Prince William’s charity cause could make millions…
He doesn’t need revenge.
Prince William was long thought to be accountable for the sale of Princess Diana’s iconic “revenge dress” — a curve-hugging black robe by the designer Christina Stambolian worn by his late mom in 1994. (The “revenge” label comes from its plunging neckline, which was flaunted by Lady Di as tabloids blasted her former husband, Prince Charles, for infidelity.)
Princess Diana in the “revenge dress” circa 1994. Getty Images
Just before his mom’s death in 1997, a teenage Prince William inspired her to promote the costume, alongside practically 80 other items, for cancer and AIDS charities. It bought for about $74,000 — about $151,000 adjusted for inflation today.
This December, the enduring black frock is back on the block at Sotheby’s, now with true affirmation that Prince William was accountable for its authentic sale.
According to Sotheby’s notes on the public sale, which is scheduled for December 9, “a rare copy of the original catalogue, numbered and signed by the princess and the designer of the dress, crediting Prince William with the idea for the sale, will be sold with the dress.”
And Prince William is still tangentially concerned, thanks to a charity part of the public sale:
Some proceeds from the upcoming Sotheby’s sale will go to the NHS Lothian Charity on behalf of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, a mental health facility in Scotland that started taking on free-of-charge sufferers during the reign of Queen Victoria, Prince William’s 4x great-grandmother.
The charity dovetails with the work of the Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales — aka Prince William and his spouse, Kate Middleton — which focuses on suicide prevention and stigma-free assist for all mental health points.
Princess Diana, Princess of Wales, with her sons Prince William and Prince Harry in 1995. Getty Images
Depending on the revenge costume’s profitable bid, that means Prince William’s noble cause could get a money inflow that some fashion and artwork consultants are pinning at over $1 million, based on the 2023 sale of a Jacques Azagury robe once worn by the People’s Princess. (Sotheby’s own very conservative estimate is around $200,000.)
But New Yorkers received’t have to mortgage their flats just to see the enduring piece of fashion historical past up close.
The “revenge dress” was designed by Christina Stambolian. It goes up for public sale on Dec. 9. Sothebys
From Dec. 2 to Dec. 8, guests at the public sale home can view the Christina Stambolian design for themselves at Sotheby’s new global headquarters on the Upper East Side — but not before U.Ok. followers get their likelihood to glimpse the well-known frock during London Fashion Week on Sept. 18.
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