Princess Diana’s wedding dress is at thecenter of a new exhibit, but there’s another outfit on display from her big day that has a surprising backstory.
At theRoyal Style in the Makingfashion exhibition, which opens Thursday at Princess Diana’s former home of Kensington Palace, visitors will be able to see her iconic Elizabeth and David Emanuel bridal gown — dramatic 25-foot train and all — as well as another look the royal wore on her 1981 wedding day: a peach ensemble to leave with Prince Charles for their honeymoon trip to Gibraltar on theRoyal YachtBrittania.
Curator Matthew Storey revealed at a special exhibit preview on Wednesday that Princess Diana’s collaboration with designer Bellville Sassoon “almost didn’t happen.”
Princess Diana.Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty
Prince Charles and Princess Diana.Princess Diana Archive/Getty
Princess Diana and Prince Charles.PA Images via Getty
When Princess Diana first visited the Bellville Sassoon shop, the 19-year-old had just become engaged toPrince Charlesand was looking for an outfit for her official engagement photos. It was nearly closing time, and Diana wasn’t finding anything she liked. Not recognizing Diana, the sales associate told her that Harrod’s department store “is just around the corner.”
Prince Charles and Princess Diana.Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty
“You can imagine how Belinda [Bellville] and David [Sassoon] felt when they realized the future Princess of Wales had been turned away,” said Storey.
Princess Diana and Prince Charles.Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty
Fortunately, Diana came back with her mother and picked out the blue ensemble she wore for her engagement announcement and photos withPrince Charles.
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Princess Diana.Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty
Princess Diana went on to wear the honeymoon outfit on several other occasions, including her 1983 tour of Australia.
Princess Diana.Samir Hussein/WireImage; Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images
Royal Style in the Makingmarks the first time Princess Diana’s bridal ensemble has been displayed in nearly 25 years. It previously was part of a July 1998 exhibit at Diana’s ancestral home, Althorp, almost a year after the royal’s tragic death.
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Other highlights of the exhibit include the 1937 coronation gown ofQueen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother and a costume gown that Princess Margaret wore to a charity ball in 1964.
source: people.com
