Real reason Princess Diana almost scrapped her ‘sensuous’ Met Gala dress

The late Princess Diana became synonymous with ultimate red carpet dressing, thanks to her famous off-the-shoulder “revenge dress” and the iconic “Travolta” gown, to name just a few.

There was one particular look Diana knew she had to nail: her first and only appearance at the Met Gala in 1996, which celebrated the legacy of Christian Dior.

Never one to pass up a standout style moment, Prince William and Prince Harry’s mother stepped out in a stunning midnight blue silk slip gown, complete with delicate lace detailing on the shoulders and neckline.

The dress had a distinctly lingerie-inspired feel and remains one of the late royal’s more daring looks. She styled it effortlessly with a matching Dior bag, a multi-strand pearl necklace featuring a striking sapphire centrepiece surrounded by diamonds and coordinating earrings.

The real reason Diana almost scrapped her dress

While Diana, who was 35 at the time, wowed onlookers in the beautiful gown, she reportedly came close to not wearing it at all.

Having separated from her husband, Prince Charles, in 1992, Diana is said to have worried that Prince William, then 14, might find the dress too revealing, according to Daily Mail.

Despite her reported reservations, she ultimately embraced the bold look – and the result was nothing short of unforgettable.

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Princess Diana’s MET Gala look 

Diana’s dress was created by designer John Galliano, who had just been appointed creative director of Christian Dior. Who better, then, to dress the Princess in a design from his very first couture collection for the fashion house?

Speaking about the moment in the 2024 Disney+ documentary In Vogue: The 90s, John recalled: “I remember one day, we all jumped into this old van and we went to London, where we met Princess Diana. She’d been invited to the Met, and she would wear one of my dresses.”

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The British fashion designer continued: “It was like a blessing. I mean, wow. We went to Kensington Palace and discussed drawings, and I was trying to push for pink, but she was not having it. ‘No, not pink!’ That was real, real fun.”

While she was in expert hands, Diana made sure to put her own stamp on the gown.

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“We did the dress and subsequent fittings, and it was beautifully done – you know, very kind of correct,” explained John. “You know, the corset – everything was correct. Fast forward to the event, and I just remember her getting out of the car. I was like [shock]. I couldn’t believe it. She’d ripped the corset out.”

“She didn’t want to wear the corset. She felt so liberated, she’d torn the corset out. The dress was much more sensuous. The cameras went mental. The paparazzi was blinding, which made the dress really bling and the jewels and everything.”