How Diana nearly became princess of veils
Wedding dress designers sketched a burka for her to wear on Saudi tour
HER demure manner meant that despite her trend-setting fashions she was often known as ‘Shy Di’.
But Princess Diana once came close to taking her nickname to extremes, it seems. Couturiers suggested she could wear a bizarre version of the burka for a royal trip to Saudi Arabia.
David and Elizabeth Emanuel, who made Diana’s wedding dress, came up with the ultimate in modest wear among a sheaf of sketches they submitted.
The drawing for the burka is marked ‘Reserve outfit’ and shows a drop-waisted design, with over-sized bow, covering the wearer from head to foot save for a narrow slit for the eyes. It and the other sketches are expected to fetch around £25,000 when they are sold at auction in the US on September 25 by a private collector.
Last night Mrs Emanuel, 65, insisted to the Mail that she and her former husband had not made the burka drawing in jest, although it was never shown to Diana. ‘It wasn’t a joke, we took designing for these tours very seriously and produced dozens of sketches of potential outfits,’ she said.
‘We were very aware of the customs and requirements for modesty in that region, so this was one of our designs.
‘But it was never even shown to the princess, let alone made, and I’m not sure how it even came to be in these sketches that are now being put up for sale. This has all come as a bit of a surprise.’ The Emanuels had been asked to submit designs which ‘conformed to local customs’ ahead of Diana’s 1986 tour of Gulf states with Prince Charles.
Four ended up being used: a navy and white striped coat over a white dress, a purple evening dress with diamante buttons, one in white silk crepe embroidered with bugle beads and diamonds, and a black and white silk duchess satin evening dress – like the burka embellished with trademark giant bow – which she wore to a banquet given by the Saudi king.
Diana would not have been expected to wear a burka on the trip. Foreign dignitaries, particularly royals, are not expected to cover up in the way Saudi women are. They not even required to wear a headscarf.
But Buckingham Palace was clearly anxious not to offend. A letter from Anne Beckwith-Smith, Diana’s lady-in-waiting, to the Emanuels six months before the trip said: ‘Certain special requirements concerning dress need to be observed and I am writing to ask if it would be possible to submit to The Princess of Wales a few sketches for day and evening wear from which Her Royal Highness could select items for this tour.
‘Their Royal highnesses will be visiting Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. In all cases modesty is the order of the day with sleeves to the elbow, necklines discreet and skirts fairly full to just below the knee or longer.
‘Only in Saudi Arabia is it necessary for long sleeves, high necklines and hemlines to cover the ankles for both day and evening wear. Synthetic fabrics are not advised.’
An invoice, which along with the letter, is in the lot of sketches being sold, reveals the gowns cost between £275 and £450 each.
Bobby Livingston, of RR Auction, which is holding the online sale, said: ‘Princess Diana tried to conform to local customs by wearing concealing clothes, but still exposed her neck and left her head uncovered. It’s a remarkable, comprehensive archive from the famously stylish royal.’