BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOS OF DIANA

A Side View of the Pearl Studded Dress

 

Catherine Walker (born in 1945) designed this dress which Princess Di commissioned for an official visit to Hong Kong in November, 1989.

Catherine Walker said about her design, “I chose pearls because they seemed so appropriate for a visit to the Orient.”The dress is made of silk with oyster pearls and sequins. Embroidery was by 5 Lock LTD. What a thrill it must have been to work on this dress

2009 Trooping the Colour William & Harry

Diana Dress Display in California?

Ever since the Virgin Megastore closed at Downtown Disney’s West Side, speculation has been rampant on what will go inside the shuttered space. The latest rumor states that an agreement has been signed between Disney and Maureen Rorech Dunkel, a woman who purchased 14 of the princess’s dresses just weeks before her death, to display them at Downtown Disney.Click here to read the report.

Since this rumor is not confirmed. there is no word on whether there will be an admission charge to view the dresses if they do indeed come to Disney. There is also the question of whether the display would be permanent or just a temporary attraction until something else moves into the enormous store.

The Disney name is certainly tied closely to princesses, albeit the fictional kind. Time will tell whether Diana (pictured at right), a real-life princess who had a not so happily ever after, will join them.

Since this rumor is not confirmed. there is no word on whether there will be an admission charge to view the dresses if they do indeed come to Disney. There is also the question of whether the display would be permanent or just a temporary attraction until something else moves into the enormous store.

The Disney name is certainly tied closely to princesses, albeit the fictional kind. Time will tell whether Diana (pictured at right), a real-life princess who had a not so happily ever after, will join them.

Ever since the Virgin Megastore closed at Downtown Disney’s West Side, speculation has been rampant on what will go inside the shuttered space. The latest rumor states that an agreement has been signed between Disney and Maureen Rorech Dunkel, a woman who purchased 14 of the princess’s dresses just weeks before her death, to display them at Downtown Disney.Click here to read the report.

Since this rumor is not confirmed. there is no word on whether there will be an admission charge to view the dresses if they do indeed come to Disney. There is also the question of whether the display would be permanent or just a temporary attraction until something else moves into the enormous store.

The Disney name is certainly tied closely to princesses, albeit the fictional kind. Time will tell whether Diana (pictured at right), a real-life princess who had a not so happily ever after, will join them.

Rare photo of Diana poolside

Chris Arrant comes to the Princess Diana Book Boutique Blog!

 

CHRIS ARRANT PRESENTS PRINCESS DIANA’S STORY

BY JENNIFER M. CONTINO
Although a lot of people know Chris Arrant for his writing about the comic medium, he’s also been writing comics for several years. But nothing as high profile as getting the chance to tell the story of Diana Princess of Wales for the Female Force Princess Diana issue. He told us what it was like working on Diana’s life story, and the challenges of fitting everything he wanted to into the special.

THE PULSE: Most people might know you for your comics reporting, but you’ve written a few comics before the Female Force Princess Diana, right?

CHRIS ARRANT: Writing has been something I’ve always wanted to do ‘ all the way back to a small-press comic I did during high school in the mid-90s called CCU Presents. But yes, I’m primarily known for comics reporting ‘ which I’ve been doing regularly since 2003.

I’ve been working on comics for some time, but only in recent years has it reached fruition. I went to school for illustration and have some half-aborted comics projects, but it really started coming together for me in 2006. It was that that year I self-published an anthology called Four Stories with four stories (duh!) written by me and illustrated by 4 artists: Joanna Estep, Eric Adams, Jessica Hickman and Matt Bayne. I self-published 500 copies and gave it out as freebies at San Diego Comicon and it really opened doors for me.

I followed that up with a webcomic called 1 Way Ticket with artist Dan Warner. While it’s currently on hiatus, it really taught me a lot of valuable lessons ‘ lessons I put to use in my comics writing and reporting, and ones I hope to put to use when Dan and I get a chance to finish that story.

Self-publishing Four Stories and 1 Way Ticket got me the attention of the editors of Negative Burn, 24Seven Vol. 2 and Comic Book Tattoo ‘ all of which I had short stories published in.

After those were all published, I approached several publishers about doing longer work ‘ I love doing anthology work, but I really wanted to sink my teeth into larger work. I have several creator-owned projects I’m trying to get off the ground, and while that is being developed I hooked up with Darren Davis at Bluewater Productions. Because of my journalism background, he thought I’d be a good match to do one of the Female Force one-shots and I chose Diana, Princess of Wales as my subject.

THE PULSE: Speaking of your journalism background, how do you keep that side of your work different from the comic writing bit? I mean, every time you do a story with a publisher you work with now, are you worried people might think there is some kind of bias?

ARRANT: This is something I’m highly aware of, and I have talks with all my editors about it ‘ both my comics journalism editors Matt Brady (Newsarama), Rhett Thomas (Marvel’s Marvel Spotlight) and Calvin Reid (PW Comics Week); as well as my actual comic editors —- in this case Darren at Bluewater, and formerly Rantz Hoseley at Comic Book Tattoo and Ivan Brandon at 24Seven Vol. 2.

I actively endeavor to keep my comics writing separate from my comics journalism ‘ going to the extent of avoid covering an entire company if I’m actively writing for them, and after if I do cover them in comics journalism I try to put in a disclaimer.

My comics editors have been really great though ‘ no one’s asked for any favors or ‘ins’ at the news sources I write for. At most, I maybe assist on marketing strategy ideas for the books I’m working on. That’s what my day job is anyway ‘ I own a marketing & graphic design firm here in Florida.

Am I worried people might feel there is some kind of bias? It does enter my mind, but if I spent too much time worrying about what other people think then I’m not working. I try to be completely frank with my editors, and we work it out together.

THE PULSE: Sounds like you got it covered. So did you have a choice out of the Female Force to work on? If so, why choose Princess Diana?

ARRANT: Yes, Darren presented several different options inside the Female Force line and I ultimately decided upon Princess Diana. Darren puts a lot of thought into who to cover – and who not to cover in the FF series – but I thought that Diana would be right up my alley. It took a couple days of thinking to get my head into it, but after reading some essays and watching some videos it really sunk in that doing a commemorative biography of Diana Princess of Wales would be ideal for me.

THE PULSE: Did you know a lot about Princess Diana or did you start to discover more about her after she was killed like a lot of us?

ARRANT: Prior to working on this book I had only read one book on Diana. Several years ago I read Andrew Morton’s book on Diana after her death. I was fascinated by the celebrity status she attained and the tragic ending of her life. My mother was a lifelong fan of her work, but it wasn’t until I read Diana Her True Story that I could see why people grew so attached to her.

THE PULSE: What were some of the things you were surprised to learn about Princess Diana?

ARRANT: Princess Diana’s life was many things, but I was most surprised by is the amazing amount of willpower and intelligence she showed. Although she has famously called herself “thick as a plank” and is haunted by low scores in school, Diana’s ability to talk, negotiate and maneuver in the company she kept of royals, politicians and celebrity showed amazing tenacity and resourcefulness. Diana took the mantle of princess and broadened it to speak on important issues she saw in her travels, and forced the public to speak about such formerly taboo things such as AIDS.

And personally, her “comeback” after the very public divorce with Prince Charles was amazing. In examining her life as a whole I’m amazed by the flow of her life which simulated a three-act structure of a great play.

THE PULSE: So how did you figure out what to include here and what needed to be left out? After all you only had so many pages to tell your story ….

ARRANT: After Bluewater Publisher Darren and I agreed on the tone of the book, I wrote a very detailed timeline of all the events in Diana’s life, from her birth to the day of her funeral. All in all it amounted to over 300 entries into this timeline, and then around that I began identifying themes and narratives that were inherent in the course of her life. After all that was done, I pinpointed all of the must-have moments of the book – both in imagery and in substance, that really define Diana’s life. Using those moments, I did a very rough breakdown of the 22-pages into 1-page increments and used that as a roadmap to what the final book turned out to be.

My wife will tell you I’m all about using analogies to describe something, so imagine writing this book as if you’re planning a road trip. You have X days and you know what your big destination is, but you also look for smaller things to see on your way to and from the big destination. And along the way you might see something you hadn’t planned on and decide to stop, which is exactly what happened when writing the final script. Along the way there were two spots were I went off my outline to include some moments that were originally on the cutting room floor.

THE PULSE: Like what? What are some things we might see here that haven’t been too touched upon?

ARRANT: Well, Diana’s life has been covered in a number of articles, books, television series and movies so I can’t claim that I found any new territory. But in chronicling the defining moments of Diana’s life, the themes that began to appear really pushed me as a writer to explore the more personal side of her life, especially her interactions with her former husband and children. I strove to get to the bottom of why Diana might’ve fallen for Charles in the first place – was it because he was a Prince, or was their a real connection there?

And with her children, the fact that she was a mother was well-known but getting past all the lights and media scrutiny, I researched very in-depth to discover and portray the real moments between a mother and her sons that some people might not know about.

THE PULSE: Were you able to talk to anyone who knew Diana?

ARRANT: Although I tried on several occasions and with several different people, unfortunately no I wasn’t about to talk with anyone who knew Diana closely. Instead I relied on second-hand information shown in books, articles and video pieces done on Diana.

THE PULSE: Do you think being able to talk to someone would have made things different in the long run?

ARRANT: Definitely. As a journalist, the quality of your sources and the ability to talk to them first hand really enriches the strength of a piece. But while I didn’t have first-hand access to any individuals close to Diana, I relied on the next best thing available.

THE PULSE: Right. You said your mom was a fan, what does she think of you working on this project?

ARRANT: Actually, she doesn’t know. I’ve been trying to keep a tight lid on it here on the home front so when the book finally comes out I can present her an actual copy of the book. She’s not very internet-savvy, so I think my secret is safe. [laughs]

What do you think she’ll think?

THE PULSE: She’s a mom. She’ll be very proud! What did working on this project teach you about the ins and outs of the industry that you really hadn’t known yet?

ARRANT: Although I’ve done several comics before, this is my first full-length comic book. Short stories are like writing a perfect three-minute song, while doing a full-length comic is like doing a Led Zeppelin-esque epic 8 or 9 minute song. Every page was measured so I didn’t use too much bravado or pomp, while still delivering the goods and building up for those high moments. I learned a lot about pacing with this book.

THE PULSE: What was the editorial process like? Did they like what you did basically or were there a lot of changes being asked for? What’s that like?

ARRANT: Working as a comics journalist, I’ve heard and read a lot of horror stories about editorial changes. And even though I don’t work in comics full-time, I work with editors every day as a journalist and in a similar situation with clients as a graphic designer. For Female Force: Princess Diana, Darren was very hands-off to the editorial: we worked closely together in the beginning to figure out the shape and tone of the books, but once that was settled he gave me free range to write a great 22 page comic commemorating Princess Diana. Internally I went through several drafts, but Darren approved the one draft I sent to him – the final. And no rewrites!

THE PULSE: Who brought this story to life?

ARRANT: Andrew Yerrakadu did an amazing job drawing this book. Andrew’s done some work in the past online and with some smaller publishers, but for both of us this is our biggest project to date. You wouldn’t know it from looking, but he’s an attorney who works on comics by night. That sounds like a superhero, doesn’t it?

And rounding out the art team on this is colorist Kristy Swan and lettering by DigitalCAPS. Coloring might look easy to some, but it’s hard to do what Kristy does, especially with this kind of story where you’re balancing these real events while striving to create something that lives up to the image of Diana.

THE PULSE: What other projects are you working on?

ARRANT: I’ve got several projects in the works, including a full-length graphic novel of the short story Eric Adams and I did called Stuart which ran in Negative Burn and my self-published book Four Stories. I’ve also got a three-issue miniseries I’m hoping to get off the ground this month, I’m just looking for the right artist to make it sing.

Besides that, Darren and I are already talk about what I can do next for BlueWater — I’d really love the chance to do an issue of Vincent Price Presents.

******************************************************************

We’d like to thank Chris for letting us use this interview and fabulous preview of photos to promote the book and if you would like to order it please let us know.   theprincessisin@princessdianabookboutique.com

FEMALE FORCE COMING TO PRINCESS DIANA BOOK BOUTIQUE SOON

 

As featured on CNN, FOX NEWS, MSNBC, PEOPLE, and OK! Magazine! Princess. Public Figure. Philanthropist. Parent. Diana, Princess of Wales emerged in the early 1980s as a fresh face to the stoic British monarchy with a storybook wedding, but later a tabloid breakup a modern British woman and admirable icon to not only England, but the world! We will be taking orders for this next week – please contact us to reserve a copy!

theprincessisin@princessdianabookboutique.com

IN A CLOUD OF TULLE – WEDDING DRESS PORTRAIT

BOW AND TIES RED DRESS

Diana’s Summer Holiday

NEW MEMORIAL DVD ON PRINCESS DIANA

We have just come across the dvd of the 10th memorial anniversary movie done on the last year of her life.  It is well done with historical footage and good acting, unlike many that were done in years past.

158 MINUTES OF HER LAST YEAR AND THE FINAL HOURS IN PARIS

COMMENTARY ON THE MAKING OF THE MOVIE IS INCLUDED

AS WELL, AS THIS DVD WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BANNED.

SUPERBLY ACTED AND WITH HISTORICAL FOOTAGE INCLUDED IN THE MOVIE

FORMAT IS NTSC BUT IF YOU HAVE A MULTI REGION DVD PLAYER IT WILL WORK

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AND MORE DRESSES FOR YOU FASHION FANS!

SOME MORE FASHION PHOTOS!

FIRST COUTURE ITEM OF LADY DIANA GOES UP FOR AUCTION

DID YOU KNOW THAT THE PINK BLOUSE IS GOING UP FOR AUCTION?  IT IS THE FIRST BLOUSE THAT WAS A COUTURE ITEM THAT DIANA WORE FOR HER FIRST ENGAGEMENT PHOTO SHOOT. AND, IT WAS A BORROWED ITEM THAT SHE NEVER OWNED!   KEEP WATCHING THE BLOG FOR DETAILS THAT ARE COMING! 

Wedding Dress Miniature to be auctioned!

October 3, 2008

Elizabeth Emanuel, who gained notoriety for designing Princess Diana’s wedding dress, has announced that she will auction the pink chiffon blouse she loaned to Lady Diana Spencer for a Vogue Magazine photo shoot shortly before Diana became engaged to Prince Charles in 1980.

The chiffon blouse, designed by Emanuel, was worn by Lady Diana for a portrait taken by Lord Snowdon, and led Diana to purchase a black dress from the design shop, which she wore on her first official royal public engagement. Diana later requested that Emanuel and her former husband, David Emanuel design her wedding dress.

The distinctive pink blouse was loaned to Vogue Magazine after the publication called the Emanuels and asked if they had a blouse with a very high neck that they would be willing to lend to a “very famous personality.” The magazine did not reveal the wearer at that time, but the couple were thrilled to learn that it was Lady Diana who would appear in their creation.

Emanuel says that financial difficulties are the reason she’ll be auctioning off the blouse, along with a collection of about 200 other garments designed for celebrities, including dresses worn by actresses Elizabeth Hurley and Helena Bonham Carter. In addition, a 16-inch miniature version of Diana’s wedding dress made from the same material as the dress itself, will also be included in the auction. Emanuel had hoped to avoid auctioning the collection, but investments in a planned business venture did not materialise as she had hoped, and she says that her situation forces the auction.  weddingblog.au feature!

SOME RARE PHOTOS OF DIANA

WHAT ARE YOU COLLECTING ON DIANA? SOME OF OUR LATEST FINDS!

Like many collectors, we spend a lot of time searching for Diana items.  Our collecting has taken us as far as India, Japan and South America.  Not surprisingly, most of our searches end up in the UK as many of the publications, books, photos and other memorabilia originated there.  We have recently collected some unusual items and are constantly surprised how many different ways her image was used on various media.  Here are some of our most recent finds!  We look forward to seeing your posts on some of your Diana collections!   More on this topic in the future!

Princess Diana’s Ancestral Home Althorp inspires a new furniture line in the USA

 

A housewalk in northwest suburban Inverness on Friday is co-sponsored by Honquest Furniture in Barrington, which is presenting a new furniture line that includes replicas of antiques at Althorp, the 500-year-old Spencer family home in England. Eighteen generations of the Spencer family have resided in the 90-room mansion, which is loaded with vintage paintings, furniture, china, and sculpture.

Charles, the 9th Earl Spencer, was recently in a furniture store in Tampa, Fla., in a promotion for Althorp furniture.

“When we were children, visiting our grandfather at Althorp, they were just [furniture] pieces,” said Spencer about the heirlooms amassed by 18 generations before him. “We weren’t allowed to touch them,” he told the Tampa Tribune.

“I’ve relaxed the rules. I’ve got six kids — which I don’t think is bad as a Protestant — and they have the run of the home.”

That policy led to one accident at the mansion. Years ago, his daughter, Kitty, now 17, dropped a tobacco box that had belonged to Admiral Lord Nelson, the Napoleonic war hero who died in 1805.

“It smashed,” Spencer said.

Spencer’s sister was the late Princess Diana, who was killed in an automobile accident in 1997. His appearance at the Tampa store included one strict rule: no questions about Diana. Diana’s image doesn’t appear on any of the Althorp furniture promotional brochures.

Charles became the Ninth Earl in 1992, and he considers himself merely the caretaker of Althorp.

“Ask any of the occupants of Britain’s great country houses what their greatest challenge is and they will — early on — touch on the responsibility they feel for preserving their heritage,” says Spencer in promotional material for Althorp Furniture. “But first and foremost, Althorp isn’t a museum, it’s still a home,” he said. The home is open for touring at times.

“In common with the majority of those entrusted with such duties, I view my role primarily as custodian rather than owner,” said the 40-year-old Spencer. “I would be proud if, in my final days, I felt I was handing Althorp on to my heir in a better state than in which I had inherited it,” be said.

Maintenance, insurance and staff costs about $1 million annually.

Another famous Spencer was Lady Georgiana Spencer, who is the subject of a new movie, “The Duchess,” starring Keira Knightley.   Sun Times – Chicago.

DIANA’S CHARITY WORK LIVES ON

 

The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund is today delighted to announce the launch of its new learning and evaluation framework.

The Fund has developed its learning and evaluation framework to capture and share learning with other funders and organisations. In continuing its support and guidance to the sector, the Fund will host interactive events and talks, commission research and publish findings aimed at leaving a lasting legacy of social change.

Astrid Bonfield, Chief Executive of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund says,

“It is with great pleasure that this new focus of our work is launched today. In continuing the humanitarian work of Diana, Princess of Wales, we want to have a lasting impact on the lives of the most vulnerable and marginalised. With the right focus, evaluation can challenge and change existing practice and, in turn, ensure that the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund’s grants totalling £100 million over 11 years to 350 organisations continues to provide lasting improvements for some of the world’s most disadvantaged individuals.”

Click here for more information about the Fund’s learning and evaluation framework and approach

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING A COPY OF THE 1997 DIANA’S WORLD MAGAZINE ABOVE PLEASE CONTACT US OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE —> www.princessdianabookboutique.com

email:  theprincessisin@princessdianabookboutique.com

It is hard to think of Althorp without immediately connecting this beautiful Northamptonshire estate with Diana, Princess of Wales; whether it be her hunted life, her tragic death or the emotional time when crowds watched her funeral cortege winding through the gates to carry her body to a final resting place.

But there was a time before Diana.

This year marks the 500th anniversary of Althorp; the Spencer family home first bought by wealthy sheep farmer Sir John Spencer and passed down to 18 further generations.

And today marks the launch of a new exhibition entitled The Spencers at Althorp: 500 years of family history, which includes a display of historic images and artefacts highlighting some of the most influential people in the house’s past.

The exhibition of eight display pods – each focusing on a different member of the Spencer family – was put together by project managers Anne Fletcher and Oriel Wilson.

Earl Spencer said: “It was difficult to know where to start, but we wanted to bring the house alive with the people who have passed through here.

“Getting it down to eight people was complicated as hundreds of people have lived here over the 500 years.

“But you have people like the first Duchess of Marlborough, who was incredibly important.

By leaving her personal wealth to my family she took us from being rich farmers to wealthy, important people.

“Then there is Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. There is about to be a big film coming out about her and we thought people would be able to connect with that in a straightforward way.”

The final display in the saloon area of the house brings the story of the Spencers up to date, with a family album displayed to the public for the first time.

It includes photographs of the present Earl Spencer as a boy at Althorp, together with his sisters.

Earl Spencer said: “My job for the future of Althorp is to keep it going and make sure it is in good condition.

“There is a lot of work to do to the house and it has great maintenance needs, but it has to be somewhere my family wants to come to, as a family home and not just historical rooms.

“By bringing alive some of my ancestors in this way, I hope that our visitors will get a better understanding of how their personal tastes, activities and interests have made this wonderful house what it is today and will be able to see the central role they have played in shaping our history.”

The exhibition can be seen throughout this summer season at Althorp, which runs until August 30. For more information log onto www.althorp.com

A lock of Nelson’s hair
This lock of Horatio Nelson’s hair is displayed as part of the exhibition relating to George John, the second Earl Spencer who had been First Lord of Admiralty in 1794.

As an influential man, George John had promoted Nelson to take command of the English fleet.

When Admiral Lord Nelson lost his life at the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar, a lock of his hair was sent to the Spencer family.

George John, who lived between 1758 and 1834, is also well known because of his obsession with collecting rare books.

During his lifetime he turned eight rooms at Althorp into a library of 43,000 books. His habit nearly bankrupted the family and eventually they had to sell the London boroughs of Wandsworth, Battersea and Putney to pay the debts.

Marie Antoinette’s chocolate set
Included in the exhibition section relating to Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire, is a set of dainty cups and plates which once belonged to Marie Antoinette.

Georgiana (1757-1806), who is to be played by actress Keira Knightley in a film to be released this year, was notorious for gambling and ran up enormous debts.

She also had a series of affairs and, when she fell pregnant, she was sent to France to have the child secretly.

While there, she became friends with queen Marie Antoinette, who presented her with a chocolate set.

Family photo album
An album of photos, depicting the current Earl Spencer with his sisters Diana, Jane and Sarah, is also on display as part of the exhibition.

These never before seen photographs show this generation of Spencers during their childhood at Althorp between 1964 and 1969.

They were taken by the 8th Earl Spencer, their father, who was known to be a talented photographer.

Sedan chair, used by Georgiana, the first Countess Spencer
This chair, which dates from 1760, was once used by Georgiana to travel around London while staying at the family’s home in London, Spencer House.

Georgiana and the first Earl Spencer John married secretly in the Oak bedroom at Althorp.

As a love token to his wife, and to demonstrate his importance, he built Spencer House, which is still owned by the family today.  NorthHampton Chronicle and Echo – UK

 

 

10 CARD SET OF ALTHORP WITH CASE

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AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT THE LEATHER BOUND CHRISTIE’S CATALOGUE FROM THE 1997 DRESS SALE OF PRINCESS DIANA’S DRESSES!

For all our avid Princess Diana collectors, we offer this exclusive look at the Violet Leather Bound Christie’s Auction Catalogue – one of 250 ever published and SIGNED by Princess Diana at the time of the June 1997 sale of her dresses in New York.   Pictures speak louder than words, and, if ever there were an investment piece in Princess Diana collectibles, this has to be the ultimate item! 

 

 

THIS ABSOLUTELY EXQUISITE CATALOGUE IS FOR SALE AND ITS PROVENANCE IS IMPECCABLE!

THESE ARE ACTUAL PHOTOS OF THE CATALOGUE.

#166 of 250 signed – we also have #239 of 250 signed available as well.

PLEASE CONTACT US FOR DETAILS. SERIOUS INQUIRIES ONLY PLEASE. 

EMAIL: theprincessisin@princessdianabookboutique.com

 

Diana the Athlete

Princess Diana was well known for her athletic prowess.  Here she is in an early, undated photo, skiing long before whe was married.  We will have more rare, athletic photos of her coming soon!  Plus, an update soon on rare collectibles we are finding!  

FORMER KENSINGTON PALACE CHEF TO SELL MEMENTOS

PRINCESS DIANA PORTRAITS

ISRAEL ZOHAR PORTRAIT

Protected: Diana at Christmas

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More Diana holiday photos. . .

FIRST CHRISTMAS AS PRINCESS OF WALES

TURNING ON THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS – REGENT STREET, LONDON

And more holiday photos!

And we’ve got more holiday photos coming up soon so stay tuned!

Diana’s 1995 Christmas Card

The 1995 Christmas Card from Diana and her two sons.  We will attempt to show all the Christmas Cards here from our collection shortly.  Enjoy!

1992 Christmas Card from our Collection

PRINCE WILLIAM AND PRINCE HARRY WERE FEATURED ON THE CHRISTMAS CARD THE YEAR THE SEPARATION WAS ANNOUNCED BUT WAS SIGNED BY BOTH THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS IN 1992.

1986 Christmas Card Family Photo Snap

1988 Christmas Card at Highgrove – rarely seen!

1990 Christmas Card

Charles and Diana Christmas Service 1981

1983 Christmas Card

Prince Charles’ Farmhouse in Wales

The Prince of Wales acquired the old Welsh Farmhouse in 2008 and it is of modest design both inside and out.  Furnished in traditional welsh rugs, wall coverings and pottery it is to be used as a base for his travels in Wales.  The farm complex will be available for rentals when he is not in residence. The Royal Bedroom below is furnished with welsh blankets and rugs.

Rarely seen Oil Painting of Princess Diana in Wedding Dress 1981

This rarely seen portrait was commissioned by Prince Charles after their 1981 nuptials – it is said that it was his favorite picture of Diana in her wedding dress and he had an oil painting done of it that is still in his private collection – The portrait is nearly two metres high.

RARE PHOTO OF AN EXPECTANT DIANA

The Black Engagement Dress

A recent rare collectible on Diana

One of our recent finds on Diana’s death in 1997!  We believe it to be a UK publication.

More rare collectibles on Princess Diana

We have been in the business of collecting Princess Diana ephemera for 29 years.  From time to time we will showcase some of the more rare items we have found.  The two featured here are a book of poems from India and a remembrance DVD. 

Yet one more RARE collectible…

This is one of the most rare items on Princess Diana in terms of collectibles from her death.  It was published in Europe in 1997-1998 and there is nothing like it.  We searched high and low for it and we offer it for sale so if you are interested please contact us.  Lovely softcover sticker book commemorating her life through all its stages.  Complete and intact and we know of no other place to find it!

The Black White Gown from the trip to Saudi Arabia

Photos of the Princess we love!

The Green Unseen Gown

Victor Edelstein designed this emerald ballgown with a capsule of satin forming a bustle in back.. Diana wore it for one of her formal portraits. It has really never been seen in a full photo as she never wore it publicly. 

Purple Velvet Gown from Portugal Tour

The gown was designed by Bruce Oldfield and worn by Diana in November 1988 to the  Bruce Oldfield Gala held at Grosvenor House.  Matching velvet shoes were made for the gown.

Also worn in 1987 to Portugal on an official tour.

 

NAVY BLUE COCKTAIL DRESS

This is another Catherine Walker design worn in 1989 during a trip to Hong Kong.  Rarely seen afterwards.  Knee length with gorgeous jeweled button detailing and satin accents.

Blue White Floral Strapless Gown

This strapless floral gown was also designed by Catherine Walker. Diana wore it for the famous dance in OZ with Charles at Melbourne in 1988 and also at the premiere of Crocodile Dundee.  It was recently on display in Florida and it surprisingly has a baby pink background when seen up close.  The bright colors have faded over the years, but a stunning dress.

Thailand Ball Gown

The Thailand Ball Gown is by Catherine Walker and was designed for the Thailand tour in 1988 -colors being in tribute to that country. She did wear it one more time in 1989 before it went to auction in 1997.

The Revenge: Christina Stambolian Dress

Often referred to as the revenge dress, Diana wore this to the Serpentine Gallery the night Charles was interviewed by Jonathan Dimbleby on UK television.  

Sexy, confident, black and figure tight she knocked his admission of adultery right off the front pages of the UK papers the next day.  You can see why.

Green Sequin Gown

The Blue green ruched gown embroidered by Jacob Schlaepfer. Split to the knee it has been on display at Kensington Palace.

The Red & Black Flamenco Dress

More Gowns!

Fuschia Dress

WORN ON THE STATE VISIT TO THAILAND IN 1988

Sari Dress

Grey Sari Dress

For more Dress photo books please check our store:

www.princessdianabookboutique.com

Diana Look A Like in Australia

Daily Telegraph Sydney Australia

 

IT was during a trip to Madrid last year that Gules D’Orsi realised just how much she looked like a certain famous someone.

“I was in Plaza Mayor and a homeless man came up to me and started screaming,” she giggled.

“He was screaming, so loudly, `Diana, you’re not dead!’ - over and over again.

“Everyone stopped and stared.”

But Gules (pronounced “Jules”) is not deliberately going for the look, despite appearances to the contrary.

The Adelaide University psychology student, who also works at David Jones, discovered her iconic look after a bit of trial and error.

“I never really had a hairstyle so I was just experimenting and started wearing it short,” she said.

“Straightaway, people said I looked like Princess Diana and I thought that’s cool, but I’m not consciously trying to look like her.

“I’m just really comfortable dressed like this, even though I do get stares.

“I cop so much for my hair.

“Women come up and take pictures of me and ask if they can put them on Facebook.

“I get the occasional idiot but it’s usually women and they’re lovely.”

Ms D’Orsi, 25, is a little young to remember much about the early days of the princess, but she doesn’t mind the comparisons.

“It’s lovely and always a compliment,” she said.

“I was always a tomboy, but I got to a point where I knew I had to present myself better. I used to be a major dag.

Early photos of Diana

The Princess’ Dior Bag is still in style!

Diana with one of her favourite bags while in Argentina.

The Lady Dior makes a cool comeback, writes DAZMAN MANAN.

WHILE its ladylike vibes may not exactly appeal to the modern and edgy IT girls of today, Lady Dior has nevertheless managed to find its way into their cool closets.

Sarah’s lambskin Lady Dior.

Michelle has one too!

Mischa Barton was recently spotted carrying her oversized patent version with frayed, skinny jeans, peasant blouse and canvas sneakers lending her boho-chic look a touch of elegance.

Sarah Jessica Parker was probably channelling her Carrie Bradshaw character when she was photographed in a woollen skullcap, sporty sunglasses and a classy, black lambskin Lady Dior.

Refreshingly fashionable, Barton and Parker’s quirky pairings of the utterly sophisticated bag has guaranteed the Lady Dior a cool comeback.

Launched in September 1995, the Lady Dior bag was given to the late Diana, Princess of Wales by former French First Lady Bernadette Chirac, on the occasion of her visit to the Cézanne exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris, sponsored by the LVMH group.
The house of Dior’s latest creation was immediately adopted by the Princess, who ordered every available version and colour including a black crocodile, a pink ostrich and a black satin with diamante-studded charms.

In November 1995, during her visit to a children’s home in Birmingham, Diana was photographed by the international press with the bag, holding a child in her arms. That was the beginning of a success story for the coveted carrier.

A few weeks later, during a state visit to Argentina, she again appeared with her favourite bag leaving the official plane. The bag was from then on associated with the world’s most photographed woman. In 1996, as a homage to the Princess, it was renamed Lady Dior with her blessing.

Created in a couture spirit, the square, structured carrier in padded stitched leather reflects a number of the Dior house codes. The stitching pattern or cannage is inspired by the Napoléon III chairs once used by Christian Dior to welcome his elegant customers on the day of his runway show in 1947. The letters D.I.O.R. on charm pendants act as an eternal signature.

Apart from Hollywood celebrities, the iconic bag has been seen on the arms of French First Lady Carla Bruni, Italian actress Monica Bellucci, French actress Marion Cotillard and Datuk Michelle Yeoh.   New Strait Times.

THE WHITE HOUSE DANCE DRESS WITH JOHN TRAVOLTA

Diana as a child at Park House

Coral Sequin Gown c. 1984

We have had this photo in our archives for some time.  Worn in London c. 1984 or perhaps later but we have lost the information on it.  Appears to be a coral sequinned gown with shimmer bodice.

DIANA IN HER RED CROSS UNIFORM

 

RARE PHOTO OF DIANA IN THE ONLY UNIFORM SHE EVER WORE.  RED CROSS UNIFORM AS PATRON OF THE BRITISH RED CROSS.  C. 1987

The AquaMarine Blue Topaz Ring and Bracelet

Worn after her separation/divorce it was seen in public several times before she died.

The Last Summer in the Riviera

More summer photos from the Riviera

Holiday for Diana Fans!

Singles Holiday for Diana Fans
uk Daily Mail

The cult worship of Princess Diana’s memory shows no sign of abating as a ‘Remembering Diana’ holiday is launched for solo travellers.

Remembered: Princess Diana has become a revered figure

Fans of the Princess of Wales – who died 12 years ago – can visit Althorp, the Spencer family home in Northamptonshire and Diana’s former residence at Kensington Palace in London.

Launched by ‘Good Companions’, an offshoot of Glenton Holidays, the five-day escorted tour is based at the Grade II listed Eynsham Hall near Oxford, a manor house set in 3,000 acres of gardens and parkland.
 
Good Companions coordinator Norma Howe said: ‘The Diana holiday was an idea from a customer, so we’re delighted to be able to include it for the first time.

‘Even 12 years on from her tragic death, many people still want to pay homage to Diana.’

  ’Remembering Diana, Princess of Wales’ costs from £279 and leaves on August 3 from Scotland.

The price includes B&B accommodation, dinner, return coach travel and travel insurance plus entrance tickets.

There is no single room supplement.

For more information, call 08000 24 24 24 or visit www.glentonholidays.com.

Rare Black & White Portrait of Diana