Kim Kardashian buys Attallah Cross pendant worn by Princess Diana for almost $200K at auction
Kim Kardashian bought the Attallah Cross pendant that Princess Diana wore to a London charity gala in 1987. (Getty / Getty Images)
Kim Kardashian purchased the Attallah Cross pendant worn by Princess Diana to a London charity gala in 1987.
A representative for the 42-year-old reality star bought the large amethyst and diamond piece of jewelry at a Sotheby's auction for $197,453, according to a press release obtained by FOX Business.
Per the press release, the gem-encrusted crucifix was sold in the last five minutes of Sotheby's annual Royal & Noble auction after Kardashian's representative outbid three other competitors to nab the piece "at more than double its pre-auction estimate."
"We are delighted that this piece has found a new lease of life within the hands of another globally famous name," Sotheby's Head of Jewelry Kristian Spofforth said in a statement.
The Princess of Wales wore the statement piece on a long strand of pearls to a charity gala that benefited Birthright, a nonprofit organization that provides support and resources to women facing unplanned pregnancies.
Diana paired the necklace with a black and purple baroque-style velvet dress designed by Catherine Walker, a favorite of the late royal.
Created in the 1920s by royal jeweler Garrard, the pendant was purchased by Diana's friend Naim Attallah CBE in the 1980s. Attallah loaned the cross to the princess on several occasions.
"It is understood that the cross was only ever worn by the Princess, and following her death, it was never seen in public again until now," per the press release.
The release further states, "The cross-shaped pendant — thought to be a one-off private commission by Garrard for one of their regular clients — is a bold and colorful piece set with square-cut amethysts and accented by circular-cut diamonds.
"The cross has a total diamond weight of approximately 5.25 carats and measures approximately 136 by 95 mm."
Remembering Princess Diana: 25 years later | LiveNOW from FOX
Fans of the late Princess Diana placed tributes outside the gates of her Kensington Palace home on Wednesday, marking the 25th anniversary of her death in a Paris car accident. Diana died on Aug. 31, 1997, at the age of 36, stunning people around the world who felt they knew the princess after seeing her successes and struggles play out on TV screens and newspaper front pages for 17 years. The tributes left outside Kensington Palace on Wednesday were a small reminder of the mountains of flowers piled there in the days after Diana’s death.
Diana chose her famous sapphire and diamond cluster engagement ring from Garrard in 1981. Her son Prince William gave the ring to his wife Kate Middleton when they got engaged in 2010.
This is not the first time Kardashian has acquired a historical item worn by a famous figure. In 2019, Kardashian paid $25,000 at a sale hosted by Julien's Auctions to win an ensemble that Janet Jackson wore in her 1993 music video for "What If."
That same year, the SKIMS mogul also shared that she and then-husband Kanye West had purchased their daughter North a custom velvet jacket worn by Michael Jackson to Elizabeth Taylor’s 65th birthday party in 1997 and again at a screening of his movie "Ghosts."
Kardashian made the winning bid of $65,625, although the piece was only expected to fetch between $10,000 and $20,000, Julien’s said ahead of the auction.
In May 2022, the television personality caused a stir when she wore Marilyn Monroe’s "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" dress to the Met Gala.
The late actress wore the Jean Louis gown to serenade President John F. Kennedy for his birthday in 1962.
Kardashian was later accused of damaging the dress, which she wore for a few minutes on the red carpet before changing into a replica.
However, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, which owns the dress and loaned it to Kardashian, denied the allegations.
"The fact remains that she did not, in any way, damage the garment in the short amount of time it was worn at the Met Gala," the organization wrote on its website.