Princess Diana’s Revenge Dress: A Bold Fashion Statement That Shocked the Nation

In 1994, Princess Diana made headlines when she stepped out in what has become known as her revenge dress.

This iconic fashion moment still resonates today, so let's take a closer look at the jaw-dropping ensemble that captivated the world.

On the night of June 29, 1994, Princess Diana had an important engagement to attend.

As reported by The Sun, she was scheduled to attend a dinner at the Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens, one of London's royal parks.

Little did anyone know the true significance of this event for Diana.

Her husband, Prince Charles, was about to publicly admit his infidelity on national television.

Up until that point, the prince had remained silent about the collapse of their marriage.

The revenge dress, with its low neckline and daring thigh split, was a departure from Diana's usual style.

Even though she and Prince Charles had been separated for two years by that time, her choice of attire made a powerful statement.

It seemed inconceivable that anyone could have cheated on a woman who looked so stunning.

While the revenge dress may not seem like a big deal today, it was actually an act of open defiance against the strict dress code imposed on the royal family.

As the Evening Standard pointed out, the royal family has a set of rules that govern their fashion choices, from nail polish to clothing.

Everyone, from the queen to the youngest member of the family, is expected to adhere to these protocols.

One such rule favored by the queen is that women's skirts should be cut at the knee or just below.

However, Diana clearly disregarded this particular guideline, as evidenced by the confident smile she wore while stepping out in the dress.

Immediately after Princess Diana appeared in the stunning dress, people clamored for details.

According to The Sun, the designer behind the revenge dress was Christina Stamboulian, a Greek-born designer who relocated to London in 1970.

Stamboulian later revealed that Diana had purchased the dress years before she actually wore it.

It was clear that Diana was not in the mood to play nice on that fateful night.

As the designer put it, “she was clearly angry.

She wore bright red nail enamel, which we had never seen her do before.

She was saying, let's be wicked tonight.”

Interestingly, Princess Diana had not initially planned to wear the revenge dress at all.

People magazine noted that many people might have canceled a public appearance under similar circumstances, but Diana wanted to redirect attention to herself and send a message to Prince Charles, Camilla Parker Bowles, and the world.

She had originally planned to wear a dress by Valentino, but changed her mind after her intended outfit was leaked to the media prior to the event.

In that moment, Diana made a choice to fight back and selected a dress she had previously rejected as too daring.

To complete her ensemble, Princess Diana chose to wear a choker necklace given to her by the Queen Mother.

This necklace, as reported by the Express, was originally a sapphire brooch gifted to Diana by Queen Elizabeth's mother when she married Prince Charles in 1981.

Diana had the brooch redesigned, adding strands of pearls to create a stunning choker with the sapphire as the centerpiece.

She cherished this necklace and wore it on many occasions, including the memorable dance with John Travolta in 1985.

According to diamond expert Max Stone, the necklace could be worth between £50 million to £100 million (approximately $68 million to $136 million).

Princess Diana's revenge dress achieved its goal of redirecting attention onto herself.

The Sun featured a photo of Diana wearing the dress alongside the headline, “‘The Thrilla He Left to Woo Camilla.'”

The message was clear – people were left wondering what Charles could have been thinking.

The public was equally captivated by the dress.

British journalist Alex Longmore explained to HuffPost that this event provided one of the first glimpses into the new Diana, stating, “‘It was a classic case of a woman wearing the dress in, not the other way around.'”

Fans of the Netflix series The Crown will be delighted to know that a dress inspired by the revenge dress made an appearance on the show.

Costume designer Amy Roberts revealed to Bustle that recreating the dress required meticulous attention to detail, as well as an exploration of why Princess Diana chose to wear a black dress in the first place.

The color alone was enough to signal Diana's defiance against the royal family's rules.

Roberts hoped that the dramatized dress would evoke the historical moment and help viewers understand Diana's transformation.

As Roberts pointed out, “When you think of the first time that we see Diana, when we very first look at her dressed as this crazy little fairy all covered in leaves, and the last time you see her, it couldn't be more different.”

In 1997, Princess Diana followed her son Prince William's advice and sold several of her iconic gowns at a New York charity auction house, as reported by CBS News.

Among the dresses sold was the revenge dress, with the proceeds going to support cancer and AIDS charities, causes close to Diana's heart.

This dress, along with others from Diana's collection, fetched a total of over $1.2 million in a separate auction held in 2013.

The revenge dress remains a symbol of Princess Diana's strength and defiance.

It was a fashion statement that shocked the nation and left an indelible mark on the world.

While the dress itself may no longer be in Diana's possession, its legacy lives on, reminding us of a woman who refused to be silenced and boldly expressed herself through her clothing choices.

Be sure to check out our latest video!

And stay tuned for more articles on royal fashion.

Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell icon to stay updated with all our content.