EXCLUSIVE: How a Common Medical Complaint Suffered by Millions Sparked One of Princess Diana's Most Iconic Style Moments
Princess Diana was best known for her iconic looks.
June 4 2026, Published 9:00 a.m. ET
Princess Diana's famous emerald headband look – widely regarded as one of the most memorable fashion moments of her royal life – was born out of an unexpectedly ordinary problem after a painful sunburn threatened to derail a glamorous appearance during an overseas tour, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Diana, who died aged 36 in 1997, was renowned for transforming royal fashion throughout the 1980s and 1990s with a style both elegant and unconventional.
Princess Diana's Fashion Crisis Turned Iconic
Princess Diana transformed royal fashion throughout the 1980s.
One of her most celebrated looks emerged during a 1985 visit to Melbourne, Australia, when she was due to attend a gala dinner wearing the Cambridge Emerald Choker – a striking emerald and diamond necklace gifted by Queen Elizabeth II.
However, according to her longtime hairstylist Richard Dalton, a day spent in the Australian sun left the princess with a noticeable sunburn around her neck, creating an unexpected fashion dilemma just hours before the event.
A royal fashion source told us: "What is remarkable about this episode is that one of the most celebrated images of Diana's royal career emerged from an everyday problem that almost anyone can relate to. There was no grand strategy behind it, no carefully orchestrated fashion campaign. She had spent too long in the Australian sun, was left with a noticeable burn around her neck, and suddenly had to rethink her entire look just hours before a major public appearance."
The insider added, "Most people in that situation would have simply chosen different jewelry or tried to cover the redness as best they could. Diana approached it differently. What started as a practical solution evolved into a fashion moment that challenged convention and demonstrated her natural flair for reinvention. Decades later, people still remember the photographs of her headband moment because she turned an awkward predicament into something iconic."
'Let's Try Something Different'
Hairstylist Richard Dalton secured the emerald choker around Princess Diana's forehead.
Dalton recalled in his book It's All About the Hair: My Decade with Diana, Princess of Wales, the princess mentioned she "had a bit of a sunburn around her neck from being out in the hot Australian sun all day."
He explained Diana had planned to wear an emerald and diamond necklace to the evening event, but the jewelry drew attention to the sunburn.
"I said to Diana, 'Let's try something different. Why don't we stick some emeralds in your hair?'" Dalton wrote.
The stylist later revealed how the unconventional look came together.
Dalton said: "I asked Evelyn, her dresser, for six inches of knicker elastic (the kind used by) grannies."
Using the elastic, he secured the emerald choker around Diana's forehead and styled her hair around it, effectively transforming a necklace into a headpiece.
How a Necklace Became a Headband
Princess Diana and her creative team caused a massive sensation that night.
Another royal fashion insider said, "What made the moment so extraordinary was that it wasn't the result of a carefully planned fashion strategy. It emerged from a last-minute challenge and a burst of creativity.
"Looking back, people would probably describe it as the ultimate styling hack, but in the mid-1980s, it was genuinely groundbreaking. Royal women were expected to wear jewelry traditionally and predictably, so seeing Diana transform an heirloom necklace into a dramatic headpiece took people completely by surprise."
The insider added, "Diana possessed a rare confidence when it came to fashion. She wasn't afraid to experiment if she believed something worked. Even when circumstances forced her to think on her feet, she had an uncanny ability to make unusual choices look elegant, sophisticated, and entirely natural. What might have seemed eccentric on someone else became iconic when Diana wore it."
Dalton later said the "necklace-as-headband" moment was "my first big statement."
He noted, "I love that necklace. We caused such a sensation that night."
Princess Kate Revived Diana's Famous Jewel
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Princess Kate wore the emerald piece to an awards ceremony in 2022.
The Cambridge Emerald Choker had originally belonged to Queen Mary and was later given to Diana by Queen Elizabeth II as a wedding gift.
The princess paired the jewel with a striking blue gown designed by Elizabeth Emanuel, who also created her wedding dress.
After Diana's death, the necklace remained out of public view for 25 years before Catherine, Princess of Wales, 44, wore it in its traditional form around her neck at the Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony in Boston in 2022, introducing one of Diana's most famous pieces of jewelry to a new generation.
