The Caring Dress

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A silk floral-printed day dress designed by Bellville Sassoon, first worn by Diana during her official trip to Australia on January 31, 1988. On that same day, Renae Plant, curator of The Princess Diana Museum, met Diana for the second time — an encounter that would later make preserving this very dress in the museum especially meaningful.

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Diana was photographed wearing the dress on multiple occasions, including:

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• Sydney, Australia — January 31, 1988

• Windsor, UK — June 29, 1988

• Lagos, Nigeria — March 16, 1990

• Hackney, London — May 1990

• Visiting Battersea Club — July 19, 1990

• São Paulo, Brazil — April 24, 1991

• The Universal Exposition of Seville, Spain — May 21, 1992

• Visiting the Lighthouse Project for AIDS — July 1992

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The dress became a staple in Diana’s working wardrobe, often chosen for official visits and public appearances. It was affectionately known as the “Caring Dress,” a name given by designer David Sassoon, because Diana frequently wore it when visiting hospitals and children—who were drawn to its bright, cheerful colors.