Danbury Mint Princess Diana Royal Wardrobe Collection

Please read my notices (copyright/appraisal) at the bottom of this page. This information is intended for collectors.  The collection is a set of replicas of Princess Diana's most famous outfits from the 1980's with copies of the matching accessories and was initially released in 1987.  Each outfit came boxed on a wardrobe mannequin, except for the first which was shipped on a complimentary 14" vinyl doll.  The accessories were mounted on cardboard and packaged in plastic bags; these included copies of Diana's hats and jewellery.  In my opinion, the most cleverly copied piece was the Queen's Family Order brooch.

The original set was discontinued in 1991 and one can now only find these on the secondary market.  Because many collectors gave up before completing, it is quite common to find partial sets or single outfits for sale on eBay.  That means that the first fifteen or twenty outfits tend to be very frequently found as collectors often lost interest or ran out of money before finishing the set.  Several I have corresponded with indicated that they stopped collecting when they realised that certain outfits they were hoping for weren't going to materialise.

Each outfit cost $24.50 + $2.50 shipping and handling.  The Mint manufactured 27 different outfits altogether, but sent collectors only 25.  After outft DDU/20, different outfits were sent out to collectors, depending on when DM ran out of stock.  As one item became unavailable, another outfit was substituted, so one particular "complete" set of 25 may not be exactly the same as another "complete" set of 25.  Additionally, subscribers had the right to refuse any outfit and could send them for any reason.  This may be part of the reason the Mint made an extra two–in case someone sent back one or two, s/he could still get a "complete" set of 25.  The rarest and most difficult outfits to find seem to be numbers DDU/20, DDU/25, DDU/26 and DDU/27, probably because most collectors gave up at about #20 and the others were close to the end of the collection at a point when the cost was mounting.

In order to obtain all 27 outfits, most later collectors have had to find two large sets, combine them, then sell the leftover duplicates.  Continue reading to find out more about the collection.

Please note:  Not even on a good day will this doll's outfits properly fit the 16" vinyl People's Princess portrait doll created by the Franklin Mint in 1998.  That doll is two inches taller and has much larger proportions in the body.  If you sell items from this set on eBay and you state in your auction that these DM outfits can be worn by the FM doll, don't be surprised, insulted or annoyed if you receive love notes from collectors pointing out misleading text. 

Each outfit was accompanied by a collector card which described it, the events to which Diana wore it, named the designer, & included a photo of Diana wearing the dress.  Anecdotes about her jewelry or the protocol of dressing royal ladies makes each card very interesting to read.  A maroon vinyl collector portfolio came with the doll.   It has the collection logo embossed in gold on the cover and two pockets inside for storing the collector cards.

The Danbury Mint also offered collectors the opportunity to purchase a red steamer style doll trunk with the collection logo separately.  This cost about $50, but was not offered to buyers of the "Commemorative Edition."

The 14" vinyl doll was complimentary with purchase of the first gown.  Each outfit came with an accessory pack, which typically included shoes, a purse, jewelry & a dress form.  The jewelry varied from outfit to outfit, but most outfits came with earrings; several of the evening gowns were accompanied by either a replica of the Queen Mary Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara or the Spencer Family Tiara & in some cases, the Queen's Family Order Brooch.  At least two gowns came with bracelets, one a silver chain & the other a double strand of pearls, another had a pearl necklace.  The Turquoise One-Shoulder Gown included a rhinestone "headband" meant to simulate the Queen Mary Art Deco Emerald Choker which Diana had worn across her forehead on an Australian Tour.  The day outfits had matching hats which mimicked Diana's in remarkable detail.  For most outfits, the shoes were simple plastic pumps, but spectator styled toes & molded bows jazzed up a few. The earrings are very fragile & must be handled carefully to prevent the posts from breaking off when they are inserted into the doll's ears.  The plastic dress form allowed collectors who wished to display the outfits the ability to do so without always redressing the doll.

• Pink Satin Portrait Gown...Worn for an Official State Portrait with Prince Charles.  (DDU/1)  Accessories included the Queen Mary Tiara, diamond & pearl drop earrings, white shoes, & a pink nosegay.
• Regal Red Satin and Lace Gown...Worn during the 1983 tour of Canada. The lace bodice of the gown is really a removable jacket.  Accessories included the Spencer Tiara; silver bracelet; diamond & pearl drop earrings; the Queen's Family Order Brooch; silver heels &  dress form.  (DDU/2)
• Tailored Off-White Suit...Worn on a 1985 visit to Washington, D.C.  The accessories of this two piece suit included pearl rosette earrings, wine-red handbag (which matches the silk scarf in the jacket's left breast pocket); matching maroon shoes, and a dashing off-white hat with net, lined in same maroon.  (DDU/3)
• Cream-White Satin and Lace Ball Gown...Worn on tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1983. Accessories included the Queen Mary Tiara, butterfly and pearl drop earrings, a double-strand pearl choker, the Queen's Family Order brooch, silver heels, matching silver lame handbag and dress form.  (DDU/4)
• Teal Blue Sailor Dress...Worn for informal summer evenings in 1983.  The wide, white sailor collar is finished with a self-fabric bow over a mid-calf pleated skirt.  Accessories included gold stud earrings, a white handbag, white low-heeled pumps and dress form.  (DDU/5)
• *Ice-Blue Dotted Gown...Worn for a State Banquet during the 1983 Australian Tour. Diana's actual gown was accented with pink dots & pale pink ribbons, this miniature has blue. Accessories included the Spencer Family Tiara, pearl drop earrings, light blue shoes; a silver lame handbag, a single strand pearl necklace, and a dress form.   (DDU/6)
• Navy Blue and White Striped Ensemble...Worn at Royal Ascot Races in June, 1987.  A videoclip of Diana wearing this outfit is shown to visitors at Althorp.  Accessories included a white wide-brimmed felt hat with sapphire hatband and bow, a navy blue and white clutch bag, navy/white spectator pumps, pearl rosette stud earrings and a dress form.  (DDU/7)
• White Lace and Taffeta Gown...Worn at the British Embassy,Washington DC, 1985. Accessories include the Queen Mary Tiara, silver shoes, "diamond" and pearl drop earrings, a cream satin handbag and a dress form.  (DDU/8) 
• Pink and White Dotted Dress...Worn on 1983 Australian Tour.  Accessories included a candy pink satin chapeau trimmed with a large matching bow, white heels, a white clutch bag, gold hoop earrings and dress form.  (DDU/9)
• One-Shoulder Turquoise Gown...Worn to a charity ball in Melbourne, Australia. Accessories included a string of rhinestones meant to imitate the emerald Art Deco choker which Princess Diana used as a headband,  silver heels, matching  jeweled drop earrings, and a dress form.  The choker was a wedding gift from Queen Elizabeth II.  (DDU/10)
• Red and White Polka Dot Suit...Worn on the 1983 Australian Tour. Accessories included a white felt hat trimmed in red satin ribbon, red heels, pearl stud earrings, a red clutch purse and a dress form.  (DDU/11) 
• *White Emanuel Gown...Worn at a State Banquet, Bahrain, in November, 1986...featuring a bateau neckline and a dramatic upsweep of material from the waist, ending in a stand-up ruffle on the left shoulder.  The bodice has silver spangles from the neck to the waist & on both sleeves.  Photos just doesn't do it justice.  Accessories included the Spencer Tiara, small pearl drop earrings, a silver purse and heels and a dress form.  (DDU/12)
• Emerald Green Suit...Worn in St. John's, Newfoundland in June, 1983.  The two piece green suit is worn over a white blouse.  Accessories included one of Diana's fabulous hats: a green velvet hat with a sweeping plume, large pearl stud earrings, white heels, and a dress form.  (DDU/13)
• *Taupe and White Striped Ensemble...Worn in Fiji in November 1985.  Accessories included a white hat with a taupe hatband, earrings, matching taupe handbag, shoes and dress form.  (DDU/14) 
• Black and White Suit...Worn in  Washington, DC, in 1985.  This has the famous "flying saucer hat."  Accessories included a white felt hat with a black crown and accents, tiny stud earrings, black low-heeled pumps, a black leather purse and a dress form.    (DDU/15) 
• *Blue and White Shirtwaist...Worn at Riyadh Airport, Saudi Arabia in November, 1986. Accessories included white spectator heels with blue tips, sapphire stud earrings, a white satin clutch, and a dress form.  (DDU/16)
• Two-piece Peach Ensemble...Worn at Royal Ascot Races in June, 1981. This a pre-wedding outfit designed by Benny Ong.  It typified what came to be known as the "Lady Di" style: slightly fussy, ruffled collars and a choker.  Accessories included a white felt hat with a white satin hatband--topped with a peach silk flower, earrings, taupe heels, a taupe handbag, and a dress form.  (DDU/17)
• *Beige Brass-buttoned Suit...Worn to a London  wedding in September 1988.  Diana's daytime style had become sleeker and more elegant.  Accessories included a white felt hat with a twisted taupe satin hat band, a white handbag, taupe heels,  butterfly and pearl drop earrings and a dress form.  (DDU/18) 
• Black and White Evening Gown...Worn in Saudi Arabia in November 1986. This dress was designed by the Emanuels, creators of the famous wedding gown.  Accessories included black heels, the Queen Mary tiara; diamond and pearl drop earrings, and a dress form.  (DDU/19)  
• *Pearl Gray Top Coat and White Linen Dress...Worn at the Royal Ascot Races in June 1988.  Accessories included a white hat with white linen hatband, a grey purse and matching heels, large pearl stud earrings, a pearl necklace and a dress form, stand.  (DDU/20) 
• Red and White Striped Ensemble...Worn at Royal Ascot in June 1981.  Another slightly fussy pre-wedding outfit with the small cap-style hat that was often associated with the "Lady Di" style. Accessories included a red felt hat with red satin hatband and large white silk flower, red heels, a red clutch bag, tiny sapphire stud earrings and a dress form.  (DDU/21) 
• White and Turquoise Suit...Worn for a visit to the Royal Hampshire Regiment in August 1986. Accessories included a turquoise felt hat with twisted turquoise and white satin hatband, white heels, a white clutch bag and a dress form.  (DDU/22) 
• Pale Blue Satin Evening Gown...Worn during a State visit to Japan in May 1986. Accessories included silver heels, a matching handbag and a dress form.  (DDU/23) 
• Black and White Coat Dress...Worn in Vienna, April 1986. Accessories included a white hat with a wide black brim, black and white spectator pumps, a black and white clutch purse, and a dress form.  DDU/24) 
• *Black & White Polka-Dotted Dress...Worn to the Epsom Races in June 1986.  This dress originally began life with a peplum around the hips, which Diana later had removed to create a sleeker figure hugging version of this Victor Edelstein dress.  Accessories included black and white spectator pumps, a hat with matching polka dots, a black and white clutch, earrings, and a dress form.  (DDU/25) 
• *Bubble-Skirted Dress...Worn at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1987.  Accessories included navy and white spectator pumps,  a white clutch bag and a dress form.  (DDU/26) 
• *Red Wool Suit...Worn at Cirencester Police Station in February 1985.  Accessories included a matching red bowler hat, black shoes and matching clutch purse, and a dress form.  (DDU/27)
   

The commemorative edition of the collection made some changes, most notably that the doll arrived dressed in the red satin & lace gown.  Her face paint & hair were altered from the original doll's.  There were no new outfits & nine items from the original collection were "retired," or in other words, no longer available.  Unfortunately, these included several of the better suits & gowns.  

The retired outfits are marked in my descriptions with *. 

The commemorative outfits were sent in a different order than the first edition.  The collector cards were slightly redesigned.  A three-tiered bleacher style display platform (seen in the photo) was complimentary after purchase of the fourth outfit.  My guess is that this was meant to replace the wardrobe trunk since it has drawer space at the back for storage of the many accessory packs.

I have it on authority of several collectors who have compared outfits from both sets that the quality of the Commemorative Edition was lacking.  Sleeves were sewn shut in some cases or long hanging threads were showing through seams, sleeves & necklines.

The Danbury Mint is no longer selling either the original or the commemorative editions of these outfits, however, some appear occasionally on the secondary market either individually or in sets.  The newer ones have a tag sewn inside that indicates they are "commemorative" & the accompanying literature (boxes, collector cards) are also marked. 

Please do not expect me to perform free valuations of your collectibles and I won't ask you to mow my lawn.    I know, I know, it's not funny, but it's not funny when people expect me to work for free either.  Please also do not copy my homework without asking or giving credit and I won't borrow your car without asking.