Nearly three decades after her death, Princess Diana continues to captivate hearts worldwide. In June 2025, one of the largest collections of memorabilia from the late royal is set to go up for auction. Among the items going under the gavel are an intimate letter from Princess Diana, two days after her marriage, to some of her most iconic fashion statements.
The letter headlines “Princess Diana’s Style & A Royal Collection,” the largest Princess Diana auction ever staged, taking place on June 26, 2025, at The Peninsula Beverly Hills.
For many Australians who remember watching her wedding in the early hours of July 29, 1981, and following her journey through marriage, motherhood, and independence, these items represent a tangible connection to a woman who changed the face of royalty forever.
Princess Diana’s letter reveals her loneliness
Just two days after her fairy-tale wedding to Prince Charles, a 20-year-old Princess Diana penned a heartfelt letter that offers a rare glimpse into her emotional world behind palace doors.
Written on July 31, 1981, on official royal stationery and sent from Buckingham Palace, the note was addressed to footman Mark Simpson. Mark was more than just a palace employee to Diana – he was a trusted friend who even appeared in her wedding photographs, captured on the 1902 State Landau that carried the newlyweds through London’s streets.
“My stay was made so much easier by your company as it was so terribly lonely,” she wrote in her distinctive handwriting, signing off simply as “Diana” and including a hand-drawn smiley face.
Though millions had just watched her lavish wedding, Diana’s words revealed a young woman already feeling isolated. Her gratitude to Simpson for his “kindness + patience” and “so many laughs” highlights her deep need for connection in a life suddenly defined by ceremony and scrutiny.
The letter, postmarked August 1, 1981, is filled with tender, revealing details — including a lighthearted joke about missing her “bowls of cereal” aboard the royal yacht during her honeymoon.
Now up for auction through Julien’s Auctions, the letter is expected to fetch over $6000 USD. More than memorabilia, it offers a deeply personal portrait of a young princess at the beginning of a journey that would captivate the world.
Signature fashion items up for auction
Beyond this deeply personal correspondence, the Princess Diana auction showcases over 300 items that tell the story of how Diana revolutionised royal style.
Among the treasures heading to auction are pieces that defined Diana’s signature fashion: a beloved Bellville Sassoon dress she wore repeatedly (proving even princesses have favourite outfits), the John Boyd Peach Pink Straw Archer Style Hat that accompanied her on her honeymoon, and the British Lung Foundation sweatshirt.
The collection includes Diana’s vibrant red ski suit, reflecting her active lifestyle and modern approach to royal duties, alongside casual wear that showed her relatability. Her famous “Lady Dior” handbag, a gift from France’s First Lady Bernadette Chirac in 1995, exemplifies how Diana’s style transcended borders and became a diplomatic tool, with estimates ranging from $20,000 to $40,000.
The auction also features contributions from designers who knew Diana intimately. Elizabeth Emanuel, co-creator of Diana’s iconic wedding dress, has provided sketches and an unworn black dress, while Jacques Azagury contributed gowns from Diana’s final public appearances – pieces that captured her evolved confidence and sophisticated style in her later years.
A Royal Collection beyond Diana
While the Princess Diana letter and her wardrobe form the auction’s centrepiece, the collection extends across generations of the royal family. Items from King Charles III, Queen Elizabeth II, and the Queen Mother provide a broader perspective on royal life and style, featuring pieces from legendary fashion houses such as Chanel, Dior, Givenchy, and Versace.
This comprehensive collection provides context for Diana’s revolutionary approach to royal dressing, showing how she both honoured tradition and broke new ground.
As bidders prepare for June 26, they’re not just acquiring fashion and memorabilia – they’re preserving pieces of a legacy that continues to inspire compassion and the courage to use one’s platform for meaningful connection.
Princess Diana’s Style & A Royal Collection takes place on June 26, 2025, at The Peninsula Beverly Hills, conducted by Julien’s Auctions.
