Princess Diana’s so-called revenge dress is to be auctioned by Sotheby’s in New York in December, with the iconic black garment expected to fetch at least $400,000.
Diana wore the one-of-a-kind dress on June 29, 1994, the same evening her then-husband, the then Prince Charles, publicly acknowledged that he had been unfaithful.
Asked by BBC interviewer Jonathan Dimbleby whether he had tried to remain faithful and honourable to his wife after their marriage vows, Charles replied: “Yes, until it became irretrievably broken down.”
The dress became one of the most recognisable fashion statements in modern history, with Diana appearing in it as public attention focused on the breakdown of her marriage.
Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s head of fashion, said the garment represented Diana’s willingness to assert herself.
“It says to the world that she was ready to stand up and fight for herself,” she said. “It’s so much more detailed than any picture would show.”
The dress was first auctioned two months before Diana died and has remained in private ownership since then. It is now attracting interest from museums, institutions and private collectors.
Its eventual destination remains uncertain, with Halimi saying: “We don’t know where it’s going to land.”
The expected price is below the $1.5 million paid for Diana’s famous black sheep jumper in 2023.
