"Diana: The Musical" Features Lady Di's Most Iconic Outfits — Here's What They Looked Like In Real Life
It’s finally here, folks! After months of waiting, Diana: The Musical has officially debuted on Netflix.
The Christopher Ashley–directed musical was meant to premiere on Broadway before being delayed due to COVID-19. Fortunately, Netflix took it upon themselves to save us mere mortals and give us the musical we never imagined possible.
The new musical follows the early days of the beloved princess’s relationship with Prince Charles up until her tragic death. Of course, it’s filled with some tearful moments, but best of all it has great moments that include the young princess finding her voice while wearing incredible outfits.
Below are the most iconic looks the designers came up with for the musical, all of which were inspired by the real-life outfits worn by Diana.
1.The famous black sheep sweater:
No one did Sweater Weather quite like Princess Diana. The musical made sure to pay homage to her fall/winter fashion sensibilities with this throwback of the famous black sheep sweater. The red sweater had rows of white sheep and one black one that stood out.
Diana's original look:
Diana sent a strong message with this sweater, which she wore for the first time in 1980 and again to a 1983 polo match that she attended with her husband, Prince Charles, and sister-in-law Sarah Ferguson. The message behind the sweater was pretty clear: Among royals, Diana was already beginning to feel like an outsider.
2.The engagement outfit from a department store:
For her engagement announcement in the musical, Diana wore a blue skirt suit from the department store Harrods.
Diana's original look:
According to legend, Diana was forced to break with royal tradition in her early days of being courted by Prince Charles and upon their announcement of their engagement. According to her biographer Andrew Morton, when she became engaged to Prince Charles, she “literally had one long dress, one silk shirt, one smart pair of shoes, and that was it." Of course, this didn't help when she had to find something to wear for her engagement announcement. After being ignored by the sales associates at Bellville Sassoon, à la Pretty Woman, she headed to Harrods and found this classic.
3.The world's most famous wedding gown:
This dress was so famous that it has an entire Wikipedia page; Princess Diana's dress was featured in a stunning scene for the musical that recreated the gown's lush fabric, massive sleeves, and incredible tulle veil.
Diana's original look:
Princess Diana's original gown, which was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, featured ivory silk taffeta, antique lace, and a train that was 25 feet long. At the time, the gown cost ￡9,000 (or roughly $34,750) today.
4.The polka dot birth announcement dress:
For her first birth announcement, Diana wore a dress by one of her favorite designers, Catherine Walker. The dress featured a sailor color and polka dots all over a turquoise blue fabric.
Diana's original look:
Throughout her pregnancy, Princess Diana's go-to looks were often designed by French-born fashion designer Catherine Walker.
5.The Catherine Walker suit at Ascot:
For her role as Diana, Jeanna de Waal wore a suit inspired by a Catherine Walker–designed suit. In the scene, Diana takes part in a public royal engagement and greets the public one by one, much to Prince Charles' dismay.
Diana's original look:
In real life, Diana wore the dress twice, once to Ascot and once to St. Paul's Cathedral. Famously, Princess Diana opted to buck royal tradition and wear gloves during these public engagements.
6.The "Uptown Girl" dress:
Diana: The Musical features the heavily talked about and famous dance in which Diana danced to Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl" at the Royal Opera House.
Diana's original look:
In real life, this dance actually happened. While attending a gala in December 1985, Diana is said to have quietly left her seat in the Royal Box to join dancer Wayne Sleep onstage. Together they danced to Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl." For her performance, Diana wore a white satin dress that fell past her calves.
7.The turquoise cocktail dress and the tiara choker set:
For the Broadway-intended musical, Jeanna de Waal as Princess Diana wore an asymmetric turquoise blue cocktail dress.
Diana's original look:
The original look is a famous one, not just because of the impeccable dress, but also because of the jewelry the late princess wore. With her daring gown, the princess wore an Art Deco emerald choker and tiara.
8.The little black revenge dress:
In one of the musical's biggest moments and homages to the life of Princess Diana, Jeanna de Waal wore her infamous revenge dress.
Diana's original look:
Diana wore the Christina Stambolian gown to the Serpentine Gallery’s summer party by Vanity Fair in 1994. Diana famously wore the dress two days after her husband, Prince Charles, admitted to having an affair with another woman. In a piece about the dress, Vogue called it the "progenitor of 'revenge dressing.'"
9.The White Belted Suit Dress
In the final performance for the show, Jeanna de Waal wore a white belted suit dress for her role as Princess Diana.
Diana's original look:
Diana was known for her chic white dresses and all-white looks. This final look before the curtain call seemed to be a tribute to the kind, sweet-hearted Diana as well as her sophistication and fashionable taste.
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