It may have been this same apple green gown, which was in fact designed for Nettie Vogues by Graham Wren. Diana first wore it for the official Snowdon engagement portraits(left), taken in May 1981 at the then still unfinished Highgrove House. She had virtually no jewelry of her own, and the stunning antique diamond necklace and earring set was lent to her for the occasion by Collingwood, the Spencer family jewellers.

As an interesting aside. this was not a custom 'bespoke' creation, and in fact someone else had also purchased one. It came up for auction in Germany in 2014 and the auction house explained that the original buyer bought it shortly before Lady Diana's official photoshoot, but after it was chosen for the engagement photos the shop was reluctant to sell more. Since it had already been paid for, the previous owner was able to take it with her on the condition that she promised never to wear the dress outside of Germany.

Diana also wore this gown during the tour of Wales in October of 1981.A year later, however, things had changed dramatically, and when she wore it in October 1982 to a Mistislav Rostropovich concert at the Barbican in London (right) this was clearly not the same robust bride-to-be. Officially her dramatic weight loss was brushed away as overdieting to regain her figure after giving birth, and not to the reality of either the bulimia or the post-partum depression she was suffering. For the next decade, the reality of Diana's life and unhappiness would continue to be so hidden.