As an important evening approaches, choosing the right outfit to shine among the guests is essential.
And originality is a must, because finding yourself face to face with a dress identical to ours is out of the question.
Alas, that's what happened to Natasha Fairweather.
Worse, his competitor that night was Lady Diana.
Last December, she told in the columns of American
Vogue
, this memorable memory where her destiny was linked, for one evening, to that of the princess.
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"Stay and have fun"
The story takes place in 1985. Natasha Fairweather, revealed in the same class as Prince Edward, fourth and youngest son of Elizabeth II, invites the young girl to his birthday party - he celebrates his 21st birthday -, which has place at Windsor Castle.
Among the guests, some cousins like Lady Helen Windsor, Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones and James Ogilvy.
“I was at university with Edward but I did not know him at all, explained the one who now earns a living as a literary agent.
I had only met James Ogilvy two months before the party.
It was not my world, but he asked me to come.
Invitation in hand, it was now important to choose your outfit. And without missteps, because, according to rumors, the queen would be there, accompanied by her other son, Prince Charles and his wife Lady Diana. “My sister lived in London and was much more glamorous than me, resumes Natasha Fairweather for
Vogue
. She had this amazing dress bought during the sales. A strapless dress, black and majestic, draped with a white veil at the bottom of the back, signed by the Murray Arbeid label. This same dress that Princess Diana had chosen to wear that night.
"It was a big party," she recalls today. Natasha Fairweather, who knew a few people present, was then informed of this inconvenience. "I found a friend who said, 'God, your dress is amazing, but I just saw Diana and I'm pretty sure she's wearing the exact same one.' Not knowing what to do, panicked, it was to Queen Elizabeth II that Natasha found advice. "We went to see her in the living room and I explained my situation to her. She was very nice to me, she said, "It's all right; stay and have fun."
The former classmate of Prince Edward accurately remembers the looks on her, on Lady Diana, the smirks and the chatter.
“But it made the party kind of fun, because everyone wanted to talk to me and see that famous dress,” continues Fairweather, who ended up enjoying it too.
“When I noticed Diana and Charles had gone onto the dance floor, I went very close to them so they could see me.
As far as I remember, Charles pointed it out to her and she laughed;
Obviously it wasn't a big deal."
Lady Diana's wardrobe more modern than ever
Lady Diana's wardrobe more modern than ever - The balloon sleeves
The Princess of Wales tried her hand at puff sleeves in the 1980s, and will never take them off.
They have the advantage of combining a certain sartorial phlegm with fashionable audacity.
Getty Images
Lady Diana's wardrobe more modern than ever - The Cyclist
Kim Kardashian and Emily Ratajkowski can thank Princess Diana who has largely contributed to democratizing cycling shorts.
In sport as in the city!
Getty Images
Lady Diana's wardrobe more modern than ever - The cowboy boots
The jumpsuit may look dodgy on paper but tucking your pants into a pair of cowboy boots has become the alternative to an original and thoughtful look.
A gesture that we owe in particular to Princess Diana.
Abaca
Lady Diana's wardrobe more modern than ever - Bare shoulders
This June 29, 1994, Diana Spencer appears at the Serpentine Gallery in London in a little black dress, signed Christina Stambolian.
She is short, highlights her sculpted figure and casually bares her shoulders.
Diana is holding her
revenge dress
there .
A response to the confession of adultery of Prince Charles (from whom she has been separated for two years) who publicly returned to her marriage, the day before in the columns of
The Independent.
Abaca
Lady Diana's wardrobe more modern than ever - The oversized blazer
Lady Diana's wardrobe more modern than ever - Mom jeans
Lady Diana's wardrobe more modern than ever - The sweatshirt
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7 pictures
Auction
The episode had its small effect in the media and royal sphere.
After the party, the guests told the story to the press, who hastened to find the girl.
One of her friends even says that journalists bribed her to get Natasha's address and phone number.
“I found myself with paparazzi outside my door and I was offered more and more money to pose in this dress.”
But she never accepted, keeping this dress for almost 36 years.
Last December, she ended up selling it at auction.
As the American version of Marie Claire reports, she would have only received 1000 pounds sterling, or about 1,190 euros.
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