Princess Diana's 'Revenge Dress' to Be Auctioned at Sotheby's New York in December

Princess Diana's famous "revenge dress" will be auctioned at Sotheby's in New York on December 9, with a pre-sale estimate between $150,000 and $300,000. The black silk evening gown by Greek designer Christina Stambolian features an off-the-shoulder neckline, heart-shaped bodice, and a hem above the knee.

Diana wore the dress on June 29, 1994, to a Vanity Fair party at the Serpentine Gallery in London. That same evening, Prince Charles admitted to infidelity in a televised documentary, making the bold fashion choice widely interpreted as a public response to the marital crisis.

“The garment was becoming a true means of expression.”

The garment has been exhibited in London and will travel to Hong Kong and Geneva before the New York sale. The auction coincides with renewed public discussion of the royal couple's relationship following allegations by Charles Spencer, Diana's brother, regarding the Prince of Wales's reaction to her death in 1997.

Buckingham Palace issued a rare statement on September 16 disputing Spencer's claim that the then-Prince of Wales said "we will soon forget her" days after the fatal crash. The Palace suggested Spencer's recollections may have been affected by grief.