A pendant worn by, and said to be a favorite of, the late Princess Diana has a new famous owner: Kim Kardashian.
Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian is an American television personality, socialite, and businesswoman. She rose to fame in the early 2000s through her association with the reality TV show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” which follows the lives of her family.
Kardashian has since become a successful entrepreneur and has released several products, including clothing lines, fragrances, and cosmetics. She is also known for her philanthropic efforts and activism, particularly in the areas of criminal justice reform and prison reform.
Princess Diana
Princess Diana was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of Prince Charles, heir apparent to the British throne, and the mother of Prince William and Prince Harry. She was born Diana Spencer in 1961 and married Prince Charles in 1981. The couple had a highly publicized and tumultuous marriage, and they divorced in 1996.
Princess Diana was a popular and well-known public figure. She was known for her charitable work, particularly her efforts to raise awareness about and combat the spread of HIV/AIDS. She was also known for her support of children’s charities and her campaigns to ban landmines. She died in a car crash in 1997, which led to a significant outpouring of public grief.
The Attallah Cross
The Attallah cross, made of square-cut amethysts, circular-cut diamond accents, and flower-shaped details, was a costly piece. The reality star paid $197,453 for the pendant at Sotheby’s auction on Wednesday, according to a press release.
According to the release, “It is understood that the cross was only ever worn by the Princess,” and “it was never seen in public again until now.”
According to Sotheby’s, a representative for Kardashian won the necklace over at least three other bidders.
In October 1987, Diana wore the pendant, which was made in the 1920s by the jewelry company Garrard, to a charity event for the Birthright organization.
According to a release, Diana’s friend, businessman Naim Attallah, purchased the necklace in the 1980s and lent it to her multiple times.
“To some extent, this unusual pendant is symbolic of the Princess’s growing self-assurance in her sartorial and jewelry choices, at that particular moment in her life,” Kristian Spofforth, head of jewelry at Sotheby’s London, said in a statement before the sale of the necklace.”
“We are confident that this unique 1920s piece of jewelry by Garrard, with such an exceptional provenance and only ever worn by the Princess herself, will attract the attention of a wide variety of bidders, including royal and noble jewelry collectors, as well as fans of the Princess keen to share part of her history.”
Prior to Kardashian’s purchase, the cross’s owner, Ramsay Attallah, recalled the piece’s significance to Diana.
“Princess Diana and my father were friends, and I remember that she often came to see him at the historic Garrard store on Regent Street, where his office was, and she would ask to borrow the pendant on several occasions,” he said in a statement. “She really loved the piece.”
