Princess Diana’s iconic 1981 wedding gown has just been put on display at Kensington Palace. The setup is absolutely stunning, a long, well-lit glass case displaying the entire 25-foot train, and it’s a chance to see perhaps the 20th century’s single most iconic bridal ensemble in person. Here’s my question, though: Surely the wedding dress from a marriage that went that dramatically wrong is a little cursed, right?
The dress is going on display as part of the latest exhibition at Kensington Palace, “Royal Style in the Making,” which looks at how designers have worked with royals through several famous couture pieces. The Telegraph reports that featured dresses include a toile prototype used in the making of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother’s 1937 coronation gown and an 18th-century costume ball gown made for Princess Margaret, as well as a more casual, brightly floral dress Diana frequently wore to meet with children.
But the obvious marquee item is the famous wedding gown, on loan from the dukes of Cambridge and Sussex. Look, I would personally love to get close enough to see the beading and the delicate lace on the dress that influenced an entire generation of brides. At the same time, what a depressing artifact with very, very bad vibes! God knows what kind of ambient bad luck is swirling around this dress, and frankly, I do not want to find out.
The exhibit runs until January 2022; maybe think carefully before attending if you are currently engaged.