Diana’s legacy endures 29 years after her death as personal items fetch record prices

Nearly three decades after Diana, Princess of Wales, died on Aug. 31, 1997, interest in her life continues to command extraordinary prices. Her clothes, letters and personal belongings remain sought after by collectors around the world.

Diana herself anticipated the commercial value attached to her public image. In her 1995 BBC interview with Martin Bashir, she said, “You see yourself as a good product on a shelf that sells well, and people make a lot of money at your expense.” That observation still fits the market surrounding her legacy.

Television series such as *The Crown*, biographical films, musicals and documentaries have introduced Diana to new generations. Her brother, Charles Spencer, has also added to that continuing interest with *Swan Song: Diana, My Sister*. Explaining the book, he said, “I want to put my own thoughts and memories down in writing, once and for all, rather than having to endure the discomfort of rereading other people’s opinions, many of which are based on falsehoods accepted as truth over time.”

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You see yourself as a good product on a shelf that sells well, and people make a lot of money at your expense.

The auction market offers some of the clearest evidence of Diana’s enduring appeal. Sotheby’s sold a red sweater decorated with white sheep and one black sheep for about 944,000 euros, making it the most valuable sweater sold at auction at that time. In June 1997, Diana had also put 79 dresses up for sale through Christie’s at Prince William’s suggestion, raising more than 3 million euros for cancer and AIDS research.

Other records followed. Julien’s Auctions sold a velvet dress designed by Jacques Azagury for about 978,000 euros in December 2023. Her black 1985 Ford Escort RS Turbo Series 1 reached approximately 656,000 euros in London in 2022. A handwritten three-page letter sold for 37,000 euros, while a slice of Diana’s wedding cake fetched about 2,150 euros.

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I want to put my own thoughts and memories down in writing, once and for all, rather than having to endure the discomfort of rereading other people’s opinions, many of which are based on falsehoods accepted as truth over time.