Princess Diana Dresses Up for Auction in Dynamic Environment

TAMPA, Fla., June 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Fourteen dresses from the collection of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, currently owned by Tampa Bay resident Maureen Rorech Dunkel, will be auctioned during an unprecedented bidding environment, Thursday, June 23, 2011 in Toronto. The collection includes dresses by prominent British designers Victor Edelstein, Bruce Oldfield, Zandra Rhodes and the Princess' favorite designer Catherine Walker.

Dresses belonging to Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, and Grace Kelly have been auctioned within the last week. Hepburn's iconic dress from My Fair Lady sold for $3.7 million, and Monroe's infamous white dress from The Seven Year Itch sold for $5.6 million in a Beverly Hills, California auction Saturday night. Five more dresses belonging to Monroe and Kelly were sold in excess of $400,000.

Among the Princess of Wales' dresses sold recently was a Black Taffeta designed by the Emanuels for Diana's first public appearance with Prince Charles after the engagement for approximately $300,000.

Highlights of Dunkel's the collection include the dress Diana wore to the White House State dinner given by President and Mrs. Reagan. Victor Edelstein designed the Edwardian-inspired gown for the dinner. That evening the Princess danced with Clint Eastwood, Neil Diamond and most famously, John Travolta.

Dunkel purchased the collection from the 79 dresses hand-picked by the Princess anonymously at Christie's New York on June 25, 1997, eight weeks before the Princess' tragic death.

"I never imagined my private investment would turn into an international tour of the collection," said Dunkel "traveling to three continents and spending 10 years at Kensington Palace," Dunkel added.

Dunkel's decision to auction the collection will provide time for new ventures.

A long-time supporter of the arts, Waddington's will donate a portion of commission from this auction to Canada's National Ballet School as a tribute to Diana's passion for both children and the ballet. Diana was a patron and supporter of the English National Ballet and the City Ballet of London.

Preview of the Dresses from the Collection of Diana, Princess of Wales auction:

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Dresses from the Collection of Diana, Princess of Wales auction:

Thursday, June 23, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. For more information, please visit http://www.waddingtons.ca/diana/

SOURCE Maureen Rorech Dunkel