How Prince William Helped Princess Diana Break Royal Fashion Tradition
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When Diana Spencer went from an early childhood teacher to the Princess of Wales, her wardrobe received a major overhaul. One early paparazzi photo, in particular, became infamous, depicting the future royal carrying two children on her hips and wearing a skirt that became see-through when the sun shone through it. However, as soon as news of the engagement broke, Diana's style transformed.
Within no time, she was wearing swoon-worthy gowns that were positively iconic. For example, what became known as her "Travolta Dress," an off-shoulder floor-length black gown, turned heads at a 1985 event at the White House. Similarly, people adored her white column gown decked out with pearls, now known as the "Elvis Dress." While some royal women are thriftier than others, occasionally choosing to re-wear a piece, it's safe to say that most of their fancy ball gowns will not likely receive regular wear. So, in a break with royal tradition, Princess Diana decided to auction off a few of her favorite wardrobe pieces in 1997.
The sale would be a royal first, despite her divorce from Charles III officially severing ties with the family. Surprisingly enough, it was Prince William (today, the polar opposite of a royal rule-breaker) who convinced his mother to go through with it. Express reports that Debbie Frank, a friend of Diana, told interviewers, "The idea of auctioning the dresses came from William. She told me so herself and she was so proud of him for coming up with that idea."
It was for a good cause
Prince William wasn't simply suggesting to his mom that she make room in her closet. Instead, funds raised from selling some of her most stunning dresses would go to charities. Christie's International held the televised auction and helped Diana raise almost £3 million for donations to chosen organizations. Diana selected the Royal Marsden Hospital Cancer Fund and AIDS Crisis Trust.
Princess Di was more attached to some of the items than others. But most gowns probably were reminders of her royal life while married to Charles, which may not have been the happiest of memories. The "Travolta Dress" was a record for Christie's, soaring to $222,500 for the final bid. In the documentary, "Secrets of The Royal Wardrobe," Paul Burrell, Princess Diana's former butler, says, "The very last lot, she nearly didn't sell, she says 'I think I'll keep this one, because I felt every inch a princess when I was wearing this,'" referring to what appears to be the gorgeous white gown she wore to Élysée Palace in Paris, France, in November 1988. However, she confessed, "If we let it go, maybe someone could get married in it one day? It could bring them happiness," and she eventually parted with the dress.
It was a fresh start for Diana, too. According to Express, she noted in an interview, "Life has moved into new and exciting areas. Clothes are not as essential to my life as they used to be."
Her dresses had a second life (and then some)
The 1997 auction that Princess Diana self-organized wasn't the only time items from her closet have seen the auction block. Out of the 79 dresses she picked just months before her death, five of them would be sold off again. The Court Jeweller reveals how a buyer from the original auction, Ellen Petho, purchased the five pieces and allowed them to be displayed as long as all money paid to see them went to charity. In 2014, Petho auctioned off two of her gowns. Then, in 2023, when she passed away, it was announced that the final three dresses in her collection would again go to auction, this time sold by her estate. They included a red ensemble, a green and black gown with a daring slit, and an ivory and black striped piece.
Turner Classic Movies collaborated with Julien's Auctions to sell the coveted fashion items as part of their Hollywood Legends Auction. Vanity Fair reports that the trio of gowns went for around $1.62 million in December 2023, with the funds again going to a charity. When Pethos raised her bid card almost four decades earlier, she bought them for just $150,000.
Petho's daughter, Karrie, stated, "Our mother read the inscription inside [the auction catalog] about Prince William telling his mother that the dresses shouldn't sit in her closet; that they should be out in the world and doing good, I think that's what inspired her." We'd like to think Diana would be pleased.