Three decades ago the Royal Family was in crisis, one that was even shy compared to the family drama of recent years. And the ever-wise Princess Diana knew how to reverse the narrative that placed part of the reason why her marriage to today’s King Charles was “irretrievably over” on her shoulders.

If today we sympathize with the equally sad part of the story of the current queen, Camila, at the time the world stood unconditionally on the side of the princess, especially when her husband confessed on public television that he had been unfaithful. And Diana’s response came with the choice of costume that became one of the iconic moments in Pop history: the “daring” black dress known as the “revenge dress”. This moment turns 30 today, June 29, 2024.

The series The Crown, as expected, reproduced the moment, without going into detail about the event’s trigger, an interview with Charles with the BBC. The current king’s initiative came out of resentment on his part at the success of the book that revealed the behind-the-scenes of his marriage to Diana, in which “someone” revealed details that only intimates knew. Only after the princess’ death was it confirmed that she participated directly in the book.

Irritated by the negative image she managed to paint of him and Camila, Charles responded directly to the accusations in the biography, but the most remembered part was that, when admitting that he was unfaithful, he said that “he only cheated after the marriage was over.” irretrievably broken.” Instead of feeling validated by the admission, Diana was furious.

That same night she knew that, without exchanging a word with reporters, she wanted to make her irritation clear. So she made the last-minute decision to attend the Serpentine Gallery’s summer party. Originally she had selected another, new model, but he would not convey the most important message: “See what you are missing”.

Hours earlier, Diana went through her closet and pulled out an LBD by Greek designer Christina Stambolian, which she had had in her closet since 1991, but as it was low-cut it was seen as “too daring” for official events. The night of June 29th, seen by her fans as the official date of her “proclamation of independence”, the dress was finally worn.

Short, black and tight to the body, the model conveyed the confidence and sensuality she wanted to project. And he succeeded. So much so that it was also a defining moment in the series The Crown.

Since then, the model has come to be known as “the most strategic dress ever worn by a woman in modern times”. With it, Diana made an important statement without having to say anything.

The dress was auctioned off three years later, selling for $65,000, a sum that went to benefit cancer and AIDS charities. Today it is already a museum piece, having been exhibited at the Museum of Style Icons, in Ireland, in 2017. Literally, a night to go down in history, as only Diana knew how to do.

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