Jaguar used by Princess Diana when she stepped out in 'revenge dress' to go up for sale
The Jaguar that Princess Diana emerged from when she wore the so-called "revenge dress" is to go up for sale.
Diana defiantly stepped out of the green Jaguar XJ40 Sovereign more than three decades ago, as she sent a message to the world following then-Prince Charles's public admission of adultery with Camilla Parker-Bowles.
The princess arrived at a Vanity Fair dinner at the Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens on June 29, 1994, dazzling in a striking off-the-shoulder black dress designed by Christina Stambolian.
The media swiftly christened it the "revenge dress," viewing the bold fashion choice as Diana's defiant response to her husband's public admission of infidelity.
Just hours earlier, King Charles had revealed in an interview with Jonathan Dimbleby of his extra-marital affair with the now-Queen. The moment Diana arose from the car was a statement; iconic.
But the antique motor is now set to go under the hammer at The Market auction house in South Oxfordshire.
The online bidding commences on June 1 and will run for seven days.
Experts anticipate the four-litre vehicle could fetch upwards of £100,000, a remarkable sum considering an equivalent model without royal connections would typically command just £5,000 to £6,000.
The sale represents a rare opportunity to acquire a piece of British royal history intimately connected to one of the most memorable moments in modern celebrity culture.
The mother of Prince William and Harry used the Jaguar regularly between March 1994, when it was delivered new to her household as part of the royal fleet, and February 1997.
During this period, she was photographed arriving at the Royal School for the Blind in Leatherhead, Surrey, in January 1995, and leaving Brown's Hotel in Mayfair the following year.
The vehicle displays 45,000 miles on its odometer and features beige leather upholstery along with its original service book.
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A discreet button labelled "security" remains in the central armrest storage compartment, a reminder of its royal duties.
The car has been stored in a heated garage for decades and has scarcely been driven since 2014.
Mark Livesey, chief executive of The Market, described the vehicle's unique appeal: "On one hand it's a 1994 Jaguar, and on the other hand it's actually an ex-royal car as used by the late Princess Diana."
He noted that owning something connected to such a famous figure "definitely adds an enormous value."
The auction house, based at Milton Park near Didcot, has considerable experience with celebrity motors, having previously sold George Michael's Range Rover and Sean Connery's BMW.
"We previously sold the Queen's Daimler for £105,000 so hopefully this can do similar," Mr Livesey said.
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