Paris — One of Europe’s oldest wax museums has unveiled a striking new tribute to Princess Diana, offering visitors a renewed emotional connection to the beloved royal whose life ended tragically in the French capital.
On Thursday, the Grevin Museum revealed a life-size figure of Diana wearing the iconic black dress that has since become known worldwide as the “revenge dress.”
The elegant wax sculpture depicts the Princess of Wales in the off-the-shoulder, form-fitting cocktail dress she wore to a 1994 Serpentine Gallery event in London.
The outfit became instantly symbolic, as Diana attended the event on the same night that then–Prince Charles publicly admitted to infidelity with Camilla Parker Bowles during a televised interview.
Grevin Museum officials explained that the decision to create the figure stemmed from the museum director’s disappointment during a visit to Madame Tussauds in London a few years ago.
After seeing the London venue’s version of Diana, he reportedly felt a more refined and expressive likeness was overdue for Paris — a city intrinsically tied to her memory.
For Paris, the new figure carries emotional significance. Princess Diana died in a devastating car crash in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in 1997, sparking an outpouring of global grief and transforming nearby areas into places of lasting remembrance.
To this day, admirers continue to leave flowers, handwritten messages, and photographs at informal memorials along the Seine. In this context, the unveiling of the “revenge dress” figure feels especially poignant.
Diana’s tragic final hours in Paris were entwined with her relationship with Egyptian film producer Dodi Al Fayed, who also died in the crash. Their story — a blend of romance, media scrutiny, and heartbreak — remains deeply associated with the city.
The museum timed the reveal deliberately, marking the 30th anniversary of Diana’s explosive 1995 BBC “Panorama” interview.
In the interview, she spoke candidly about the pressures of royal life and the collapse of her marriage, delivering the famous line: “There were three of us in this marriage.” The broadcast shook the monarchy and altered public perceptions of the British royal family.
Notably, some observers pointed out that the new wax figure is placed a considerable distance away from the likenesses of King Charles III and the late Queen Elizabeth II.
While museum officials refrained from commenting on the arrangement, the placement subtly mirrors Diana’s complex and often painful relationship with the royal establishment.
The figure itself is crafted with meticulous detail, from the sleek black dress to the matching high heels. A pearl choker adorns Diana’s neck, while a small black handbag is delicately clasped between her hands — a faithful recreation of her iconic look from that defining evening in 1994.
Tabloids famously dubbed the outfit the “revenge dress,” interpreting it as a bold, confident statement made at a moment when Diana faced intense public scrutiny.
The Grevin Museum has embraced that interpretation, presenting the figure as both a symbol of her resilience and a reminder of the pressures she endured.
French novelist Christine Orban, author of Mademoiselle Spencer, welcomed the addition, describing it as an overdue homage to Diana’s enduring global influence.
Orban, whose novel imagines aspects of Diana’s life from her own perspective, said the new wax figure allows visitors to reconnect with the humanity beneath the legend.
Visitors to the Grevin Museum are expected to flock to the new exhibit, drawn by Diana’s timeless appeal and the emotional resonance her memory holds in Paris.
For many, the figure represents not just a glamorous moment in royal history, but a reminder of a woman who reshaped public expectations of monarchy through her compassion, vulnerability, and independence.
Twenty-seven years after her death, Princess Diana remains a powerful cultural icon. The unveiling of her “revenge dress” wax figure in Paris serves as both a tribute and a reflection — honouring the woman she was, reminding the world of the life she lived, and acknowledging the city where her story ended but her legacy never faded.