She turned to them for another gown with a similar purpose. Two days before the royal wedding, the Queen was to give a ball at Buckingham Palace in honor of the couple. Diana wanted to look 'ultra glamorous', and she and the designers came up with this shocking pink silk taffeta gown. It was a complete departure for the young bride to be, who so far (and for some years to come) preferred the 'fairy princess' look of big crinoline skirts and lots of ruffles. This had ruffles - but they trimmed a bodice that hugged her figure, a hemline slit to the knee and a neckline plunging to the waist. According to the designers , Diana stole the show, entering the ballroom to audible gasps of amazement.

Still, those who knew Diana well noticed - Mary Robertson, for whom Diana had nannied the previous year, wrote "There was just a hint of the youngster playing dress-up about her that evening - not quite grown into her new role." (The Diana I Knew, page 67).

(Unless otherwise noted, all information on the gown is from the Emmanuel's book "A Dress for Diana").