Princess Diana’s “Revenge Dress” Heads to Auction

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Princess Diana's "Revenge Dress" Heads to Auction

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Princess Diana’s famous “Revenge Dress” is slated for auction by Sotheby’s in New York on December 9, marking its first availability for sale in nearly three decades. The black off-the-shoulder silk evening gown, designed by Christina Stambolian, is anticipated to fetch between $150,000 and $300,000.

The dress earned its iconic status when Diana wore it to a Vanity Fair fundraising dinner at the Serpentine Gallery in London on June 29, 1994. This appearance famously coincided with a televised interview in which her then-husband, Prince Charles, publicly admitted to being unfaithful during their marriage. Diana had reportedly owned the dress for three years but considered it “too daring” before that evening. Her decision to wear the striking garment was a last-minute change from a more traditional Valentino outfit.

Diana originally sold the dress in 1997 for approximately £40,000 (around $50,000 USD) as part of a charity auction of 79 of her dresses to benefit cancer and AIDS charities. The couple who purchased it then, Briege and Graeme Mackenzie, used it to raise funds for Scottish charities. Part of the proceeds from the upcoming sale will be donated to NHS Lothian Charity, on behalf of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital. Before the live auction in New York, the dress will be exhibited globally, with stops planned in London, Hong Kong, and Geneva.

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