‘The Crown’ Actor Elizabeth Debicki Channeled This Princess Diana Look From 1987

Season 5 of The Crown is officially out on Netflix, and it includes plenty of iconic Princess Diana moments. To celebrate the new episodes, one of the main actors in the series — Elizabeth Debicki, who plays the titular role of the late royal — walked the red carpet at the world premiere of The Crown on Nov. 8 at the Theatre Royal in London, United Kingdom. For the special occasion, Debicki channeled Princess Diana’s outfit from 1987. To be specific, the Hollywood star wore a black strapless gown from Dior, which included a flowing stole around the neck that seemingly imitated the pastel blue ensemble Princess Diana wore to the 40th Cannes Film Festival.

Based on the images below of the two women on the red carpet, you can see that the dresses were almost identical in their silhouettes. That said, it’s worth noting that the actor’s dress was unlike Lady Di’s in several ways, too. For starters, the royal’s gown was made from light chiffon fabric, which paired beautifully with the pastel blue hue. In addition, Debicki’s black dress featured an open back, while Princess Diana’s number provided more modest, all-around coverage. Last but not least, Lady Di’s designer look came from one of her favorite designers Catherine Walker, not Dior (though one should note that the royal was equally as fond of that luxury house).

For the fashion history buffs: Debicki’s regal gown initially debuted as part of Dior’s Spring/Summer 2022 Haute Couture collection in January 2022. Judging by the runway photos, ahead, the actor’s red carpet outfit seemed to have deviated little, if at all, from the original design. (Sometimes, celebrities and their stylists will request a custom piece based off a catwalk look for special events. Debicki seemed to like the black Dior gown just as it was, though.)

Debicki’s high-fashion gown is not yet available to shop. If you want to sport the actor’s Princess Diana-inspired look for your next formal event, try any of the gowns plus decorative scarf options below.