The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum will open “Princess Diana: Love Life Legacy—A Life of Giving” on November 7th—the exhibition’s global premiere. The show runs through May 31, 2027, at the Simi Valley, California, institution and brings together more than 700 artifacts from Diana’s life. They range from childhood keepsakes to the fashions that made her a global icon.
Centerpieces include the “Travolta” dress, which Diana wore while dancing with John Travolta at a 1985 White House state dinner and is on loan from Historic Royal Palaces, and the “Final Goodbye” dress—Diana’s last collaboration with designer Jacques Azagury, who created some of her best-known pieces. Other highlights include her iconic “Black Sheep” sweater, the “Caring” dress she wore visiting hospitalized children, her wedding slippers, the official program from her 1981 wedding to Prince Charles (now King Charles III), and a run of Lady Dior handbags, jewelry, letters, and personal documents.
“This exhibition offers an intimate look at one of the most memorable chapters in modern diplomatic history,” said Melissa Giller, chief marketing and cultural programming officer of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, in a statement. “The Reagan Foundation is honored to be the first location to host the exhibit, showcasing the deep bond between Princess Diana and the Reagans, as well as the timeless influence that Princess Diana shared with the world.” Future venues are yet to be announced.
Diana and the Reagans forged a public friendship during the Reagan presidency, capped by her 1985 Washington D.C. visit and her widely photographed dance with Travolta. She died in a car crash in Paris in 1997, a year after divorcing Prince Charles.
In recent years, prices for Diana’s wardrobe have climbed steadily at auction—a 1985 Jacques Azagury gown made $1.1 million in 2023, a Victor Edelstein gown made $910,000 in 2024. And last year Julien’s Auctions’ “Princess Diana’s Style & A Royal Collection” sale in Beverly Hills brought in more than $5 million. Several lots that day landed far past their estimates: a Catherine Walker coat dress sold for $455,000 against a $50,000 high estimate, and a Lady Dior handbag brought $325,000 against an estimate of $30,000.
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