‘The Crown’: Elizabeth Debecki Says ‘Everyone’ Asked Her About Wearing Princess Diana Revenge Dress
Diana may have been known as the Princess of Wales. But for the years that she was in the spotlight, she was also a queen of fashion. To this day, many of her iconic looks are remembered and even replicated. In The Crown, the actors who portray the late royal wear replicas of some of her most famous outfits. We’ve seen many familiar looks, including Diana’s jaw-dropping wedding gown, complete with a 25-foot train. Now, Elizabeth Debicki, who plays the princess in The Crown Season 5, describes the outfit everyone asked her about: Princess Diana’s “revenge dress.”
Elizabeth Debicki portrays Princess Diana in ‘The Crown’ Season 5
Getting to play the beloved Princess Diana is certainly a huge honor for any actor. And Debicki is the latest to do so. She joined the cast for seasons 5 and 6 of the hit Netflix series, calling it a “true privilege and honour” (via Town & Country).
The actor also called the opportunity “terrifying,” undoubtedly due to the deceased royal’s beloved position in the eyes of the public. “It’s a dream role. She is such a remarkable human being and she really does still live in the hearts of so many people,” she added. “I’m overwhelmed, I’m terrified and I’m excited. I can’t wait to start.” Season 5 finished filming in 2022.
‘The Crown’ star says people asked her about wearing Princess Diana’s revenge dress
It isn’t very often that something as simple as a dress lives on in history. But even after decades, Diana’s revenge dress has done exactly that. The short, black, off-the-shoulder dress was designed by Christina Stambolian, and was worn by the late princess to a party at London’s Serpentine Gallery in 1994. So, why was it dubbed “the Revenge Dress”?
According to Entertainment Weekly, Diana wore it on the same night that a documentary aired on TV. In in which her husband, then-Prince Charles, admitted to cheating, saying it happened after their marriage had “irretrievably broken down.” Royal fans most definitely remember that Diana emerged from her car that night in the dress, looking beautiful, calm, and completely confident. A photograph of Diana wearing the dress famously appeared on the front page of many British tabloids.
The Crown’s production team recreated the look for Debicki to wear. And she shares what the experience has been like. The actor said that “everyone” in her life was asking about wearing it. She said many people texting her asking, “‘Do you get to wear the Revenge Dress?’ ‘Oh my God, you get to wear the Revenge Dress!'” She called the moment “significant and quite powerful”, and “a big day on set” for her.
The filming of the scene
According to Harper’s Bazaar, the iconic scene was actually filmed in the same spot where the real-life moment took place. Naturally, fans went crazy on social media. They posted their excited reactions to seeing Debicki in the recreation of the outfit that once made headlines in November 2021.
Debecki takes on several iconic Princess Diana looks in The Crown Season 5, which landed on Netflix on November 9, 2022. The season has already earned plenty of chatter — and not all of it positive. There are those proclaiming it “disgusting and sick,” “malicious nonsense,” and “cruelly unjust.”
