Princess Diana’s brother Charles Spencer shares rare childhood photo of them from 1967

Image shows royal posing with her arm around her younger sibling

Princess Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, has shared a rarely seen photograph of them together as children.

On Saturday, the 9th Earl Spencer posted the throwback image, which features himself and his older sister, to his Twitter account.

The image was taken in 1967 and shows Spencer and Diana standing next to each other on what looks like a summer's day.

It is not clear where exactly the photo was captured but Diana can be seen posing with her arm around Spencer’s shoulder.

Diana is wearing a pink gingham dress with white ankle socks and pink flat shoes, while her brother is dressed in blue shorts and a matching top.

Spencer chose not to caption the sentimental post, however it still garnered thousands of likes and hundreds of comments from followers who shared their fond memories of the late princess.

“Princess Diana seemed like a caring elder sister. Always loved and never forgotten,” one person wrote on Twitter.

Another added: “Thank you for sharing a personal photo. I was a young 20-something back then and Diana brought so much to the world and many times I have thought of her elegant grace and how it is needed now.”

A third person commented: “Lovely photo. Sibling love. God rest her soul.”

Born on 1 July 1961, Diana grew up with three siblings: her younger brother, as well as two elder sisters, Sarah and Jane.

The royal mother of two died at age 36 following a car crash in Paris in August 1997.

The photo comes amid an ongoing dispute between Spencer and the BBC regarding an interview Diana did with journalist Martin Bashir for BBC One’s Panorama in 1995.

Spencer has called on the BBC to reopen an inquiry into the infamous meeting after he publicly accused them of using fake documents to help secure the TV interview.

Writing on Twitter on 5 November, the Earl said: “The BBC has shown itself incapable of honestly facing up to the ugly truth of this matter. When the @BBC say they've 'apologised' to me, what they've apologised for is showing me false bank statements relating to a lesser, unrelated, matter. They haven't apologised for the fake bank statements and other deceit that led to me introducing @MartinBashir to my sister.”

In a previous inquiry conducted by the BBC, it found: “The BBC has been able, independently, to verify that these documents were put to no use which had any bearing, direct or indirect, on the Panorama interview with the Princess of Wales.” (edited)

More recently the BBC has said it will speak with Mr Bashir again when he is well - he is currently suffering with coronavirus.

You can read more about the interview and why Charles is calling for an inquiry here.