Princess Diana’s ‘revenge dress’ to go up for auction in New York

AFP

10 Sep, 2026 05:48 PMQuick Read

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Princess Diana arrives for The Serpentine Gallery’s summer party in Kensington Gardens, London, on June 29, 1994. Photo via Getty Images

Princess Diana’s famous “revenge dress”, which she wore on the evening that the then-Prince Charles made a public admission of adultery, is to be auctioned in New York in December.

Diana wore the daring off-the-shoulder gown to a gala dinner in London in 1994 on the day that her husband,
now the King, admitted during a TV interview to being unfaithful.

Morgane Halimi, of Sotheby’s, which announced the upcoming sale on Thursday, said: “Princess Diana turned the dress into one of the most powerful messages she ever made, during one of the most scrutinised and emotionally charged episodes of her life.

Diana’s dress in 2024, as part of an exhibit at Bonhams in central London. Photo via Getty Images

“[It] gave license to anyone, but especially women, to use fashion beyond adornment and much more intentionally and meaningfully: as a shield, a weapon or both.”