Princess Diana’s famous “revenge dress” will appear at Sotheby’s on December 9, 2026. The auction house will put the iconic piece up for sale in New York as part of Luxury Week. The estimate is between $150,000 and $300,000.

Prince Charles’s confession of infidelity and Lady Diana’s response

This little black dress by the English designer of Greek origin Christina Stambolian became world famous on June 29, 1994. It was on this day that Prince Charles’s interview for the ITV documentary “Charles: The Private Man, the Public Role” aired. In the film, the prince confessed to adultery.

In response to this statement, Lady Diana decided that she simply had to shine that evening at the Vanity Fair reception at London’s Serpentine Gallery. A silk Stambolian gown with a plunging neckline, off-the-shoulder styling, and a hip accent was perfectly crafted for the occasion. Lady Diana accessorized with Manolo Blahnik stilettos, which she avoided wearing due to her height near Charles. She also accessorized with a pearl choker with a sapphire, a diamond and sapphire bracelet, and a Salvatore Ferragamo clutch. It was on that day that a new Princess Diana appeared – free, daring and frank.

This is not the first time the dress has appeared at auction. In June 1997, it was put up for charity auction at Christie’s, for which Lady Diana provided 79 of her outfits. The proceeds from the sale went to charities supported by the princess. Then the black silk dress from Stambolian was sold for 65 thousand dollars.

“Revenge Dress” at Sotheby’s auction

Before the December auction, Princess Diana’s “revenge dress” will go on tour. From September 18 to 24, it will be shown at Sotheby’s London branch, in October it will go to Hong Kong, and in November – Geneva. The lot also comes with a copy of the original show catalogue, signed by both Cristina Stambolian and Princess Diana.

Sotheby’s Head of Handbags and Fashion Morgane Halimi said:

On her own terms, Princess Diana turned this dress into one of the most powerful messages she ever made – one of the most closely scrutinized and emotionally charged moments of her life.

Part of the proceeds from the sale will be donated to the NHS Lothian Charity on behalf of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital. The funds will go to support patients, their families and staff of the hospital. The hospital provides specialist mental health services to patients from all over Scotland.