Princess Diana would have turned 64 this July. Now a new exhibit has opened at her old home, Kensington Palace. And the late princess is right at the heart of it.
“Dress Codes” showcases royal fashion and the message behind it. The official website describes the exhibit as a look at “the codes and conventions of royal clothing, and the powerful impact fashion can make when boundaries are pushed and dress codes evolve.”
While Princess Diana may have been seen as a rebel in certain royal circles, she not only adhered to a strict royal dress code, but understood the power of her fashion choices better than most.
“Dress Codes” Showcases Key Outfits Worn By Diana
Princess Diana’s style is showcased right off the top of the exhibit. It begins with a red Bruce Oldfield gown Diana wore during a state visit to Saudi Arabia in 1986. The “Dress Codes” website says the red gown highlights “the importance placed on dressing correctly for official duties.”
The exhibit also features a green tweed hacking jacket from Diana’s country home, Althorp House. And a Catherine Walker green silk velvet tuxedo-style dress, worn privately to formal family events. That gown was never seen in public until it became one of 79 dresses famously auctioned to raise money for HIV/AIDS and cancer charities just before the princess died in 1997.
The exhibition also features Diana’s red Jasper Conran suit. The princess wore it in 1984 for the naming of a cruise ship.
“Dress Codes” Features Royal Fashion Spanning 500 Years
Princess Diana’s fashion choices are just a part of the exhibit. It also features an incredible 10,000 objects spanning royalty over a 500-year period.
That includes pieces worn by a young Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret and Queen Victoria. Guests will see a pair of matching summer dresses worn in 1936 by then-Princess Elizabeth and sister Princess Margaret when they were children.
Curators showcase how the dresses have been hemmed, let out and clearly washed and worn. In an Instagram post, they speculate it was possibly handed down from one sister to another.
Global Audience Given Digital Access to Royal Fashion
The exhibit has been staged by Historic Royal Palaces, an independent charity that looks after six royal palaces. Those include Kensington Palace, the Tower of London and Hampton Court Place.
But you don’t have to go to London to see all the royal fashion.
The charity has just announced a new digital collaboration with Google Arts & Culture. It offers unprecedented access to nearly 200 garments from the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, including items worn by Princess Diana.
Through cutting-edge technology, fashion enthusiasts can dive into the intricate details of each garment through ultra-high-resolution photography and 3D scanning. In a press release, Historic Royal Palaces says, “these advanced techniques allow every stitch, bead, and embellishment to be examined in astonishing clarity—offering insights into the craftsmanship, history, and conservation of these delicate treasures.”
The technology lets visitors explore items by color, time period or theme. And it gives historians access that was hard to come by in the past. Matthew Storey, curator at Historic Royal Palaces, says, “Historic garments are inherently fragile and can only be displayed for limited periods of time. Remarkable techniques like ultra-high-resolution imaging and 3D scanning and a platform like Google Arts & Culture mean we can share the stories of these wonderful items with people all over the world. It’s very exciting to be able to share the collection we care for with new audiences.”
How to See the Royal Fashion Collection
Visitors can catch the “Dress Codes” exhibition through November 30. It is included with the price of Kensington Palace admission. You can find tickets here.
To explore the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection online, visit the Google Arts and Culture page here: goo.gle/royalwardrobe
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Princess Diana’s Iconic Looks at Kensington Palace