The Story Behind Princess Diana’s Iconic LBD Was More Than ‘Getting Revenge’

The people’s princess, Princess DianaShe will always be remembered for her humanitarian work. She was also regarded as a fashion pioneer who was undoubtedly ahead of her time. Among Diana’s most show-stopping fashion moments was the iconic off-shoulder little black dress (LBD). 

On June 29, 1994, Princess Diana made her way to London’s Hyde Park to take part in Vanity Fair’s annual fundraising event for the Serpentine Gallery. As a defiant act against the royal dress code, Diana appeared in a striking off-the-shoulder, form-fitting black chiffon dress. 

Prince Charles, her estranged husband was also scheduled to appear on television for a highly anticipated primetime interview. Princess Diana, however chose to cancel her engagements. She wore the Christina Stambolian dress with confidence. 

During the interview, Prince Charles poured the tea on their marriage and admitted his infidelity. Yet Princess Diana’s sexy LBD garnered more media attention, dethroning Prince Charles’ confession. As a result, the little black dress was dubbed the “revenge dress.” On the following day, The Sun famously wrote, “The Thrilla He Left To Woo Camilla.”

While the dress Princess Diana wore that evening made quite a statement, it wasn’t only “revenge” she had on her mind when selecting it. 

Princess Diana’s Last Minute Change

The dress was purchased by Princess Diana in 1991 off the rackIt was, however, later deemed too daring to be royal protocol. The sexy number was kept in her closet. 

Princess Diana had planned to wear Valentino on the gala night. When she discovered that the fashion house had released a premature press release in which they said she would wear one their designs, she was disconcerted. At the last moment, she chose the Stambolian dress that she had cherished for three years. She wore the dress with a pearl choker necklace and a sapphire-diamond brooch, which was a wedding gift from Queen Elizabeth.

“She wanted to look like a million dollars,” her former stylist Anna Harvey explained. “And she did.”

Diana’s iconic fashion moment was more than just revenge. It was a statement about how she was moving away from her shy, princess-like appearance. She was able to go out on the town in her LBD and never looked back. 

‘The Crown’ Recreates Princess Diana’s Head-Turning LBD

Despite the fact the original LBD being sold in June 1997 for $65,000 at auction, the iconic gown has made headlines again. A replica of the revenge-dress worn by Princess Diana in the past was made for the hit series. The Crown

Elizabeth Debicki will portray Princess Diana in season five The Crown. Debicki was seen filming the iconic scene that shows Diana arriving at the gala in the statement dress. There was a striking resemblance between the set photos and the original. A new season The CrownThe premiere is scheduled for November 2022.