Iconic Victor Edelstein dress worn by Princess Diana in royal portrait will go on auction

An iconic Victor Edelstein dress worn by the late Princess Diana in a 1991 royal portrait will be going on auction in New York later this month. 

The stunning deep purple gown, featuring strapless detail and opulent silk velvet material - as well as tulip-shaped stiffened skirt- carries an estimate of $80,000 to $120,000 (£65,000-£98,000) 

Sotheby's will be offering the regal ensemble, which more than once adorned the People's Princess.

A 1991 painting by Douglas Hardinge Anderson saw Diana in the dress. The piece now proudly hangs at the Royal Marsden Hospital, which she visited, supported through philanthropy and served as President for. 

An iconic Victor Edelstein dress worn by the late Princess Diana in her 1991 royal portrait will be going on auction in New York later this month

The gown was also part of the 1997 auction that comprised 80 dresses from the late royal's personal collection to benefit the AIDS Crisis Trust and the Royal Marsden Hospital Cancer Fund.

Diana also donned the flowing dress that same year, in a Vanity Fair shoot by Mario Testino, looking stunning in black and white snaps which accentuated the bodice's sophisticated silhouette. 

The back also includes three gorgeous ornate buttons, which elevate the piece's glamorous aesthetic. 

And it's not just the real princess who sported the iconic design - a Franklin Mint's 1998 limited edition doll of the royal also paid homage to the design. 

A 1991 portrait by painter Douglas Hardinge Anderson (pictured) saw Diana in the dress. The picture is hanging in Royal Marsden Hospital 

The original was designed for Victor Edelstein's Autumn 1989 collection. According to Sotheby's, it is even thought the number was thought up for Diana specifically, as the society dressmaker included the outline of a tiara in his sketch.

Victor designed dresses for the princess for more than a decade, offering his stylist expertise from 1982 to 1993.

It will feature in Sotheby's inaugural curated auction 'The One', which is set to showcase 'an unprecedented selection of the finest products of human achievement in history'.

The items together promise to 'tell an extraordinary story of excellence in craft, artistry and endeavor'.

The stunning deep purple gown, pictured, features strapless detail and opulent silk velvet material

It will feature in Sotheby's inaugural curated auction 'The One', which is set to showcase 'an unprecedented selection of the finest products of human achievement in history'

The evening gown will be displayed alongside Sotheby's Masters Week exhibitions starting - January 21 - and will be sold in 'The One' live auction on January 27 in New York.

A Sotheby's spokesperson said that the princess' legacy on fashion can still be felt through 'iconic' designs such as these.

'Twenty five years after her passing, Princess Diana continues to leave a lasting influence on the world,' they explained.

'A true testament to her legacy is the fact that younger generations who were too young to know her or perhaps weren’t even born yet have fallen in love with the "People’s Princess."

'We are thrilled to offer the iconic dress and share the incredible story behind the moments Diana was seen donning it, as she wore it so elegantly and confidently, like all of her legendary looks.' 

Christina Prescott-Walker, Global Director, Regional Art and Objects at Sotheby's, added: 'To feature this gown in our inaugural, curated auction "The One," which places it in dialogue with many other best-in-class objects spanning millennia of human history, is a testament to Diana’s irrepressible spirit.'

READ MORE:

Prince Harry's memoir Spare accidentally goes on sale in Spain - and MailOnline gets copies days before official release date 

From work to 'fix himself' for Meghan to tapping away his trauma: Prince Harry's had YEARS of therapy - so is it any wonder he phoned his therapist first after being 'knocked to the floor' by his brother? 

'Wonderful! Now you've given me an heir and a spare': Charles told Diana 'my work is done' on the day of Prince Harry's birth, claims the Duke in leaked extract of bombshell memoir 'Spare'