The dress Princess Diana wore to a gala dinner at the White House in 1985 has sold at auction for £264,000.
The Princess of Wales wore the midnight blue Victor Edelstein dress to the event which was hosted by then-President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan on 9 November.
The gown featured off-the-shoulder straps, a floor-sweeping velvet skirt, a decorative bow and layers of tulle petticoats.
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While the showstopping dress was newsworthy in its own right, it became one of Diana’s most iconic outfits after footage of her dancing with Grease actor John Travolta was seen worldwide.
London-based auction house Kerry Taylor Auctions estimated that the gown would fetch £350,000.
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Princess Diana’s wedding dress, July 1981
Diana married Prince Charles at St. Paul’s Cathedral on 29 July 1981 in a wedding dress designed by Emanuel. The dress featured a 25ft long train and was made of ivory silk, pure taffeta and antique lace.
AFP/Getty Images
2/17
Opening of the Barbican Arts Centre, March 1982
The Princess of Wales attended a Royal Gala Performance that opened the Barbican Arts Centre in London on 4 March 1982. She wore a full length red evening gown by Belville Sassoon.
Getty Images
3/17
Prince William’s Christening, August 1982
Following the christening of Prince William on 4 August 1982, Diana posed for a photograph with the Queen, the Queen mother, Prince Charles and the Duke of Edinburgh.
She wore a pink floral print dress paired with a matching hat and nude pumps.
AFP/Getty Images
4/17
Australian tour, March 1983
Princess Diana And Prince Charles watched an official event during their first royal tour in Australia. Diana wore a pastel pink dress with puffed sleeves and a fascinator
Getty Images
5/17
The birth of Prince Harry, September 1984
After giving birth to Prince Harry on 15 September 1984, Princess Diana stepped out for the first time in front of the Lindo Wing at St. Mary’s Hospital. To introduce her newborn son to the world, Diana wore a red blazer dress with a white collar and ascot tie.
Rex Features
6/17
Italian tour, 1985
During a royal tour of Italy, Princess Diana wore a bright pink polka-dot dress by Donald Campbell. She accessorised the look with a matching handbag and round pearl earrings.
Rex Features
7/17
Dancing with John Travolta, 1985
On 9 November 1985, Princess Diana attended a gala dinner at the White House. The royal danced with Grease actor John Travolta wearing a midnight blue velvet dress by Victor Edelstein. The dress sold at auction in 2013 for £240,000.
The necklace worn by Diana featured an oval sapphire and diamond centerpiece surrounded by strands of pearls and was a wedding present from the Queen Mother. It was originally a brooch but Diana had it converted into a choker.
Alamy Stock Photo
8/17
Miss Saigon, September 1989
Diana wears a pale blue silk chiffon strapless dress designed by fashion designer Catherine Walker to see Miss Saigon
Alamy Stock Photo
9/17
The Royal Albert Hall, October 1989
Princess Diana attended a concert at the Royal Albert Hall wearing a one-shoulder asymmetric black and red floral gown designed by Catherine Walker
Alamy Stock Photo
10/17
The Evening Standard Awards, November 1989
Princess Diana attended The Evening Standard Awards at the Savoy Hotel in London wearing a high-neck royal blue and black print dress. She accessorised the look with patent heels and a matching clutch bag
Alamy Stock Photo
11/17
Paris, November 1992
During a visit to an Aids Information Kiosk in Paris, Princess Diana wore a bright pink skirt suit. The jacket featured oversized round buttons and power shoulders
PA Archive/PA Images
12/17
Egypt, 1992
Princess Diana wore a pistachio green dress with a floral silk scarf to cover her hair during a visit to the Al Azhar mosque in Egypt
Alamy Stock Photo
13/17
Princess Diana wore an off-the-shoulder black dress by Christina Stambolian and a pearl choker to the Serpentine Gallery in London in 1994.
The ensemble has become otherwise known as the ‘revenge dress’ because the party occurred on the same night a television documentary aired in which Prince Charles confessed to his adultery with Camilla Parker Bowles.
Rex Features
14/17
Leaving the gym, 1995
Princess Diana wore a pair of orange cycling shorts with a graphic sweatshirt, chunky trainers and sunglasses as she left the Chelsea Harbour Club in 1995.
AFP/Getty Images
15/17
Princess Diana attended the Victor Chang Institute Royal Ball as the guest of honour in 1996 where she wore a satin one-shouldered blue dress.
She also wore an aquamarine ring, most recently worn by Meghan Markle to celebrate her marriage to Prince Harry.
AFP/Getty Images
16/17
Pakistan, February 1996
On 22 February 1996, Princess Diana attended a variety show in Lahore, Pakistan. She wore a mint green trouser suit with a sheer headscarf to cover her hair and pearl earrings
AFP/Getty Images
17/17
The Museum of Women in the Arts, June 1997
Princess Diana arrived at the Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington to attend a gala dinner for landmine victims. She wore a red sequinned dress by Jacques Azagury
PA Archive/PA Images
1/17
Princess Diana’s wedding dress, July 1981
Diana married Prince Charles at St. Paul’s Cathedral on 29 July 1981 in a wedding dress designed by Emanuel. The dress featured a 25ft long train and was made of ivory silk, pure taffeta and antique lace.
AFP/Getty Images
2/17
Opening of the Barbican Arts Centre, March 1982
The Princess of Wales attended a Royal Gala Performance that opened the Barbican Arts Centre in London on 4 March 1982. She wore a full length red evening gown by Belville Sassoon.
Getty Images
3/17
Prince William’s Christening, August 1982
Following the christening of Prince William on 4 August 1982, Diana posed for a photograph with the Queen, the Queen mother, Prince Charles and the Duke of Edinburgh.
She wore a pink floral print dress paired with a matching hat and nude pumps.
AFP/Getty Images
4/17
Australian tour, March 1983
Princess Diana And Prince Charles watched an official event during their first royal tour in Australia. Diana wore a pastel pink dress with puffed sleeves and a fascinator
Getty Images
5/17
The birth of Prince Harry, September 1984
After giving birth to Prince Harry on 15 September 1984, Princess Diana stepped out for the first time in front of the Lindo Wing at St. Mary’s Hospital. To introduce her newborn son to the world, Diana wore a red blazer dress with a white collar and ascot tie.
Rex Features
6/17
Italian tour, 1985
During a royal tour of Italy, Princess Diana wore a bright pink polka-dot dress by Donald Campbell. She accessorised the look with a matching handbag and round pearl earrings.
Rex Features
7/17
Dancing with John Travolta, 1985
On 9 November 1985, Princess Diana attended a gala dinner at the White House. The royal danced with Grease actor John Travolta wearing a midnight blue velvet dress by Victor Edelstein. The dress sold at auction in 2013 for £240,000.
The necklace worn by Diana featured an oval sapphire and diamond centerpiece surrounded by strands of pearls and was a wedding present from the Queen Mother. It was originally a brooch but Diana had it converted into a choker.
Alamy Stock Photo
8/17
Miss Saigon, September 1989
Diana wears a pale blue silk chiffon strapless dress designed by fashion designer Catherine Walker to see Miss Saigon
Alamy Stock Photo
9/17
The Royal Albert Hall, October 1989
Princess Diana attended a concert at the Royal Albert Hall wearing a one-shoulder asymmetric black and red floral gown designed by Catherine Walker
Alamy Stock Photo
10/17
The Evening Standard Awards, November 1989
Princess Diana attended The Evening Standard Awards at the Savoy Hotel in London wearing a high-neck royal blue and black print dress. She accessorised the look with patent heels and a matching clutch bag
Alamy Stock Photo
11/17
Paris, November 1992
During a visit to an Aids Information Kiosk in Paris, Princess Diana wore a bright pink skirt suit. The jacket featured oversized round buttons and power shoulders
PA Archive/PA Images
12/17
Egypt, 1992
Princess Diana wore a pistachio green dress with a floral silk scarf to cover her hair during a visit to the Al Azhar mosque in Egypt
Alamy Stock Photo
13/17
Princess Diana wore an off-the-shoulder black dress by Christina Stambolian and a pearl choker to the Serpentine Gallery in London in 1994.
The ensemble has become otherwise known as the ‘revenge dress’ because the party occurred on the same night a television documentary aired in which Prince Charles confessed to his adultery with Camilla Parker Bowles.
Rex Features
14/17
Leaving the gym, 1995
Princess Diana wore a pair of orange cycling shorts with a graphic sweatshirt, chunky trainers and sunglasses as she left the Chelsea Harbour Club in 1995.
AFP/Getty Images
15/17
Princess Diana attended the Victor Chang Institute Royal Ball as the guest of honour in 1996 where she wore a satin one-shouldered blue dress.
She also wore an aquamarine ring, most recently worn by Meghan Markle to celebrate her marriage to Prince Harry.
AFP/Getty Images
16/17
Pakistan, February 1996
On 22 February 1996, Princess Diana attended a variety show in Lahore, Pakistan. She wore a mint green trouser suit with a sheer headscarf to cover her hair and pearl earrings
AFP/Getty Images
17/17
The Museum of Women in the Arts, June 1997
Princess Diana arrived at the Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington to attend a gala dinner for landmine victims. She wore a red sequinned dress by Jacques Azagury
PA Archive/PA Images
However, bids failed to reach the reserve price of £200,000 at an auction on Monday.
The dress was later sold post-auction to Historic Royal Palaces – an independent charity that manages some of the United Kingdom’s unoccupied royal palaces
“We’re delighted to have acquired this iconic evening gown for the royal ceremonial dress collection – a designated collection of national and international importance – over 20 years since it first left Kensington Palace,” said Eleri Lynn, curator at Historic Royal Palaces.
“Not only is the ‘Travolta’ dress a fantastic example of couture tailoring designed to dazzle on a state occasion, it represents a key moment in the story of 20th-century royal fashion.”
Lynn went on describe the princess as someone who became a “timeless” and “elegant” fashion icon.
The iconic dress was one of Diana’s favourite garments and was worn by her on a number of other occasions, including a state visit to Austria in 1986 and a night at the Royal Opera House in 1991. She also wore it for her portrait by Lord Snowden in 1997.
In June 1997 – just two months before the royal’s death – Diana auctioned off the dress for £100,000 to raise funds for Aids charities.
Florida-based businesswoman Maureen Dunkel purchased the gown and kept it in her possession until it was sold for £240,000 in March 2013.
According to reports, a British man purchased the item as a gift to cheer up his wife.
In an interview with People magazine in 1985, Travolta revealed that he was invited to the event at the White House by Nancy Reagan, who wanted him to dance with Diana.
“She asked me if I would mind dancing with the princess later in the evening,” Travolta recalled.
“I asked if that was appropriate, and Mrs Reagan smiled and said, ‘Oh yes. It’s one of her wishes. When the music from your movie comes up, if you wouldn’t mind just asking her if she’d care to dance’.”
The actor added that he was impressed with the royal’s dancing abilities, stating that she had “great rhythm”.