Princess Diana’s Dresses Heading to Auction in One of the Largest Sales

More than 100 personal pieces from Princess Diana’s closet are hitting the auction stage this June.

Fez– Princess Diana’s legendary wardrobe is stepping back into the spotlight, and this time, it’s headed for the auction block.

From her iconic floral hospital-visit dress to her cherry-red ski suit and the Dior handbag gifted by France’s First Lady, over 100 personal pieces are up for grabs this June in California.

Julien’s Auctions, the house behind this dazzling event, is calling it the largest auction of Diana’s fashion ever staged.

Titled “Princess Diana’s Style and the Royal Collection,” the sale includes everything from dresses and designer sketches to handwritten notes and accessories.

Bidding has already opened online, and the grand finale takes place live at The Peninsula in Beverly Hills later this month.

Among the star items? A silk evening gown by British designer Catherine Walker, worn during Diana’s Gulf tour in 1986, and a beloved floral day dress from Bellville Sassoon.

Diana wore the latter so often between 1988 and 1992, including during a state visit to Spain, that British tabloids reportedly complained it confused readers into thinking photos were recycled.

The dress became known as her “caring dress,” designed to brighten up hospital wards and soothe young patients.

Julien’s expects each of these two dresses to fetch between $200,000 and $300,000.

Other high-value highlights include a yellow floral two-piece by Bruce Oldfield, a sleeveless blue dress by her friend Gianni Versace, and a dramatic black taffeta gown worn for her first official appearance after her engagement to Prince Charles.

Designer Elizabeth Emanuel, who helped create Diana’s iconic wedding dress, is also contributing archival sketches and memorabilia.

She described the sale as a chance to “share and re-appreciate” Diana’s fashion legacy from her golden years as “the Queen of Hearts.”

Accessories getting the spotlight include the now-iconic Lady Dior bag in lambskin leather, a personal gift from Bernadette Chirac, and a peach straw hat worn during Diana’s honeymoon sendoff.

Even casual items like her nylon ski suit and oversized British Lung Foundation sweatshirt are expected to fetch $20,000 to $50,000 each.

Diana’s fashion has long commanded attention at auctions. Back in 1997, she sold 80 dresses to benefit cancer and AIDS research, raising over $3.2 million.

And in 2023, a Moroccan-designed Jacques Azagury gown worn by Diana sold for a record-breaking $1.14 million.

Part of the current auction will benefit Muscular Dystrophy UK. As Julien’s CEO Martin Nolan put it: “Diana’s legacy lives on, in her humanitarian work and in her timeless style that continues to inspire the world.”