New Princess Diana exhibition to open at Kensington Palace

A new exhibition and temporary garden will open at Kensington Palace, to celebrate the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 2017.

The exhibition, Diana: Her Fashion Story, will open on 24th February 2017.

The exhibition will mark twenty years since her death, but will celebrate her life, focusing the 15 years in which she lived at Kensington Palace.

The display will showcase the evolution of Diana’s style, from the outfits from her first public appearances, to the glamour and elegance of her later life.

There will be a collection of her garments on display including her evening gowns from the 1980s and her Catherine Walker suits that made up her 1990s ‘working wardrobe’.

Highlights of the exhibition will include the pale pink Emanuel blouse worn for her engagement portrait in 1981, and her blue velvet gown, famously worn at the White House in the 1980s.

Visitors will be able to learn about how the Princess of Wales navigated her unique position in the public eye and how she used her image to engage and inspire people.

The gardens of Kensington Palace will also be altered to complement the exhibition, and will open in the spring and summer of 2017. There will be newly planted flowers and foliage inspired by the memories of the Princess’s life, image and style. 

Included in the gardens will be a palette of tulips, scented narcisii and ‘forget me nots’, along with classic English white roses and ornamental grasses.

Eleri Lynn, curator of Diana: Her Fashion Story, said: ‘Diana, Princess of Wales, was one of the most photographed women in the world, and every fashion choice she made was closely scrutinised. 

“Our exhibition explores the story of a young woman who had to quickly learn the rules of royal and diplomatic dressing, who in the process put the spotlight on the British fashion industry and designers.”

For more information visit www.hrp.org.uk.