In season five of The Crown, the decline of Princess Diana and Prince Charles’ marriage was depicted, along with the late Princess’s iconic fashion moments. One of the most memorable outfits was the sleek black off-the-shoulder dress she wore in 1994, famously known as the ‘Revenge Dress.’
The dress, designed by Christina Stambolian before Diana married Charles, holds a significant place in history. Allegedly, when Diana ordered the dress, she mentioned that it was for a significant event. The designer took the freedom to create a daring design that eventually caught Diana’s interest, despite her initial hesitations.
The flirty dress, which took two people and over sixty hours to make, was worn by Diana at a party hosted by Vanity Fair. Coincidentally, that same night, Prince Charles’s tell-all documentary, in which he admitted to adultery with Camilla, premiered on national television. Charles’s confession and his betrayal deeply impacted Diana, and wearing the ‘Revenge Dress’ that night became a symbolic act of empowerment.
As Diana moved on from her failed marriage, her style evolved to reflect her newfound independence. The ‘Revenge Dress’ symbolized her departure from traditional royal dressing and her embrace of a more modern and confident self.
The choice to wear the dress on that particular night is still a subject of speculation. Some believe that Diana wanted to show James Hewitt, her alleged lover at the time, what he was missing by portraying herself as a beautiful and sexy woman. Regardless of the specific motive, the dress became a declaration of Diana’s strength and beauty.
Interestingly, the dress was paid for using Charles’s money. It cost 900 pounds, withdrawn from his account. Charles’ confession of infidelity marked a turning point in Diana’s life and impacted her deeply on a personal level. It was as if Charles had aired their dirty laundry, betraying her trust and publicly confirming his unfaithfulness.
The love affair between Charles and Camilla had started years earlier, even before their marriage. Diana was aware of her husband’s infidelity and had confronted Camilla about it. However, nothing changed, and their marriage continued to deteriorate.
Diana’s troubles within her marriage became evident when she famously stated in a televised interview, “Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.” The revelation of a private conversation between Charles and Camilla, including intimate details, further fueled the public’s interest and became known as “Tampongate.”
Tragically, Princess Diana lost her life in a car crash on August 31, 1997. She was trying to escape the paparazzi with her partner Dodi Fayed, her driver Henri Paul, and her bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones. Her untimely death shook the world and left a lasting legacy.
The story behind Diana’s ‘Revenge Dress’ continues to capture our fascination, reminding us of her resilience and the impact of her fashion choices.
