The Dress That Inspired Princess Diana’s Wedding Gown Is Currently Listed for $1 Million

It’s one of the most famous dresses in history: the one worn by Princess Diana at her wedding to Prince Charles on July 29, 1981. The dress, which was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, was a ball gown made of silk and taffeta. In addition to its of-the-moment puff sleeves and ruffled neckline, it also featured a 25-foot train, approximately 10,000 pearls, and hand-embroidered mother-of-pearl sequins. Even before it debuted at the couple’s nuptials, there was excitement about the dress. In order to ensure that the ensemble wasn’t leaked to the public before the ceremony, the husband-and-wife design team hired security to ensure the design stayed secret. 

However, it appears that that gown may have been inspired by a different dress that was worn by Jerry Hall in 1980—and is currently listed for one million dollars on eBay by Alicia Carroll, a royal artifact collector. “This dress is one of the most important items I’ve dealt with during more than three decades handling literally hundreds of hand-signed royal cards, letters, dresses, jewelry and other unique items,” Carroll told the Daily Mail. The supermodel reportedly requested the dress, which was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, for Queen Elizabeth II’s 80th birthday celebration. According to the outlet, her only ask was that it be in the style of a gown from the 1900s. At the time of the party, Charles and Diana had only been dating for a few weeks. Yet Diana seemed entranced by Hall’s piece, reportedly running up to her and saying, “I love your dress,” according to Carroll. Hall subsequently informed Diana that the gown had been designed by the Emanuels. 

The image of that gown seemed to stay with Diana, who requested that the Emanuels design her wedding dress when she and Charles got engaged months later. “Diana could have had her pick of any designer in the world for her wedding,” Carroll told the outlet. “But she chose these virtually unknown young British designers based on her love for the Jerry Hall gown. The rest is history.” The two gowns shared a number of similarities, including their material, sleeves, and cut. Following her death in 1997, Diana’s wedding dress was passed to her two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. However, even though the two royals own the famous piece, it has gone on display at Diana’s childhood home, Althorp House, and Kensington Palace.

The dress was originally purchased from Hall by an unmanned American collector in 2008. While the gown isn’t in perfect condition, Carroll says the detailing is still intact. “The Jerry Hall original is an exquisite work of art although it does have some damage to the bottom of it,” she told the Daily Mail. “The lacework is magnificent and it even has one of the padded attachments which you put under the underskirts to make the dress stick out at the back.”