An iconic Princess Diana dress is being given another whirl. After acquiring the late royal's velvet Victor Edelstein gown for about $280,000 at an auction last year, Historic Royal Palaces announced plans to put it on display at Kensington Palace upon its reopening on July 30.
Also referred to as the "Travolta Dress," Diana first wore the midnight-blue dress to a White House gala in 1985, where she danced to songs from Saturday Night Fever with John Travolta. At the time, she accessorized the off-the-shoulder Edwardian dress with an ornate pearl choker and sapphire earrings. Diana wore the dress again to the premiere of Wall Street in 1988.
The dress's exciting exhibition will kick off Kensington Palace's reopening, as the royal residence was forced to close its doors in March due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Visitors of the museum will be expected to book tickets for a specific time slot in advance, and there will be reduced capacity to protect the health of staff and visitors.
"Kensington Palace was built to be enjoyed by hundreds of people and it's been sad to see it so quiet over the past couple of months," Head of Kensington Palace Sam Owen said in a press statement. "Myself and the team can't wait to welcome visitors back again and give them a suitably royal welcome."
See photos of the Princess of Wales wearing the dress on two separate occasions ahead, and enjoy a video of it being unpacked and installed for the display.