Princess Diana’s iconic ‘Revenge Dress’ headed to Sotheby’s auction block

Princess Diana’s legendary black silk "revenge dress" is heading to the auction block for the first time in nearly three decades.

Sotheby’s has announced that the famous Christina Stambolian gown will headline a standalone fashion evening auction in New York on December 9, 2026.

Pre-sale estimates currently place the historic dress between $150,000 and $300,000, though its immense cultural footprint and historical legacy could easily drive final bidding even higher.

The garment earned its iconic status on June 29, 1994, when Diana wore the off-the-shoulder, form-fitting cocktail dress to a Vanity Fair gala at London’s Serpentine Gallery.

The appearance famously coincided with the exact night a televised documentary aired in which then-Prince Charles publicly confessed to his infidelity.

Defying strict royal protocols that dictated black was reserved strictly for mourning, Diana stepped into the global spotlight looking radiant and self-assured, instantly reclaiming her narrative and birthing the modern cultural concept of "revenge dressing".

The dress was last sold in June 1997, when Diana auctioned off 79 of her most famous dresses to raise funds for breast cancer and AIDS charities, just two months before her tragic death.

It was purchased by a private couple and has remained in private hands ever since. For the upcoming sale, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the NHS Lothian Charity on behalf of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.

Before the live auction in New York, the gown will embark on a global exhibition tour, giving the public a rare chance to view the piece.

The tour kicks off at Sotheby’s in London from September 18 to 24, followed by international exhibition stops in Hong Kong and Geneva.