How Princess Diana Used the Iconic Little Black Dress to Get Revenge on Prince Charles After His Affair

Even Princess Diana knew that looking good is the best revenge! The People’s Princess went through the ultimate betrayal and heartbreak when her husband at the time, Prince Charles, publicly admitted that he had an affair with Camilla Parker Bowles — who is now the Duchess of Cornwall. But instead of staying out of the spotlight, she made a bold power move — by stepping out in an extremely sexy little black dress, showing her estranged husband exactly what he was missing.

Princess Diana wearing ‘The Revenge Dress’ at the 1994 Vanity Fair summer party. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

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In June 1994, Diana was scheduled to attend the annual Vanity Fair summer party at the Serpentine Gallery in London — but that night, a television interview with the UK’s ITV network was also scheduled to air where Prince Charles would finally reveal that he committed adultery during their 15-year-long marriage, according to the Huffington Post. Diana and Charles had already been separated for three years at this time, which was one of the most difficult times in her short life. Kerry Taylor, the owner of Kerry Taylor Auctions which has auctioned off 10 of Diana’s most well-known looks back in 2013, reflected on the impact of her very daring fashion choice.

“We called that ‘The Revenge Dress,’ Kerry told Marie Claire at the time. “She wore that the same evening Prince Charles confessed to his adultery with Camilla. Diana had a public engagement at the Serpentine gallery and while some would have been like, ‘I can’t face it this evening,’ Diana went out in that dress looking drop dead gorgeous. She made a big statement right there.”

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The dress was specially made in 1991 by Greek designer Christina Stambolian for the Princess of Wales. But Christina told Marie Claire that Diana thought the figure-hugging dress was “too daring” with its off-the-shoulder, deep-V neckline and asymmetrical hemline. In fact, it was almost never worn because Diana was going to wear a Valentino dress to the Vanity Fair party — but she decided against it after a press release revealed her plans before the event. “She wanted to look a million dollars,” Diana’s former stylist Anna Harvey said. “And she did.”

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