Princess Diana’s iconic black “revenge dress” is set to return to the auction block nearly three decades after it was last sold.
The famous dress, designed by Greek fashion designer Christina Stambolian, will be auctioned by Sotheby’s in New York on December 9, 2026, with an estimated value of between $150,000 and $300,000.
Diana famously wore the off-the-shoulder black silk dress to a fundraising event at London’s Serpentine Gallery on June 29, 1994. She wore it on the same evening that her then-husband, Prince Charles, publicly acknowledged during a televised interview that he had been unfaithful during their marriage.
The outfit, which featured a fitted silhouette and daring neckline, was considered a bold departure from the more conservative style associated with the British royal family at the time. Diana’s appearance that evening quickly became one of the defining fashion moments of her life.
Although the dress had been designed for Diana in 1991, she reportedly considered it too daring and kept it unworn for several years before choosing it for the Serpentine Gallery event. Her decision to wear it that night was widely interpreted as a confident public statement amid intense media attention over her marriage.
The dress was later included among 79 outfits Diana personally auctioned in 1997 to raise money for cancer and AIDS charities. It was purchased by Scottish couple Briege and Graeme Mackenzie for about $64,000 and remained in their collection for almost three decades.
The upcoming auction will mark the first time the original dress has been offered for sale since 1997. Before the New York auction, it is scheduled to be displayed in London, Hong Kong and Geneva, allowing members of the public to see the historic garment.
Part of the proceeds from the sale will benefit the NHS Lothian Charity on behalf of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital. The dress has remained an enduring symbol of Diana’s fashion influence and the way she used clothing to project confidence and individuality during a turbulent period in her life.
