You could own a piece of Princess Diana’s iconic wardrobe – for a price.
Dresses, shoes, hats, and other items related to Diana and the royal family will be auctioned off on June 26 at the Peninsula Beverly Hills. Julien’s Auctions is hosting Princess Diana’s Style & A Royal Collection, which has been described as the largest-ever ever sale of pieces connected to the late Princess of Wales.
Bidding on the 325 lots is open online, with several items already attracting significant interest. A number of pieces of clothing worn by Diana are for sale, and while none are as famous as her legendary “revenge dress” or trend-setting black sheep sweater, they are still likely to fetch a hefty price. (Last year, a gown Diana wore in 1985 sold for $1.15 million at auction.)
Princess Diana was criticized for recycling one of her famous looks
A 1988 Bellville Sassoon floral day dress that’s part of the auction will look familiar to many Diana fans. She wore the silk dress many times during official royal engagements, especially when visiting sick children, even though the press took her to task for recycling the look.
“She called it her caring dress. It’s this blue dress with bright flowers on it and it was one of the princess’ favorite dresses,” curator Matthew Storey told Us Weekly in 2021. “She wore it over and over again. So much so that the press said, ‘Give it a rest. Stop wearing it.’”
But Diana insisted on keeping the dress in her rotation.
“She knew that children really responded to this dress,” Storey said. “Children love bright colors. So, she often wore it when she was going to visit children — and sick children in particular.”
Julien’s estimates that the dress could sell for as much as $300,000.
Another coveted item at the auction could be Diana’s 1986 Catherine Walker Falcon evening gown. She wore the custom dress on her 1986 Gulf Tour, which took her to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. It’s expected to fetch between $200,000 and $300,000.
Royal enthusiasts and collectors can also bid on a black taffeta evening gown that Diana considered for her first official appearance following her engagement and the pink straw hat she wore for her 1981 honeymoon sendoff. Numerous clutches, handbags, and pairs of shoes in a variety of colors are also for sale.
Queen Elizabeth II’s credit card is also for sale
In addition to items from Diana’s closet, the auction also includes handwritten letters and notes from the Princess of Wales, fashion sketches, photographs, and signed holiday cards. There are also a number of items associated with other royals.
Bidding on a piece of royal wedding cake in a commemorative tin from William and Kate’s 2011 wedding has already reached $1,250. Less pricey is a similar item from King Charles’ wedding to Camilla, which is estimated to sell for $200 to $300. Cards from Queen Elizabeth II are also for sale, as are photos of and notes from the late monarch, and her credit card from luxury department store Harvey Nichols.
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