Princess Diana's dresses and bags are being auctioned again

Princess Diana's clothes will be exhibited in Hong Kong and Ireland, then auctioned. This is not the first time an auction has been held.

KOMPAS/ANSEL DA LOPEZ

With great hospitality, President Soeharto welcomed Prince Charles and Princess Diana at the Merdeka Palace on Friday (13/11). The couple, heirs to the British throne, arrived in Jakarta yesterday for a four-day official visit until October 7. Photo by Ansel da Lopez (sel), published in the daily Kompas, Saturday, November 4 1989 on page I.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — A number of designer clothes, bags and hats belonging to the late Princess Diana will be auctioned online in June 2024. Before being auctioned, these items will be exhibited at the K11 Musea shopping center, Hong Kong and the Museum of Style Icons, Ireland.

The exhibition will take place from April 18 to 29, 2024 at K11 Musea, Hong Kong. Meanwhile, the exhibition in Ireland will be held from June 11 to 27, 2024. The auction will be conducted after the exhibition is finished.

I am extremely happy to be able to contribute to fundraising efforts to advance scientific research in both England and the United States. My beloved clothing, I hope, will bring joy to others.

The exhibition and auction entitled Princess Diana's Elegance and A Royal Collection was held by Julien's Auctions, an auction house based in the United States. Julien's Auctions was once an auction house for items from stars, including Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe and Ringo Starr.

In December 2023, this auction house successfully auctioned off Princess Diana's dress for $1.14 million USD or approximately Rp 18.3 billion. This amount broke the record for the most expensive dress of Princess Diana sold at an auction. The black and blue dress was designed by Jacques Azagury and worn by the princess in Italy in 1985.

KOMPAS/SEKAR GANDHAWANGI

The Julien's Auctions page displays videos and photos of Princess Diana wearing the Diamante Star dress by British designer Murray Arbeid. Princess Diana wore this dress several times, including when attending the musical The Phantom of the Opera in 1986. The value of the dress is estimated at 200,000-400,000 US dollars or Rp. 3.2 billion-Rp. 6.4 billion. This dress is one of Princess Diana's outfits that will be exhibited in Hong Kong and Ireland, then auctioned online by the Julien's Auction auction house in June 2024. This illustrative photo was taken on Monday (15/4/2024).

According to the Julien's Auctions page, there are 15 items belonging to Princess Diana that will be displayed. One of them is a dress entitled Diamante Star by British designer, Murray Arbeid. The strapless dress is dark blue with sparkling star accents. The chest to upper thigh of the dress fits the body perfectly. While the bottom is blooming with tulle.

Princess Diana wore this dress several times in public. First, when attending a musical performance of The Phantom of the Opera in 1986. Second, when Princess Diana had dinner with Greek officials in 1986. Third, when taking part in a charity auction in 1997. The value of the dress was estimated at 200,000- 400,000 US dollars or Rp. 3.2 billion-Rp. 6.4 billion.

"We are delighted to bring back Princess Diana's favorite outfits to two continents that she wore during her international royal appearances, as well as humanitarian events, such as the Catherine Walker suit she wore during her visit to Hong Kong in 1989," said Co-founder and Executive Director of Julien's Auction, Martin Nolan, in a press release quoted in Jakarta on Monday (15/4/2024).

Also read: Princess Diana's Charm Never Fade

The clothing in question is a pastel yellow blazer with a navy blue collar and a navy blue knee-length skirt. Princess Diana wore this suit when she visited the British Kingdom troops base in Hong Kong in 1989, then when she visited London in 1990. The outfit is estimated to be worth 30,000-50,000 US dollars (Rp. 481 million -Rp. 802 million).

In addition to the clothes, high heels (pumps) made from green satin that belonged to Princess Diana will also be displayed and auctioned. The shoes were produced by the Kurt Geiger brand and were worn when the princess attended a state banquet at the Dorchester Hotel, London, in 1993. The value of these shoes is estimated at 2,000-4,000 US dollars (Rp. 32 million-Rp. 64 million).

There is also Princess Diana's semi-circular purple clutch bag, as well as a white and red box bag. There is another wide hat and yellow and black turban that will be auctioned. Part of the auction proceeds will be given to Muscular Dystrophy UK, a charity for people who experience muscle wasting and weakening.

KOMPAS/SEKAR GANDHAWANGI

The Julien's Auctions website displays photos of fashion items that were once worn by Princess Diana, including during her visit to a Royal British troops base in Hong Kong in 1989, and during her visit to London in 1990. The clothing is estimated to be worth 30,000-50,000 US dollars (Rp 481 million - Rp 802 million). This is one of Princess Diana's fashion items that will be exhibited in Hong Kong and Ireland, then auctioned off by Julien's Auction house online in June 2024. This illustration photo was taken on Monday (15/4/2024).

Previous auction

In 1997, Princess Diana auctioned her clothes at Christie's Auction House, New York, USA. The results were then handed over to scientific efforts researching ways to cure AIDS and cancer (Kompas, 6/9/1997).

”I am very pleased to be able to help raise funds to advance scientific research in the UK and the United States. "The clothes that I have always liked, I hope they can make other people happy," said Diana when handing over her collection to Christie's Auction House, Wednesday (26/2/1997) evening in London, England (Kompas, 1/ 3/1997).

Also read: Diana, Pop Culture Icon for Four Decades

Christie's officer for the European region, Christopher Balfour, expressed his honor to be trusted by Princess Diana to auction her collection. "Her collection is very unique, in line with the tastes of the royal princess in the late twentieth century, which she has been using during her travels around the world," he said.

There were 80 dresses from Diana auctioned off at the time. Most of them were designed by British designers, such as Catherine Walker, Victor Edelstein, Hartnell, Zandra Rhodes, Bruce Oldfield, and Emanuels.

KOMPAS/JULIAN SIHOMBING (JS)

At Sitanala Leprosy Hospital, Tangerang. Visit of Princess Diana accompanying her husband, Prince Charles, in Indonesia in 1989. Lady Di visited the Sitanala Hospital in Tangerang, including with Dr. MR Teterissa, in addition to greeting and serving with leprosy patients. News published in Kompas on Saturday, November 4 1989 p. I-XIII Title "Envelope: Princess Diana".