How a common medical complaint caused Princess Diana’s iconic fashion
Princess Diana’s famous emerald headband look – widely regarded as one of the most memorable fashion moments of her royal life – emerged from an unexpectedly common problem after a painful sunburn threatened to derail a glamorous appearance during an overseas tour. RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Diana, who died in 1997 at the age of 36, was known for transforming royal fashion in the 1980s and 1990s with a style that was both elegant and unconventional.
One of her most celebrated looks came during a 1985 visit to Melbourne, Australia, when she was scheduled to attend a gala dinner wearing the Cambridge Emerald Choker – a striking emerald and diamond necklace gifted by Queen Elizabeth II.
However, according to her regular hairstylist Richard Dalton, a day in the Australian sun left the princess with a noticeable sunburn around her neck, creating an unexpected fashion dilemma just hours before the event.
A royal fashion source told us: “What’s remarkable about this episode is that one of the most celebrated images of Diana’s royal career emerged from an everyday problem that almost everyone can relate to. There was no grand strategy behind it, no carefully orchestrated fashion campaign. She’d spent too long in the Australian sun, had a noticeable burn around her neck and suddenly had to rethink her entire appearance, performing in front of a large audience for just hours.”
The insider added, “Most people in that situation would have simply chosen different jewelry or tried to hide the redness as best they could. Diana approached it differently. What started as a practical solution evolved into a fashion moment that challenged convention and showcased her natural talent for reinvention. Decades later, people still remember the photos of her headband moment because she turned an awkward situation into something iconic.”
Dalton recalled in his book It’s All About the Hair: My Decade with Diana, Princess of Wales the princess said she was “a little burned around her neck from being out in the hot Australian sun all day.”
He explained that Diana had planned to wear an emerald and diamond necklace to the evening event, but the jewelry drew attention to the sunburn.
“I said to Diana, ‘Let’s try something different. Why don’t we put some emeralds in your hair?'” Dalton wrote.
The stylist later revealed how the unconventional look was created.
Dalton said, “I asked Evelyn, her dresser, for six inches of panty elastic (the kind used by) grandmothers.”
Using the elastic, he secured the emerald choker around Diana’s forehead and styled her hair around it, essentially turning a necklace into a headpiece.
Another royal fashion insider said: “What made this moment so special was that it wasn’t the result of a carefully planned fashion strategy. It emerged from a last-minute challenge and a burst of creativity.
“Looking back, people would probably describe it as the ultimate styling hack, but in the mid-1980s it was truly groundbreaking. Royal women were expected to wear jewelry traditionally and predictably, so seeing Diana transform an heirloom necklace into a dramatic headpiece took people completely by surprise.”
The insider added: “Diana possessed a rare confidence when it came to fashion. She wasn’t afraid to experiment when she believed something worked. Even when circumstances forced her to think on her feet, she had an uncanny ability to make unusual choices look elegant, sophisticated and completely natural. What might have seemed eccentric to someone else became iconic when Diana wore it.”
Dalton later said that the “necklace-as-headband” moment was “my first big statement.”
He commented, “I love that necklace. We caused such a sensation that night.”
The Cambridge Emerald Choker was originally owned by Queen Mary and was later given to Diana by Queen Elizabeth II as a wedding gift.
The princess combined the jewel with a striking blue dress, designed by Elizabeth Emanuel, who also designed her wedding dress.
After Diana’s death, the necklace remained out of public view for 25 years before Catherine, Princess of Wales, 44, wore it in its traditional form around her neck at the 2022 Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony in Boston, introducing one of Diana’s most famous pieces of jewelry to a new generation.
