Princess Diana's most iconic dress is expected to break record sales at auction

Royal fashion fans will be thrilled that they can finally get their hands on some of Diana, Princess of Wales’ most iconic looks – however, it may set you back over a £1 million. On 26 June, more than 200 of her personal items will go on sale at Julien’s auction in Beverly Hills, with one of the top pieces being her Belville design by David Sassoon.

Sassoon was one of the most infl uential British designers of the 20th century, producing over 70 outfits for the royal. The late fashion icon passed away earlier this month on April 9. One of Diana's memorable staples in her wardrobe was a vibrant frock by Sassoon, which has been dubbed as the “caring dress” by Martin Nolan, co-founder and executive director of Julien's Auctions.

He told Marie Claire that the garment is set to make blockbuster bids and is expected to pass a former record breaker. The auction director said that the late Princess' dress was a “staple” in her “working wardrobe” as she often was snapped wearing the look for “official visits and public appearances.”

This bold dress, which featured elevated shoulders, a round neckline and a ruched waist, turned heads whenever she stepped out in it thanks to its eye-catching and vibrant colour palette.

Diana favoured bright colours, especially when visiting children. It has been suggested that these striking tones made children more receptive and the visits less formal.

She also used colour as a way to stand out and subvert expectations, often pushing the boundaries of royal style.

The auction house lists an estimate of $100,000 to $200,000 for the dress, but Nolan predicted that it would potentially match or break the auction house's $1.14 million record.

Back in 2023, Julien's Auctions put Diana's Jacques Azagury's ballerina-length gown under the hammer.

The romantic evening dress was designed by Moroccan-British fashion designer Jacques Azagury and was worn by the late Princess in Florence in 1985 and Vancouver in 1986 and Julien's Auctions sold it for a whopping $1.14 million US dollars (£889,000).

However, if you do not have that sort of cash to splash and you are over in Ireland you can catch a glimpse of what is on display before the auction kicks off. The Museum of Pop Culture (Mopop) is teaming up with Julien's Auctions to showcase the exhibition.

The exhibit is travelling to (Mosi) in Newbridge, Ireland, where it will be displayed from mid-May to mid-June 2025, with a proportion of the from ticket sales being donated to Muscular Dystrophy UK.

Meanwhile, Julien's auction is set to take place on Thursday, June 26 at 10:00 am Pacific Time at The Peninsula Beverly Hills.