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Kim Kardashian's purchase of an iconic piece of jewelry formerly worn by Princess Diana has reignited the furor that engulfed the reality TV star after she attended the 2022 Met Gala wearing Marilyn Monroe's "Happy Birthday Mr. President" dress.
Sotheby's auction house confirmed on Thursday that Kardashian was the successful bidder on the 1920s amethyst and diamond pendant offered in their Royal and Noble sale in London on Wednesday, for a hammer price of $197,452.
The jewel was made by the landmark London-based jeweler Garrard, which has supplied members of the royal family with objects of value for over a century. Princess Diana had a longstanding relationship with the house as it supplied her world-famous sapphire and diamond engagement ring, now worn by the Princess of Wales.
Over the years, Diana would borrow pieces from Garrard's collection, with the pendant reported by Sotheby's to have been worn on a number of occasions, most famously to a charity gala in 1987.
Kardashian's purchase came amid claims the piece hasn't been worn following Diana's death in a 1997 Paris car crash. The reality star is also known to have purchased items relating to the late-Michael Jackson, in addition to Marilyn Monroe.
After wearing the 1962 dress to the Met Gala, on loan from Ripley's Believe it or Not, the star faced criticism for damaging a historic artefact.
"What's up with Kim Kardashian purchasing/using items that belonged to dead people?" one Twitter user posted upon hearing the news about the Diana auction purchase.
"First Michael Jackson, then using Marilyn Monroe's iconic dress and now princess Diana's necklace?? These items should be in a museum not up for auction..."
"Kim Kardashian is not satisfied with just wearing an iconic dress by Marilyn [Monroe] and also wants to touch royalty and her latest purchase proves it :) She bought a cross for $197,000 that was worn by Princess Diana in 1987," wrote another.
"Despite the recent furore over her care of the iconic Marilyn Monroe dress, I am not surprised that Kim Kardashian is drawn to this piece. In fact, if anyone could carry it off without genuinely looking a bit ridiculous it's Kim - with her larger than life proportions and ultra-sensual silhouette," royal fashion expert and celebrity stylist Miranda Holder told Newsweek.
"Kim knows how to bring the drama—as of course did Diana—but somehow, despite its longstanding heritage, the crucifix feels more at home amongst the nouveau and sometimes tasteless glitz of LA, rather than the more demure and refined glamour of the UK."
On the pendant itself, Holder said: "[It] is the ultimate statement jewellery piece. It's not the type of thing anyone would wear to simply blend in, as the beauty and sheer size of this jewel is simply awe-inspiring.
"Diana wore the crucifix several times, most notably to a charity gala in 1987, and despite Diana's statuesque frame and compelling presence the crucifix still dominated her look, providing a classic case of the 'jewellery wearing Diana' and not the other way around."
Though Diana's dresses have repeatedly come up for auction in the 25 years since her death, it is rare to see items of her jewelry come into the public domain, the majority of her personal pieces being inherited by Princes William and Harry, and subsequently worn by their wives.
Whether Kardashian intends to wear it publicly remains to be seen.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
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About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more