When Lady Diana Spencer married Prince Charles in 1981, she transformed from Sloane ranger to fantasy princess, all romantic, puff-sleeved gowns and glittering jewels. As time wore on and she grew in confidence, the Princess of Wales became bolder and more playful with her sartorial choices—and perhaps never more so than on October 27, 1987, when she attended a London charity gala in an Elizabethan-style black and burgundy dress, complete with high neck ruff and dramatic cross pendant.
“Few people could carry this piece off but Diana really could,” says Ramsay Attallah of the statement crucifix formerly owned by his late father, Naim Attallah, the publisher and former managing director of Asprey. According to Ramsay, his father was a friend of Diana’s and he loaned her this particular piece to wear on a number of occasions. “When I was growing up, we’d always have it on the table for Christmas lunch, but it was never worn by anyone other than Diana and it hasn’t been seen in public since she died,” he says.
The elaborate gold, silver, amethyst, and diamond pendant will come up for auction next month at Sotheby’s London as part of its upcoming Royal and Noble sale, making it one of the few jewels worn by the Princess to ever be sold at auction. “It’s a standout piece in its own right, but with Princess Diana having worn it, it truly becomes an iconic piece of jewelry,” says Kristian Spofforth, head of jewelry at Sotheby’s in London. Bidding for the piece opens on 6 January, with a guide price of £80,000 to £120,000. But Spofforth suspects, given its provenance, it could potentially fetch far more. “Twenty-five years after her death, people still talk about Princess Diana all the time,” he says, adding that at Sotheby’s tiara exhibition earlier this year, many visitors were moved to tears by the display of the rarely seen Spencer Tiara, which Diana wore on her wedding day.
In the photos here, Diana was wearing the Attallah Cross to a charity ball in aid of Birthright, the women’s health charity of which she became patron in 1984. The event was held at former crown jeweler Garrard’s premises on Regent Street, and as usual, Diana was the belle of the ball. It was a particularly appropriate choice on this occasion, since the cross is believed to have been created in the early 20th century by Garrard itself. Little is known about the Renaissance-style design, but according to Spofforth, it was likely a special commission—perhaps even a replica of a historical piece.
Either way, it was the perfect accessory for Diana’s theatrical gown, which was designed by Catherine Walker—one of her favorite couturiers—and it is thought she chose to wear it attached to her own long pearl necklace. “It demonstrated how Princess Diana wore her jewelry with a mix of reverence and playfulness, and more than a nod to fashion as we saw in her mischievous way of wearing both precious and costume jewelry,” says author and jewelry historian Vivienne Becker. “The size and impact of this cross, worn unusually on a long necklace, also hints at Madonna’s 1980s style, and at star quality. Added to this, the amethysts make reference to royalty—amethysts were traditionally associated with both clergy and with royalty.”
The piece also reflected her lifelong relationship with Garrard. The Spencer Tiara Diana wore on her wedding day had been adapted by Garrard for her family in the 1920s, and it was from Garrard that she selected her sapphire engagement ring in 1981. In one of her last public engagements—at a Royal Opera House performance of Swan Lake in 1997—Diana wore a pearl and diamond necklace also created by the then crown jeweler.
Catherine Walker combined with pearls is a look that lives on with Diana’s daughter-in-law Kate, the new Princess of Wales. At last month’s National Service of Remembrance. Kate paired a Catherine Walker military-inspired black coat dress with a pair of pearl earrings formerly owned by her husband’s mother. On that occasion, Kate also wore for the first time an Art Deco diamond brooch acquired from Bentley & Skinner. It is not known who bought it for her but is believed to have been a gift for her 40th birthday in January of this year. She wore it again at the Buckingham Palace state banquet held on November 22 to welcome South African president Cyril Ramaphosa to Britain.