A Right Royal Podcast is back this week, with hosts Andrea Caamano, Emmy Griffiths and Royal Editor Emily Nash stepping out of the studio and heading to the impressive Peninsula Hotel in London to preview Julien’s Auctions’ Princess Diana Style And A Royal Collection.
The line-up features a total of 325 items, with over 100 belonging to Princess Diana. Highlights include a yellow Bruce Oldfield skirt suit worn to Royal Ascot in 1987, green shoes she wore to a London premiere in 1990, the peach hat that completed her going-away outfit in 1981, and a bright magenta Head ski suit she wore while skiing in Liechtenstein in 1985.
Speaking to HELLO! at the preview, Martin Nolan, executive director and co-creator of Julien’s Auctions, shared his enthusiasm for the collection—particularly the late Princess of Wales’ ski suit—and made a surprising revelation about one notable absence from all Diana auctions.
“I always say, where are Diana’s coats?” he tells HELLO!.
“We have over 300 items in this auction. Over 100 of Diana, not one coat. And it’s because in January and February, when it was freezing cold here in London, she would have one of her staff or some of her friends go with her, and she would load up the car with coats and go around and give them to less fortunate people.
“She didn’t want any limelight or attention to that. She was just genuine, genuine, genuine being caring and wanted to help others.”
The auction, taking place in Beverly Hills at the end of June, is reminiscent of the 1997 sale masterminded by Diana – and Prince William – where 79 of her most iconic dresses were auctioned, raising over $3 million for charities close to her heart.
Although Diana passed away just two months after that sale, what Martin finds especially meaningful is that “all the items that she sold herself, that went out into the universe, are now coming back slowly to auction again – and are selling for several multiples of what they sold for in 1997.”
© Getty Images“This is the biggest auction of Princess Diana ever,” he adds. “There are other items from other royal members – the King, Queen Camilla – but the focus is on Princess Diana. We loved Diana in 1997 and we have all these items that keep that memory alive.”
“She knew what to wear. She knew the essence of the clothing that she would wear could send the message that she wanted to deliver. And we love her for that.”
In this week’s episode, the hosts also talk to one of Princess Diana’s favourite designers, Jacques Azagury, who spoke about their last fitting together days before her tragic death, why he chose not to sell his famous five dresses at auction and reveals details about the last dress that Diana never got to wear.
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