Paris’s Grévin Museum unveils Princess Diana in her iconic ‘revenge dress’

Grévin Museum in Paris unveils a lifelike Diana in her iconic ‘revenge dress’ 30 years after her Panorama interview

Princess Diana has made a symbolic return to Paris, not in person, but in wax. On November 20, 2025, the Grévin Museum unveiled a life-sized wax figure of the late Princess of Wales, dressed in the unforgettable black ‘revenge dress’ she wore in 1994.

The timing of the unveiling is deeply meaningful: November 20 also marks the 30th anniversary of Diana’s bombshell BBC Panorama interview, in which she candidly exposed the turmoil within her marriage. Museum officials say they intentionally aligned the reveal with that date.

Grevin’s version of Diana was commissioned because the museum’s director was reportedly dissatisfied with the royal’s wax representation at Madame Tussauds in London Sculpted by Laurent Mallamaci, the new figure wears an exact replica of the black off‑the-shoulder cocktail dress by Christina Stambolian, complete with high heels, a pearl choker, and a clutch.

That particular dress, which Diana first wore at a Serpentine Gallery event, has come to symbolise a defining moment of strength in her life. It was seen as an act of defiance: just a day before the public admission of Prince Charles’s infidelity, she appeared in a daring, elegant outfit, reclaiming her narrative and image.

Observers also pointed out that the Grévin Museum placed Diana’s wax figure thoughtfully, notably distant from the figures of her former husband and mother-in-law. For Paris, the city where she tragically passed away in 1997, the tribute feels deeply resonant.

The museum has called Diana a symbol of empathy, style, and self‑assertion. In their statement they praised her legacy, not just for her role in the royal family, but for how she used her public platform to care about causes like homelessness, AIDS and youth.

Not everyone is convinced, though. Some onlookers and online commentators have questioned how accurately the wax figure captures Diana’s softer features, suggesting the likeness leans a little too stern. Still, for many visitors the figure is a powerful reminder of why she remains “the people’s princess” in the collective memory.