Diana dresses to be auctioned in Beverly Hills

Dresses worn by Diana, Princess of Wales will go for auction this December in Beverley Hills California. The dresses, which were originally auctioned in June 1997, to aid one of her charities, are estimated to fetch up to $100,000 (€60,000) a piece.

All the pieces on sale by Julien’s Auctioneers in Beverley Hills are part of a collection that were worn by the late princess and designed by the late Catherine Walker, Diana’s personal couturier and friend.  The undisclosed winners from nearly 20 yrs ago, who won the auction a month before she died, now want to part with the collection.

Along with the items, which will go up for auction on December 5, is a copy of an oversized catalogue which accompanied the original auction, as well as an invitation to the event; signed by Diana, and valued at between $2,000 and $4,000.

The higher end of the sale will feature a cream lace gown designed by Zandra Rhodes and worn by Diana to the Birthright Benefit at the London Palladium in 1987; while on the other spectrum of the scale, a pair of cuff-links commemorating Diana and Prince Charles’ 1981 wedding can be scooped up an estimated value of $600-800 (€400-600).

Other auction items will include, A vivid green silk gown by Catherine Walker which Diana wore in 1993 to a banquet at the Dorchester Hotel, London (estimated €40,000-€60,000). An embellished pink dress with beads and mock pearls was worn by Diana in 1993 to the Savoy Theatre in London (estimated €60,000) and a handwritten letter from Diana, using her Kensington Palace stationary and dated June 1997 reading: ‘The inspiration for this wonderful sale comes from just one person… our son William.’

And finally, in keeping with the royal theme at the Julien’s auction, a slice of cake from the 2011 royal wedding of Diana’s son Prince William, and the daughter-in-law she never met, Kate Middleton will be on sale.