Princess Diana's reportedly favourite perfume, Bluebell by Penhaligon's, has earned a Royal Warrant, a mark of recognition for companies that regularly supply goods or services to the Royal Household. The British perfume house is known for its regal fragrance options, and Bluebell is a classic green scent intended to evoke the earthy aroma of a bluebell woods.
Princess Diana's Love for Fragrance
Her makeup artist, Mary Greenwell, shared in an interview with ABC News that fragrance was essential to Diana. She said: “She always, always, always wore fragrance, which is a huge thing in a woman’s life. It’s kind of the final touch of beauty, walking out smelling divine and chic and individual.” The late Princess was known for her iconic style, and her choice of perfume was no exception.
Bluebell by Penhaligon's: The Scent
Bluebell is a 100ml bottle priced at £145. The scent opens with notes of citrus before settling into a floral heart built around hyacinth, lily-of-the-valley, rose, cyclamen, and jasmine. The base has a little spice with cloves and cinnamon. On the Penhaligon's website, it is described as: "Bluebell instantly transports you to a British woodland, surrounded by dripping leaves, skin tingling with spring."
Other Perfumes Linked to Princess Diana
Bluebell is not the only scent associated with Princess Diana. Famously, she wore Quelques Fleurs by Houbigant Paris on her wedding day. At just 20 years old, she spilled some perfume on her wedding dress, as reported by People. She was spotted attempting to hide the spot where the perfume had spilled, as advised by wedding day makeup artist Barbara Daly. Quelques Fleurs (£80 for 30ml) is a floral blend of tuberose, jasmine, and rose.
In Prince Harry's memoir Spare, he pointed out that his mother had been a big fan of the floral-aldehyde fragrance First by Van Cleef & Arpels (£110). The perfume was so moving to him that he actually brought a bottle of it to therapy sessions to unlock memories of her.
Fragrance Enthusiasts' Reviews
On Fragrantica, fragrance buffs have shared their thoughts on Bluebell. One said: "Bluebell from Penhaligon is a lovely fragrance and I only wish I could afford it. It’s so pretty without being precious. It’s floral and buttery and absolutely beautiful. As I said, I wish that I could afford a whole bottle. I hope you are lucky enough to be able to do so!"
Another wrote: "I'm huge fan of the Penhaligon's design and marketing aesthetic but I have only found a few fragrances that I love from this House. This is one of them (Luna is my #1 favourite from this House). It's so unique and powdery. Lovely in the spring and summer. I also heard it was one of Princess Diana's favourites so had to explore it."
One shopper said that Bluebell manages to be poignant and lachrymose (often used to describe people who are quick to tears): "This and Lily of The Valley are sisters. While Lily of The Valley is the calmer, mature, well spoken, demure sister, Bluebell is more mysterious, free spirited, with slight edge to it. Both starts with robust green notes and floral garden, but Bluebell is dirtier in the opening, like the bluebells are directly ripped from the soil. Somehow Bluebell is poignant and lachrymose. I love it, I think Bluebell is not like the usual feminine floral, but not trying so bad to be different. She is just the way she is."
