HONG KONG — A Singaporean artist has released a provocative series of paintings imagining what life would be like for the British royal family if Princess Diana was still alive, and around to spend time with her daughter-in-laws Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton, and her grandchildren.

Ms Autumn Ying used both new and old photos to illustrate what it might look like if Prince William and Prince Harry, and their wives and children, could spend time with the late Princess Diana today.

Ms Ying was initially inspired by Harry and Meghan’s 2018 wedding and decided to create more intimate family scenes after that.

When Harry and Meghan announced their engagement earlier that year, Harry told reporters that Diana and Meghan would be “thick as thieves, without question”. He added: “I think she would be over the moon, jumping up and down, so excited for me.”

Despite the pain that still resonates almost 24 years after the death of “People’s Princess”, Ms Ying hopes to bring joy to the world – and the royal family themselves – by envisioning Diana as a hands-on grandmother and family matriarch.

In reality, a lot has happened between the brothers and their wives in recent months, but Ms Ying has imagined a world where both Meghan and Kate are united and happy, and Princess Di acts as a loving link between her daughter-in-laws.

The artist captioned a photo on her Instagram channel, marking what would have been Diana’s 59th birthday: “My hope is that even for a moment, I would be able to help anyone who reads this to see the world a little bit different, to find hope and eternal love within."

And it seems the princes have likely already seen the artworks and reached out to the artist. Ms Ying commented: “It’s indeed a blessing to be able to receive the appreciation letter all the way from the British royal family.” SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST