Princess Diana’s iconic blue suit from her engagement photoshoot with Prince Charles may not have been her first choice, new reports reveal.
Known for her timeless style—from her silk-and-taffeta wedding gown with a 25-foot train to her famous black off-the-shoulder “revenge dress”—Diana’s blue suit, purchased from Harrods, is one of her most memorable looks. The cool-toned outfit perfectly showcased her sapphire engagement ring. However, according to Claudia Joseph, author of *Diana: A Life in Dresses*, this suit wasn’t originally intended for the photos.
In a recent interview on the *Royally Us* podcast, Joseph explained that Diana first visited a different store to select an outfit for the engagement photos. She went alone one evening, but the sales assistant reportedly didn’t recognize her and grew impatient with Diana, who was unsure of what she wanted. The assistant allegedly suggested she try Harrods instead.
“Her mother knew the designer David Sassoon who worked for Bellville too, so she went in by herself one Friday evening, and the shop assistant didn’t recognize her,” Joseph said. “The assistant became a bit impatient with her and basically said, ‘Why don’t you go to Harrods dear, you’ll find what you’re looking for there.’” Diana followed this advice and went to Harrods.
The next day, the designers at the first store, David and Belinda Bellville, learned what had happened. Another assistant informed them of Diana’s visit, and they were surprised that no outfit had been designed for her. “We nearly had a fit,” David Bellville told the *Daily Mail*.
Joseph noted that the blue suit Diana wore was actually an off-the-rack outfit from Cojana. “It wasn’t necessarily the most elegant of outfits,” she said, despite how memorable it became.
Though Diana later chose another designer team for her wedding dress, the Bellvilles mended their relationship with the royal family. Diana’s mother continued to work with Bellville Sassoon for other wedding-related needs. “From then on, whenever Diana appeared, we kept the vendeuse (saleswoman) out of the way,” David Bellville added.
This story sheds new light on the behind-the-scenes moments that shaped one of Diana’s most iconic looks, showing that even royals face everyday challenges when it comes to fashion.
