Princess Diana, “the people’s princess,” left an indelible mark on the world. Twenty-five years after her untimely death in 1997, the collective sense of loss has not faded, often giving rise to the universal question of “what if” she had lived to see her children grow up and begin families of their own. Illustrator Autumn Ying channels this collective daydream into a series of deeply moving portraits that imagine exactly that. In her work, the ephemeral “what if” becomes a tangible, joyful reality.
Illustrations That Depict a United, Happy Family
Autumn Ying’s work features Princess Diana as she appeared in the 1990s, seamlessly placed alongside Princes William and Harry, their wives Catherine and Meghan, and all of her grandchildren as they look today. The jubilant imaginings depict them all as one happy family, celebrating the milestones that Diana never had the chance to witness.
The scenes show the family celebrating birthdays, holidays, and the simple joy of welcoming new members into the fold. Rendered in a photorealistic illustration style with a delicate watercolor touch, Ying’s pictures create a vision of togetherness that feels both vivid and deeply heartfelt.
A Beautiful, Poignant Fantasy
The profound emotional impact of these images lies in their heartbreaking impossibility. Ying’s work evokes a beautiful fantasy—one that feels real in its execution but that the viewer ultimately knows is a dream. The very jubilance of these family portraits—the birthday cakes and holiday gatherings—is what makes them so bittersweet. By creating a world where that tragedy is erased, the art magnifies our awareness of the real-world loss, making the fantasy both a comfort and a quiet heartbreak.
The art gives form to the central void left by her passing.
One tragedy of her fatal car crash is that she would never have the chance to see her children grow up, get married, and have their own kids.
Autumn Ying’s powerful illustrations give tangible form to a collective wish, allowing viewers to momentarily step into a world that never was. Her art serves as a beautiful tribute, demonstrating how creative expression can explore our shared grief and longing. Ying’s work is a testament to a legacy so powerful that, decades later, the world still conspires to dream it forward.
