Kim Kardashian buys Princess Diana's iconic necklace for $200,000

Kim Kardashian has purchased an iconic cross necklace previously worn by Princess Diana for $197,000. The reality star, 42, bought the beloved purple amethyst-and-diamond-encrusted Attallah cross pendant during an auction held by Sotheby's on Wednesday. The UK-based company confirmed the sale to DailyMail.com. A source close to the SKIMS founder revealed that Kim is 'honored to be able to own a fine piece of jewelry once worn by the late princess' and to add to her growing collection of historic memorabilia worn by 'strong, iconic women who have inspired Kim.'

'Diana was a woman of incredible style, beauty, and grace. Kim is honored to be able to own a fine piece of jewelry once worn by the late princess,' the insider told DailyMail.com. This beautiful cross pendant will be added to her growing collection of jewelry, all pieces that have been worn by strong, iconic women who have inspired Kim.' The late Princess of Wales, who often made headlines for her bold fashion choices before she tragically passed away in a car accident in 1997, famously wore the glittery piece of jewelry during a London charity gala in October 1987.

She paired the lavish necklace with a black and burgundy long-sleeved velvet gown, which came with a ruffled neckpiece - and between the flashy pendant and the stylish dress, the Princess dazzled at the event. The enormous cross pendant was made in 1920 by the jewelry company Garrard, and according to Vogue, Diana was friends with the man who owned it, British businessman Naim Attallah.

The mogul, who passed away in 2021, loaned it to her for the event. 'Few people could carry this piece off but Diana really could,' Naim's son, Ramsay Attallah, told the outlet in December. 'When I was growing up, we’d always have it on the table for Christmas lunch, but it was never worn by anyone other than Diana and it hasn’t been seen in public since she died.'

The 'bold and colorful' piece came with 'square-cut amethysts and circular-cut diamonds' - with a total diamond weight of approximately 5.25 carats. It is now in possession of Kim, who seems to have a knack for buying clothing and jewelry that were previously owned by famous figures.

In 2011, she scooped up a set of Elizabeth Taylor's bangles for $65,000, and in 2017, she paid $379,500 for Jackie O's watch.

And while she wasn't able to officially add it to her collection because it belongs to a museum, the Keeping Up With the Kardashians alum also wore Marilyn Monroe's (pictured) famous Happy Birthday Mr. President dress to the Met Gala last year.

But Kim's decision to wear the gown at the Anna Wintour-hosted ball sparked a slew of backlash from social media users, after it was rumored that she damaged the gown. And now, her recent purchase has resulted in more furious fire from online users.

'She has a weird obsession with dead people's stuff,' wrote one Twitter user.

'She already ruined Marilyn’s dress and now she has Diana’s necklace… You will never be iconic, Kim Kardashian,' said another.

'Princess Diana looking down from Heaven, seeing that Kim Kardashian has bought her old jewels,' someone else added, accompanied by a video of someone asking, 'Who is this woman?'

A different user tweeted, 'Kim Kardashian’s damage to fashion history is so disrespectful and gross. And the people who keep selling her these items for profit instead of preserving them for history are no better.'

'Is she gonna open a museum of accessories and clothes of dead people that she's desecrated?' asked someone else.

'The truth is that she’s nothing but a chameleon - doesn’t stand out on her own, only molds herself to what is currently popular/trendy,' wrote another user. 'That’s why she latches on to these iconic memorabilia from past stars. She has nothing but wealth and cheap tricks in her name.'

'She can buy iconic items but she will never be an icon,' read a different tweet.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Kim's representative for comment. 'Jewelry owned or worn by the late Princess Diana very rarely comes on to the market, especially a piece such as the Attallah cross, which is so colorful, bold, and distinctive,' Kristian Spofforth, Head of Jewelry at Sotheby’s said in a statement before the sale. 'To some extent, this unusual pendant is symbolic of the Princess’s growing self-assurance in her sartorial and jewelry choices, at that particular moment in her life. We are confident that this unique 1920s piece of jewelry by Garrard, with such an exceptional provenance and only ever worn by the Princess herself, will attract the attention of a wide variety of bidders, including royal and noble jewelry collectors, as well as fans of the Princess keen to share part of her history.'

Want more stories like this from the Daily Mail? Visit our profile page here and hit the follow button above for more of the news you need.