Princess Diana Finery Goes Under the Hammer

Princess Diana's 1987 Victor Edelstein magenta silk and lace evening dress is displayed during Julien's Auctions' press preview of "Princess Diana's Elegance & a Royal Collection", ahead of an exclusive private showing at the Peninsula Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills, California, June 25, 2024. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP)
Princess Diana's 1987 Victor Edelstein magenta silk and lace evening dress is displayed during Julien's Auctions' press preview of "Princess Diana's Elegance & a Royal Collection", ahead of an exclusive private showing at the Peninsula Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills, California, June 25, 2024. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP)
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Princess Diana Finery Goes Under the Hammer

Princess Diana's 1987 Victor Edelstein magenta silk and lace evening dress is displayed during Julien's Auctions' press preview of "Princess Diana's Elegance & a Royal Collection", ahead of an exclusive private showing at the Peninsula Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills, California, June 25, 2024. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP)
Princess Diana's 1987 Victor Edelstein magenta silk and lace evening dress is displayed during Julien's Auctions' press preview of "Princess Diana's Elegance & a Royal Collection", ahead of an exclusive private showing at the Peninsula Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills, California, June 25, 2024. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP)

The biggest auction of Diana memorabilia since the late British princess sold dozens of outfits months before her death gets underway in California this week, featuring a midnight blue tulle dress and a flamenco-style lace-up number.

Nearly fifty pieces, including gowns, shoes, handbags and hats, will go under the hammer in Beverly Hills.

"Princess Diana's Elegance & A Royal Collection," brings together some of the style maven's favorite designers, including Victor Edelstein, Murray Arbeid and Catherine Walker.

Highlights include Arbeid's blue diamante ball gown, which the princess wore in 1986 to the London premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera," and a magenta lace dress by Edelstein.

Both pieces are expected to fetch up to $400,000, according to Julien's Auctions, which is running the sale.

"We are here celebrating Princess Diana's elegance," AFP quoted Gabriela Schwartz, of the auction house, as saying.

"We have some really standout pieces... that Diana wore with a lot of pride and (which are) really emblematic of her style.

Diana married Britain's now-King Charles in 1981 in an opulent ceremony watched by tens of millions around the globe.

The fairy tale soured over the following years and their tempestuous relationship became fodder for newspapers and gossip magazines, feeding a growing celebrity culture that exploded in the 1990s.

The couple had two children -- Princes William and Harry -- but divorced in 1996 in a tabloid frenzy and amid mutual infidelities.

Diana died in a car crash in Paris the following year as she and her lover tried to outrun paparazzi.

More than a quarter of a century on, the woman dubbed "The People's Princess" remains unmatched as a celebrity and style icon, whose allure continues to fascinate millions.

A dress worn by the princess that was auctioned last year fetched a staggering $1.14 million.

The collection, which has toured the globe for months, is expected to generate huge interest by the time bidding closes on Thursday.

As well as items of high couture, the sale will also include shoes by Salvatore Ferragamo, Kurt Geiger and Rayne, as well as letters in Diana's own handwriting, along with a number of other items connected to the British royal family.



Japan Issues New Yen Banknotes Packed With 3D Hologram Technology to Fight Counterfeiting

The 10,000 yen bill, worth about $62 at the current exchange rate, has the face of Eiichi Shibusawa, known as “the father of Japanese capitalism - The AP
The 10,000 yen bill, worth about $62 at the current exchange rate, has the face of Eiichi Shibusawa, known as “the father of Japanese capitalism - The AP
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Japan Issues New Yen Banknotes Packed With 3D Hologram Technology to Fight Counterfeiting

The 10,000 yen bill, worth about $62 at the current exchange rate, has the face of Eiichi Shibusawa, known as “the father of Japanese capitalism - The AP
The 10,000 yen bill, worth about $62 at the current exchange rate, has the face of Eiichi Shibusawa, known as “the father of Japanese capitalism - The AP

Japan issued its first new banknotes in two decades Wednesday, yen packed with 3D hologram technology to fight counterfeiting.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida praised as historic the state-of-the-art anti-counterfeit traits of the new 10,000 yen, 5,000 yen and 1,000 yen bills.

“I hope the people will like the new bills, and they will help energize the Japanese economy,” he told reporters at the Bank of Japan, The AP reported.

While the new bills were released with fanfare, currency already in use will remain valid. In fact, people will still need older bills to use most vending machines and to pay bus fares, local media reported.

Kishida noted the people featured on the bills celebrate Japanese capitalism, women’s equality and scientific innovation.

The 10,000 yen bill, worth about $62 at the current exchange rate, has the face of Eiichi Shibusawa, known as “the father of Japanese capitalism,” a key figure in building Japan’s modern economy. He is credited with founding hundreds of companies.

The 5,000 yen bill, worth about $30, features Umeko Tsuda, a pioneer feminist and educator who founded a college. The 1,000 yen note, worth about $6.20, portrays physician and bacteriologist Shibasaburo Kitasato, who was instrumental in the research of tetanus and the bubonic plague.

The backs of each of the bills feature Tokyo Station, wisteria flowers and ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai’s Mount Fuji, respectively.

The new bills also feature larger printing so they’re easier to read, especially for the nation’s aging population.

By the end of March next year, nearly 7.5 billion new banknotes will have been printed, according to the government. The amount of money in the new bills going out in a single day is estimated at 1.6 trillion yen ($10 billion).

It may take some time for ordinary people to get hold of the new bills. They first are going to banks and other financial organizations. Then, they'll be distributed to automatic teller machines and stores, according to the Bank of Japan.

A majority of transactions in Japan still are done in cash and cashless payments have been slower to catch on than in many other countries.

“Although the world is moving toward cashless interactions, we believe cash remains important as a way for safely settling payments anywhere and anytime,” said Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda.