AWAY WITH HEM
Princess Diana revenge dress: True story behind the iconic frock
PRINCESS DIANA'S iconic outfits continue to inspire fashion fans to this day but there is one dress, in particular, she was famed for.
Princess Diana revolutionised Royal Family fashion with dozens of daring outfits but there was one little black dress which became known as her 'revenge dress' that has gone down in the history books.
5
The sexy ensemble is now considered one of the most famous frocks of all time but what was the story behind it?
What was Princess Diana's revenge dress?
On June 29, 1994, Diana wore a little black dress to a dinner at the Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens.
It featured a plunging neckline and thigh-high split - and was a sexier look than she had ever stepped out in before at an official function.
5
The royal, then 33, had deliberately chosen to wear the frock on the same night that her estranged husband, Prince Charles, admitted to adultery during their marriage in a TV interview.
According to her biographer Andrew Morton, she had been planning on wearing a Valentino number, but was left irritated when they sent out a premature press release.
Read more on Princess Diana
She initially feared the LBD - by designer Christina Stambolian - was "too daring".
But her eventual wardrobe choice was a triumph - and the next day her glamorous image made the cover of national newspapers, including The Sun.
What did Prince Charles say in the 1994 ITV documentary?
On the same evening that his wife made her daring wardrobe choice, Prince Charles - from whom she had separated in 1992 - was taking part in a BBC documentary.
The Prince of Wales, then 46, confessed to cheating on Diana with his former girlfriend Camilla Parker Bowles, who is now the Duchess of Cornwall.
5
In an effort to restore his public image after his 1992 split from the "people's princess", the Queen's son took part in the two-and-a-half-hour programme with Jonathan Dimbleby.
But it backfired when he was asked about his suspected infidelity, and - appearing to confirm the rumours - Charles insisted: "Mrs Parker-Bowles is a great friend of mine."
When asked directly if he had been "faithful and honourable" to his wife throughout their 15-year marriage, he replied: "Yes, until it became irretrievably broken down, us both having tried."
Who is designer Christina Stambolian?
The designer created the princess' head-turning dress.
She was born in Greece and trained in Athens, before coming to London in 1970 to work in the fashion industry.
5
The famous dress originally cost £900, and had been sat in the late royal's wardrobe for three years before she slipped it on.
Reflecting on the evening she wore it, Stambolian said that the princess "chose not to play the scene like Odette, innocent in white.
"She was clearly angry. She played it like Odile, in black. She wore bright red nail enamel, which we had never seen her do before. She was saying 'Let's be wicked tonight!'"
What happened to the revenge dress?
Just two months before she was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997, the princess requested that the frock be sold in a charity auction, with proceeds benefiting cancer and AIDS-related organisations.
A total of 79 pieces belonging to the her were put up at Christie's in New York - including her 'Elvis' and 'Travolta' dresses.
5
The 'revenge dress' was sold for $69,000 - approximately £122,000 - according to .
In 2017, it was exhibited at the Museum of Style in Newbridge, County Kildare for their exhibition Diana: A Fashion Legacy.
What was the choker Princess Diana wore?
The impressive piece of jewellery was originally a gift from the late Queen Mother.
She gave the princess a Sri Lankan sapphire-and-diamond brooch as a wedding present on her big day in 1981, according to the .
The newlywed wore it on a number of occasions after she had married - but she eventually had it mounted on seven strands of pearls to create a wide choker.
Other notable occasions she wore it include when she danced with John Travolta at the White House in 1985, and at the Met Gala in 1996.
Most read in Royal
In other royal news, we revealed how the Queen has a secret WhatsApp group where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shared baby Lilibet pics.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
We also told you how the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have caused fury by creating just 35 minutes of content so far in return for £18m Spotify deal.
And an expert has claimed that Princess Diana remained a little in love with Prince Charles even after their divorce.
Princess of Wales' wedding dress goes on display at Kensington Palace
Topics