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.



Leslie Strengthens into a Hurricane in the Atlantic but Isn’t Threatening Land

An aerial view of flood damage along the Swannanoa River in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on October 4, 2024 in Swannanoa, North Carolina. (Getty Images/AFP)
An aerial view of flood damage along the Swannanoa River in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on October 4, 2024 in Swannanoa, North Carolina. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Leslie Strengthens into a Hurricane in the Atlantic but Isn’t Threatening Land

An aerial view of flood damage along the Swannanoa River in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on October 4, 2024 in Swannanoa, North Carolina. (Getty Images/AFP)
An aerial view of flood damage along the Swannanoa River in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on October 4, 2024 in Swannanoa, North Carolina. (Getty Images/AFP)

Leslie has strengthened into a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean and isn’t threatening land, forecasters said.

The storm was located Saturday about 725 miles (1,170 kilometers) west-southwest of the southernmost Cabo Verde Islands and had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph). There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Kirk remained a Category 4 major hurricane, and waves from the system were affecting the Leeward Islands, Bermuda, and the Greater Antilles, forecasters said. The storm's swells were expected to spread to the East Coast of the United States, the Atlantic Coast of Canada and the Bahamas on Saturday night and Sunday.

Forecasters warned the waves could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

Kirk was expected to weaken starting Saturday, the center said.

Though there were no coastal warnings or watches in effect for Kirk, the center said those in the Azores, where swells could hit Monday, should monitor the storm's progress.

Kirk was about 975 miles (1,570 kilometers) east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (209 kph).

The storms churned in the Atlantic as rescuers in the US Southeast searched for people unaccounted for after Hurricane Helene struck last week, leaving behind a trail of death and catastrophic damage.