Princess Diana’s most memorable fashion events were highlighted again recently by her former butler Paul Burrell, according to a report on cheatsheet.com on Thursday (April 9).
One event she almost skipped entirely was a Vanity Fair party in 1994. It was at this gathering that she wore what became known as the “Revenge Dress” — a black Christina Stambolian creation.
Burrell uploaded a video on Instagram on April 5, remembering that Princess Diana did not want to attend the party after her husband, Prince Charles, confessed on TV that he was having an affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles.
Burrell regards it as his favourite dress of hers.
The off-the-shoulder dress was later sold for US$3.25 million at The Christie’s Dress Auction in 1997. The auction aided cancer and Aids charities and was attended by more than 1,000 people.
Burrell recalled that the princess had told him that she was not going to the party because she could not face the world after her husband, Prince Charles, had gone on air to talk about his affair with Parker-Bowles.
Burrell said he insisted that she go but she responded that she had nothing to wear. He then told her that he had a dress for her. The butler helped her get ready. He went to her closet, picked out the dress, zippered her up and added a pull choker and high heels.
As the princess was heading out, he told her to say to herself that she was Diana, the Princess of Wales, and that she was there to stay and that she was the mother of the future King of England. According to Burrell, she did so and he was so proud of her.
And history was soon made. Princess Diana attended the event and she looked amazing in the “Revenge Dress”.
Kerry Taylor, whose company auctioned off 10 Diana dresses in 2013, told Woman Magazine UK that the dress was called the “Revenge Dress” because Princess Diana wore it on the same day Prince Charles confessed his affair. The princess had made a statement by appearing win the dress, instead of staying away from the public eye. /TISG