A Royal Style God: Decoding the Powerful Messages Behind Princess Diana’s Iconic Met Gala Outfit From 1996

Published 05/04/2024, 12:56 AM EDT

The British royal family's fashion sense has evolved with grace and poise from Princess Diana's era to the present day. Characterized by timeless elegance, refined sophistication, and a nod to tradition, the royal matriarchy has captivated the world since time immemorial. From Princess Diana's iconic revenge dresses to Kate Middleton's modern take on royal dressing, and Meghan Markle's sleek, modernist approach, each generation has brought its own unique flair, thereby establishing the royal family's status as fashion icons and global style influencers. 

While all princesses had a charm of their own, Princess Diana's was for the world. Serving the modern world while carrying the essence of the past, the People's Princess had her lavish ensembles speak for themselves.

A look into Princess Diana's one and only Met Gala debut

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With Hollywood's biggest nights approaching in a few days, it is time to revisit one of the most unforgettable moments of the Met Gala where the most famous personality of her era had the world's eye fixated upon her. Princess Diana graced New York’s glitzy, star-studded party and upped it into a royal affair. But there is much more than what meets the eye. 

While fans relished the 90’s vogue, Princess Diana screamed ‘freedom’ through her everlasting gorgeous smile and independent temper. Adding more to it was the selection of her designer to ensure nothing fell short. The Princess of Wales commissioned John Galliano, a British star himself, acclaimed for his fusion of romantic historicism with technically progressive aesthetics. 

An Iconic Princess Diana Dress Is Up for Sale at the Dreamy Auction Alongside Kim Kardashian’s Paris Fashion Week Coat

Known for such wild creatives, Galliano’s star shone brightly when the royal Princess dazzled in his midnight lace-trimmed slip dress before the word. However, that was not all. 

The ultimate revenge dress

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As if the exquisite Dior gown was not enough to overshadow the previous headlines of the infamous royal split, Princess Diana added to it more. Famously called the Di bag after her 1996 endorsement, she coupled the outfit with a Chouchou handbag. Divorced though as she was, the Princess, in the light of her breakaway from the shackles of Buckingham, wore the diamond-studded sapphire ring which sat as the cherry on top.

The outfit reflected what British royalty never gives away; freedom. And Princess Diana knew how to make a splash with her debut embracing it all. While the 'revenge dress' of the discovered Princess remains an unmatched vengeance, she rebelliously outdid herself with the 1.15 million dollar flamboyance. 

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Meghan Markle Dons a $17,800 Princess Diana Accessory Amidst Backlash Surrounding Her New Website Launch 

How did you like the story behind Princess Diana's gala outfit? Let us know in the comments be

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Shraddha Suman

1659 articles

Shraddha Das is a Content Lead and the Sub Group Head at Netflix Junkie. Captivated by the power of storytelling and the written word at a young age, which led her to pursue a career in journalism at the Esteemed KIIT School of Journalism and Mass Communication, in Orissa. She has over 1500 articles to her name.

Edited By: Itti Mahajan

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