Mother & Daughter Share “Diana: A Celebration”

I was a (young!) teenager when Lady Diana married Prince Charles. I sat glued to the TV, watching the ceremony, the pageantry, and … the dress.

When I heard that “Diana: A Celebration” was coming to the Frazier History Museum, I had to go and take my daughter, Autumn (age 10). To watch Diana’s dress on TV was great. To see the real thing, to walk 25 feet along the train, to see all the tiny pearls that were hand stitched, to see the tiara that topped her head – now that was magnificent.

And, to share that with Autumn was just icing on the dress … oh, I mean cake.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Diana Exhibit. All my expectations were blown away upon seeing the first item on display. A diamond-filled tiara was mounted simply and elegantly upon a red velvet pillow in a small display case. The case was right in front of me.

Then there were her family jewels – from the Spencer family. Autumn and I counted the diamonds that formed a chain in one of the necklaces. There were about 42. And, let me tell you, those weren’t diamond chips. They were probably one to three carats each. I couldn’t even guess how many carats were in the pendants that hung from the diamond chain.

In one room, there was a home movie of Diana as a baby and child. Autumn and I talked about the similarities and differences between her childhood and Diana’s. There were all types of childhood memorabilia, even Report Cards. It made me shudder to think that my first grade Report Card might be on public display. I seem to recall making good grades, but still ….

After seeing “The Dress,” I thought the exhibit was about over. I was happily wrong. The Style Gallery held 28 designer dresses and suits. Each contained a description card of the designer and the occasion.
The exhibit paying tribute to Diana’s death was touching. The world’s outpouring of grief and respect was heartwarming. Over 1 billion people watched Diana’s wedding. Over 2.5 billion watched her funeral. It reminded me that while Diana liked fashion, she loved people.

This display only travels in the non-summer months. During the summer, it stays at Althorp, the Spencer home. The Exhibit is in Louisville from September to January 13. Think about that, my friends. Do you recognize what a rare opportunity this is for Louisville? I encourage you to take advantage of the Diana Exhibit while you can.

Autumn’s Perspective – age 10
Diana’s wedding dress was unique. The train went on forever. It was huge. My favorite part of the exhibit was seeing all the dresses in the Style Gallery. Mom tried to rush me a few times, but I wanted to enjoy each dress.