Hundreds of Princess Diana's dresses, shoes, hats, bags and other memorabilia hit the auction block in Beverly Hills on Thursday, June 26 after Julien's Auctions held the largest sale of the late royal's fashion ever. From her famous "Caring Dress" to a letter Diana wrote to a palace footman, bidders jumped to own a piece of royal history—and one such item went for more than 10 times its expected price.
The image of Diana standing on a polo field in a white British Lung Foundation sweatshirt is one of the most iconic images of the late princess. Dressed in jeans, a baseball cap, cowboy boots and a blazer over the logo crewneck, Princess Diana—who served as patron of the foundation— looked the epitome of '80s cool. On Thursday, the memorable sweatshirt went up for auction, with an estimated price between $10,000 to $20,000.
Unsurprisingly, the piece defied all expectations, selling for the incredible sum of $221,000. The winning bid was submitted online by an unknown winner, although a live auction was held at the Peninsula in Beverly Hills.
Diana's blue floral "Caring Dress," which she often wore to visit children, also sold for higher than expected. Renae Plant, curator of the Princess Diana Museum, fell to the floor in excitement after winning the dress for $400,000 plus fees, bringing the final sale price to $520,000.
The Bellville Sassoon design was originally expected to sell for between $200,000 to $300,000.
The late royal's Lady Dior bag—a design that was named after her—was among more record-breaking items in the sale. Like the British Lung Foundation sweatshirt, this black handbag sold for more than 10 times its estimate, going for $325,000.
“Princess Diana’s timeless style and heartfelt compassion continues to resonate around the world, and today’s record-breaking results are a powerful testament to her enduring legacy,” said Martin Nolan, co-founder and executive director of Julien’s Auctions.
"We were honored to curate this extraordinary collection, and the global response has been nothing short of phenomenal," he added. "From elegant gowns to personal, never-before-seen pieces, each item offered a rare and intimate glimpse into the life of Diana, the People’s Princess.”
