Princess Diana was known for her bold fashion statements and beautiful outfits, but one important look was actually the result of a wardrobe malfunction. Here’s the story behind Diana’s emerald and diamond headband.
Diana’s emerald and diamond choker
The princess had many jewels at her disposal, but one of her favorites was an art deco emerald and diamond set. The necklace was a wedding gift from Queen Elizabeth. It first came to the royal family in 1911, as a gift to Queen Mary from the Delhi Durbar during a visit to India.
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Diana wore the necklace a lot, but many remember her wearing it as a headband. While the princess was known for making fashion statements, royal biographer Kitty Kelley claimed the idea of using the choker as a hairpiece was a total accident.
The royal biographer claims her headband look was an accident
In her book royals, Kelley claimed that Diana was in a rush to get ready one evening. Instead of waiting for someone to help her put the necklace on, she tried to pull the choker over her head.
She balked and wouldn’t go through her nose, but Canadian diplomat Victor Chapman reportedly persuaded the princess to wear the diamond and emerald choker as a headband. Paired with a stunning bright green dress, Diana turned heads and made a huge fashion statement with the look.
“When it came to wearing jewelry, Princess Diana knew exactly how to make each piece stand out,” explained Maxwell Stone, creative director of jewelry company Steven Stone. “From refashioning brooches on necklaces to wearing caps as headbands, she set some big trends and always displayed her jewelry in unique ways.”
The Queen was reportedly not a fan
He continued, “Whether it was an accident or not, wearing the Delhi Durbar Emerald Choker as a choker was a wonderful choice by the Princess and certainly upheld her fashion reputation.
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While many loved the bold choice, the Queen was reportedly not amused by Diana’s decision to use the treasured heirloom as a headband instead of a choker. Queen Elizabeth might not have been a fan, but the rest of the world was, still remembering Diana’s fun fashion statements 25 years later.
