Worn the Day Her Husband Admitted to Infidelity... Diana's "Revenge Dress" Poised to Fetch Over 400 Million Won

"Revenge Dress" Up for Auction After 29 Years
Potential to Surpass Estimated Price

The iconic black dress once worn by the late Diana, Princess of Wales, will go up for auction for the first time in 29 years. This dress is famous for being worn by Princess Diana on the day Prince Charles (now King Charles III of the United Kingdom) admitted to his infidelity on television. Because of this, it became widely known as the "Revenge Dress."

Scheduled for Auction in December... Expected Maximum Bid 400 Million Won

The wax figure of Diana, Princess of Wales, unveiled last November at the Grevin Museum in Paris, France, is wearing the so-called "Revenge Dress." Photo by AFP Yonhap News

According to foreign media such as The New York Times and the Financial Times (FT) on September 10 (local time), Princess Diana's Revenge Dress will be offered for sale at a Sotheby's auction in New York on December 9. The estimated hammer price is between $150,000 and $300,000 (approximately 200 million to 400 million won).

Given Princess Diana's high profile, there is a possibility that the dress may sell for even more than the estimated price. In fact, an evening gown previously worn by Princess Diana at a banquet fetched $1.15 million (about 1.55 billion won) in 2023, which is more than eleven times the expected price.

The "Revenge Dress" first drew widespread public attention on June 29, 1994. On that day, Princess Diana attended a banquet hosted by the monthly entertainment and fashion magazine Vanity Fair at the Serpentine Gallery in London, wearing a short, off-the-shoulder cocktail dress. Her attire was considered quite bold, especially given the traditionally conservative dress code of the British royal family. This drew even more attention since, just before the banquet, Prince Charles—then living separately from Diana—had admitted to his affair in a television documentary.

Princess Diana, who had often used fashion as a means of self-expression, was interpreted to have made this bold choice as a strategic move to deliver a powerful message. The dress soon became known as the "Revenge Dress."

The Black Dress Sat in Her Closet for 3 Years... Captivated Attention

The wax figure of Diana, Princess of Wales, which was unveiled at the Grevin Museum in Paris, France, last November, is dressed in the so-called 'Revenge Dress.' Photo by AP Yonhap News

This dress was designed in 1991 by Greek-born fashion designer Christina Stambolian. Princess Diana had kept the dress in her closet for three years before wearing it for the first time on that day. Members of the British royal family are generally discouraged from wearing black unless in mourning, making her attire a departure from royal protocol. It is reported that Diana had initially planned to wear a different dress but changed her mind at the last minute.

According to Georgina Howell in her 1998 book, "Diana: Her Life Through Fashion," it was Diana's butler, Paul Burrell, who advised her to choose the Revenge Dress. Burrell believed that a black dress could captivate public attention and deliver a strong message. He also reportedly told Diana to hold her head high and walk with confidence at the event.

Just two months before her fatal car accident, in June 1997, Princess Diana auctioned off 79 of her dresses, raising $3.25 million (approximately 4.38 billion won) for cancer and AIDS charities. The Revenge Dress was also included in that auction and was purchased by a Scottish couple, Bridge and Graham Mackenzie, for $64,000 (about 86 million won). Bridge, who acquired the dress with her husband Graham, kept it as part of their collection for 29 years and is now putting it up for auction once again.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.