Princess Diana's Legacy Comes to Simi Valley
The Reagan Library will host the global debut of a 700-artifact Princess Diana exhibition, opening Nov. 7 and running through May 2027.
(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — The Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute will debut "Princess Diana: Love Life Legacy — A Life of Giving" on Nov. 7, marking the exhibition's first stop anywhere in the world, according to a statement from the foundation.
The exhibit will bring more than 700 original artifacts to the Reagan Library, tracing Diana's life from childhood to her years as a global icon. Many of the pieces have never been publicly displayed before, the foundation said.
Highlights include Diana's "Caring" dress, worn during visits to hospitalized children, and her "Black Sheep" sweater, along with her wedding slippers. The exhibit will also feature Jacques Azagury's "Final Goodbye" dress — the last gown Diana tried on before her death, being shown publicly for the first time — and her "Travolta" dress, on loan from Historic Royal Palaces and exclusive to the Reagan Library stop.
Other items on display include the invitation to the 1985 White House State Dinner, the official program from Diana and Charles' royal wedding, her Lady Dior handbags and jewelry ranging from childhood keepsakes to royal pieces, plus handwritten letters and personal documents, according to the foundation.
Exclusive to the Simi Valley stop, the exhibit pairs Diana's artifacts with items from President and Mrs. Reagan's archival collection, highlighting the transatlantic friendship between the Reagans and the royal family.
"This exhibition offers an intimate look at one of the most memorable chapters in modern diplomatic history," Melissa Giller, chief marketing and cultural programming officer for the Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, said in the statement. "The Reagan Foundation is honored to be the first location to host the exhibit, showcasing the deep bond between Princess Diana and the Reagans, as well as the timeless influence that Princess Diana shared with the world."
The exhibition was developed by Exhibits Development Group in collaboration with The Princess & The Platypus Foundation, drawing from the collection of The Princess Diana Museum. It is not endorsed by, sponsored by or affiliated with the British royal family, organizers said.
A life followed by cameras
Diana was widely loved for her devotion to her two sons and her humanitarian work, as well as for a sense of style that made her one of the most photographed women in the world.
That scrutiny began in 1980, when her courtship with Prince Charles became public. In the early hours of Aug. 31, 1997, Diana died from injuries sustained in a car crash in a Paris tunnel after her driver lost control at high speed. She was 36 and left behind two sons.
An official inquiry later placed partial blame on paparazzi pursuing her car and on her driver who was intoxicated, though blame fell almost immediately on the paparazzi and the press, according to Poynter, a nonprofit journalism institute. For years before her death, Diana had been the subject of relentless pursuit by photographers, and though she understood the media, she disliked being followed so closely, Poynter reported.
Tickets for "Princess Diana: Love Life Legacy — A Life of Giving" can be purchased at ReaganLibrary.com/Diana. Organizers are encouraging advance purchase given anticipated demand.
