Queen Camilla was accused of copying Princess Diana's 'revenge dress' after iconic interview
It came just months after Lady Di's iconic appearance...Princess Diana’s revenge dress has not only become an iconic fashion moment, but a legendary pop culture reference – and Camilla Parker Bowles was accused of copying this outfit years before she became queen.
The revenge dress triggered a change for the late Princess of Wales, when she stepped out for a gala wearing the fitted, black, off-the-shoulder gown on June 29, 1994. Diana turned heads because she wore the gown when was visiting the Serpentine Gallery in London. It was the same night Charles confessed on national television he had been unfaithful to her.
The ITV documentary aired 18 months after the couple split, and the heir to the throne at the time admitted his infidelity. He confirmed rumours of his affair with his now-wife and Queen Consort Camilla.
However, a year later, the then Camilla Parker Bowles was accused of copying Princess Diana’s revenge dress at one of their first public outings.
Real story behind the ‘revenge dress’
Princess Diana had initially planned to wear a Valentino dress to the event, but her outfit was leaked to the press. So the royal decided to make a last-minute decision and wear the famous black dress by Christina Stambolian instead. She paired it with black tights, clutch purse and pearl choker necklace.
Featuring a fitted bodice, sweetheart neckline, off-the-shoulder sleeves, and asymmetric hemline, it was ‘out there’ for a member of the royal family.
The designer told Claudia Joseph for her book, Diana: A Life in Dresses, that she had sent her the gown three years earlier and chose that night to put it on.
“Three years went by and she hadn’t worn it,” Christina explained. “I was very disappointed.
“Then I realised she had been waiting for the right occasion. She looked like a beautiful black bird in it.”
But no one had predicted Camilla would be accused of copying Diana the following year.
Camilla accused of copying Diana’s revenge dress when she stepped out with Charles
Princess Diana’s revenge dress caused an uproar, and Camilla decided to wear a clone after going public as Charles’ girlfriend in 1995.
Fashion researcher Eloise Moran said Diana’s outing was sending a clear message.
She told CNN: “She completely spun her narrative that night. From there, I think that was the line drawn where she was in control, and she was showing that to everybody.”
Therefore, when future Queen Camilla stepped out in a similar ‘revenge dress’ to Princess Diana’s, fans took notice.
When the new couple attended Camilla’s sister, Annabel Elliot, birthday party at the London Ritz Hotel, all eyes were on her frock. Camilla work an off-the-shoulder cap sleeves gown, which was black, and featured a plunging neckline. She paired it with sheer stockings and black pumps, just like Diana. But Camilla also wore a pearl choker that featured a gem pendant, similar to Diana’s sapphire necklace, which is why she was accused of copying the royal.
Where is Princess Diana’s revenge dress now?
Princess Diana’s revenge dress was put up for auction, along with other items from her wardrobe, three years later, in 1997. It sold for £48,000 ($65,000), with the money from the auction going to cancer and AIDS-related charities.
In 2017, the gown was displayed in the Museum of Style Icons, as part of the Diana: A Fashion Legacy exhibition, to mark the 20th anniversary of her death.
Read more: Princess Diana’s words about who ‘ruined’ her marriage to Charles just before she died
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