andrew Morton, Diana liked the piece for purely aesthetic reasons, rather than any particular affinity to the Eagles. “She wears these things because they create a look,” he told the Daily News in 1991. “She knows very little about English sports, let alone American teams.” The jacket was a one-off, custom made just for Diana, but the princess certainly helped to boost the popularity of this all-American style in the UK and beyond. She was such a fan of the look that she was later photographed wearing similar styles, like a red bomber jacket with leather sleeves. While many pieces from Diana’s wardrobe are owned by private collectors or kept by members of her family, the whereabouts of her Eagles jacket are currently unknown. But with Diana’s off-duty aesthetic still inspiring runway collections and street style looks, its influence still lives on. Read More Jason Kelce’s wife goes viral with ‘Swiftie’ daughter Jason Kelce’s daughter Bennett makes first appearance at NFL game I salute Dolly Parton’s beauty routine – no one sees me without my make-up I salute Dolly Parton’s beauty routine – no one sees me without my make-up Replicas of Rihanna’s Super Bowl jumpsuit sell out for $2,900 each in 24 hours I’m not surprised Victoria’s Secret has dropped its rebrand – I used to work there
1970-01-01 08:00

Up in Smoke: When Cheech and Chong Almost Met Jason From 'Friday the 13th'
"Paramount owns the Cheech and Chong franchise, right? How about 'Cheech and Chong vs. Jason?’”
1970-01-01 08:00

Man City set new Premier League winning record at home
A look at Manchester City's record-breaking winning run at the Etihad, surpassing the tally set by Manchester United in the Premier League era
1970-01-01 08:00

France boosts air, rail security amid rise in bomb hoaxes
PARIS France, already on its highest security alert, is to boost security at airports around the capital and
1970-01-01 08:00

Why some members of Black sororities and fraternities don't want you to wear their letters
A Nashville teacher made headlines this month for removing a White elementary student's shirt because it was emblazoned with the letters of her historically Black sorority.
1970-01-01 08:00

Is Taylor Swift at the Chiefs game today against the Chargers?
Taylor Swift has made it to three of the last four Chiefs game since being romantically linked to tight end Travis Kelce. Will she be at Arrowhead again?
1970-01-01 08:00

China Lifts Australia Wine Tariffs as Albanese Sets Visit Dates
China agreed to suspend tariffs on Australian wine following a three-year trade dispute as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
1970-01-01 08:00

NFL Rumors: 3 more trades Chiefs can make to keep upgrading WR room
The Kansas City Chiefs still need help in the WR room. With the Oct. 31 trade deadline looming, here are a few available targets to pursue.
1970-01-01 08:00

Kansas City Current to appoint Vlatko Andonovski as new head coach
Vlatko Andovoski is Kansas City Current's new head coach.
1970-01-01 08:00

Hollywood Studios, Actors to Resume Contract Talks on Tuesday
Hollywood studios and the SAG-AFTRA actors’ union will resume negotiations on Tuesday, more than a week after suspending
1970-01-01 08:00

What’s the Kennection? #85
All five answers to the questions below have something in common. Can you figure it out?
1970-01-01 08:00

7 recent NBA lottery picks who are already out of the league
Some NBA lottery picks don't end up panning out. Here are seven recent high draft picks who didn't make it.
1970-01-01 08:00