Princess Diana's famous "revenge dress" will be sold at auction for the first time in nearly three decades. The black silk evening gown, designed by Greek designer Christina Stambolian, is set to be auctioned at Sotheby's in New York on December 9 during the auction house's Luxury Week. The dress is estimated to sell for up to £220,000 (US$298,110).

Diana wore the dress in June 1994 when she attended a fundraising dinner at the Serpentine Gallery in London. The outfit became widely known because Prince Charles, from whom Diana had been separated for nearly two years but not yet divorced, was expected that same evening to publicly admit to being unfaithful during a national television interview.

According to a later documentary, Diana initially planned to wear a more traditional Valentino outfit but changed her mind at the last minute. Her former stylist Anna Harvey said Diana wanted to look confident and elegant, and she succeeded. Morgane Halimi, head of fashion at Sotheby's, described how Diana transformed the dress into a powerful statement during one of the most scrutinized and emotionally charged moments of her life.

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The text calls the dress a "revenge dress" which makes Diana look like she was fighting back instead of just going to a party. This name helps Diana look strong and smart. It hides that she may have just wanted to look nice. The word pushes feelings to make readers like Diana more.

The text says Diana "changed her mind at the last minute" which makes her look bold and in control. This helps Diana look like she planned everything on purpose. It hides that she may have just been unsure about clothes. The words make her choice seem like a big plan.

The text says Charles "was expected" to admit cheating on TV that same night. This makes Diana look like she knew what he would do. It helps Diana look like she was ready for his news. The words hide that she may not have known his timing.

The text says Diana wanted to look "confident and elegant" and "she succeeded." This makes Diana look like a winner. It helps Diana look better than Charles. The words push feelings to make readers cheer for her.

The text says the dress was "transformed into a powerful statement" by Diana. This makes her look like a leader. It helps Diana look like she changed history. The words hide that it was just a dress at a dinner.

The text says the dress will sell for "up to £220,000" which makes it sound very valuable. This helps the auction house and rich buyers. It hides that the price is just a guess. The big number pushes feelings about money and fame.

The text says the dress is sold "for the first time in nearly three decades." This makes it sound rare and special. It helps the auction house sell it. The words hide that Diana owned it for many years before.

The text says Diana wore it to a "fundraising dinner" which makes her look kind and helpful. This helps Diana look like she cared about others. It hides that she may have just liked parties. The words push feelings to make her look good.

The text says the moment was "one of the most scrutinized and emotionally charged moments of her life." This makes Diana look like a victim of pressure. It helps Diana look sympathetic. The words push feelings to make readers feel sad for her.

The text says Anna Harvey said Diana "wanted to look confident and elegant." This makes Diana look like she knew what she was doing. It helps Diana look smart. The words hide that Harvey may have just guessed Diana's feelings.

The text says Morgane Halimi described how Diana "transformed the dress into a powerful statement." This makes Diana look like an artist. It helps Diana look legendary. The words push feelings to make her seem bigger than she was.

The text carries a strong feeling of pride that appears when it calls the dress a "revenge dress" and says Diana "succeeded" in looking confident and elegant. This pride is bold and loud because it turns a simple clothing choice into a moment of victory. The purpose is to make Diana look powerful and clever instead of hurt or sad. A deep sadness shows up when the text talks about Charles admitting he was unfaithful on TV and when it mentions Diana had been separated for nearly two years. This sadness is heavy and quiet because it reminds readers of a broken marriage and a painful public moment. The purpose is to make readers feel sorry for Diana and to see her as someone who suffered. A sharp anger burns through the words when the text says Charles was "expected to publicly admit to being unfaithful." This anger is hot and direct because it paints Charles as the bad person who caused pain. The purpose is to make readers blame Charles and support Diana. A calm confidence appears when the text says Diana "transformed the dress into a powerful statement." This confidence is steady and sure because it shows Diana as someone who took control of a hard situation. The purpose is to make readers believe Diana was strong and in charge. A quiet excitement builds when the text says the dress will sell for up to £220,000 and will be sold "for the first time in nearly three decades." This excitement is bright and forward-looking because it makes the dress sound rare and valuable. The purpose is to draw attention to the auction and make people want to watch or buy. A gentle sympathy flows through the text when it calls the moment "one of the most scrutinized and emotionally charged moments of her life." This sympathy is soft and caring because it shows Diana as a human being under pressure. The purpose is to make readers feel close to Diana and understand her pain. A quiet respect appears when the text mentions Diana changed her mind at the last minute and chose a different designer. This respect is calm and approving because it shows Diana as someone who could make her own choices. The purpose is to make readers see Diana as independent and wise. A subtle tension hums beneath the words when the text contrasts Diana's elegant dress with Charles's expected confession. This tension is tight and waiting because it makes readers feel the clash between the two people. The purpose is to keep readers interested in what happened that night. A careful neutrality shows up when the text says "according to a later documentary" and quotes Anna Harvey and Morgane Halimi. This neutrality is cool and measured because it tries to sound fair and factual. The purpose is to make the story feel true and trustworthy. These emotions work together to guide the reader toward feeling that Diana was the strong one and Charles was the one who caused harm. The pride and confidence make Diana look heroic. The sadness and anger make readers feel bad for her and blame Charles. The excitement about the auction makes the story feel current and important. The sympathy and respect make readers care about Diana as a person. The tension keeps the story interesting. The neutrality makes the story feel honest. All of these feelings push the reader to see Diana as the winner of that night, not the loser. The writer persuades by choosing words that carry strong feelings instead of plain facts. Calling the dress a "revenge dress" turns a black gown into a weapon of pride. Saying Diana "succeeded" makes her look like a winner. Describing Charles's admission as something he was "expected" to do makes him sound guilty before he even speaks. Saying the dress was "transformed into a powerful statement" makes Diana sound like an artist of her own life. Putting a price tag of £220,000 on the dress makes it sound like a treasure. Saying it will sell "for the first time in nearly three decades" makes it sound rare and special. Repeating the idea that Diana looked "confident and elegant" makes that image stick in the reader's mind. Telling the personal story of Diana changing her mind at the last minute makes her sound smart and in control. Comparing the dress to a "powerful statement" makes it sound like a speech, not just clothing. Making the moment sound "one of the most scrutinized and emotionally charged moments of her life" makes it feel huge and important. These tools make the reader feel strong emotions and see Diana as a hero who turned pain into power.