Most of us remember exactly where we were when Princess Diana made headlines. She had that effect on people. So when she walked into the Met Gala on December 9, 1996, the whole room stopped.
It was the only time Diana ever attended the famous fundraiser at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. And she did not go quietly.
A Dress That Turned Heads, On Purpose
Diana arrived in a navy slip dress designed by John Galliano for Dior. It had a lace-trimmed neckline and a robe-style topper. For a member of the royal family, it was a stunning departure from the conservative looks the Palace expected.
She paired it with diamond and sapphire earrings, bracelets, and a necklace that resembled her famous engagement ring from Prince Charles. She also carried the Dior Lady Di bag, later renamed in her honor.
The timing said everything. Diana had finalized her divorce from Prince Charles just four months earlier, in August 1996. The two had separated in December 1992 after marrying in July 1981. They share two sons, Prince William, now 43, and Prince Harry, now 41.
That night at the Met Gala, Diana was sending a message. She was stepping out of the royal rulebook and into something entirely her own.
What Galliano Remembered
Nearly three decades later, designer John Galliano (now 65) opened up about creating the dress in the 2024 Hulu docuseries In Vogue: The 90s.
“It was like a blessing. I mean, like, wow. We went to Kensington Palace and discussed drawings. I was trying to push for pink, but she was not having it. ‘No, not the pink!’ That was real, real fun.”
Galliano said the dress went through multiple fittings and was beautifully done. But Diana had one more surprise waiting for him at the event itself.
“Fast-forward to the event, and I just remember her getting out of the car. 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.”
Anna Wintour, who had taken over as Met Gala chair the year before, also recalled Diana’s presence that night in the same docuseries.
“I think all of us were so captivated and fascinated by Princess Diana. At that time, she was the most famous woman in the world. She was enjoying fashion and the spotlight that she put on, particularly British designers.”
A Royal First and Still Nearly Alone
Diana was the first member of the British royal family ever to attend the Met Gala. In the years since, only Princess Beatrice has followed her lead, wearing a purple Alberta Ferretti gown to the event in 2018.
Wintour told the Today show in 2019 that Princess Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle are her dream Met Gala guests. So far, neither has attended.
Diana’s one Met Gala appearance came less than a year before she died in a car accident in Paris in August 1997. She was 36 years old.
Looking back, that December night in New York feels like a rare glimpse of Diana fully on her own terms, free, fashionable, and utterly unforgettable.