In his autobiography, Rootless, the designer Bruce Oldfield – a favourite of Diana’s in the 80s (though none of his designs feature in this sale) – remembers the joys and challenges of dressing Diana at this time: “She was a very good looking woman who knew where she was going, but not necessarily in terms of style. She was young, unsure of herself and quite unsophisticated. It was our job to give her that sophistication and help her develop her own style. 

“She wanted the glamour we could give her. And she got it.”

He goes on to describe how Diana was perhaps never quite sure of the fashion decisions she was making: “She would search the mirror, worried that her shoulder pads were too big or that the skirts were too short,” he writes.

With the benefit of hindsight, Diana herself might agree that these pieces have not lasted as the greatest hits of her wardrobe. “I think many of her outfits from this period remain ‘of their time’,” says Harte. “I don’t imagine we’ll see a Kardashian wearing the Phantom of the Opera dress at the Met Gala this year, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Diana captured the essence of 80s opulence, and for that her outfits will always remain culturally significant – and will always cause excitement when up for auction.”

Indeed she soon settled on the much more restrained aesthetic ushered in during the Nineties – pared-back silhouettes, minimal detailing and strong tailoring defined the Diana look later in her life and are some of the best-remembered and most copied outfits now. 

But one of the most endearing parts of Diana’s character was her relatability – the style mistakes she made and the way she tried so much of what fashion had to offer in the moment all plays into the fascination which continues now. “Each of these incredible pieces from her reign represent the legacy of Princess Diana as a style icon for all generations,” says Martin Nolan, co-founder and an executive director of Julien’s Auctions. Do we want to don a clashing turban hat in the same way that we want to emulate the Princess’s mid-90s gym outfit? Perhaps not. But the former makes the latter all the more appealing.