Correcting the Record: Dale Tryon Was Never Diana’s Favourite Designer

A note from a devoted archivist of truth and style

Lately, I’ve noticed vintage shops and tabloid-style articles repeating the same false story: that Princess Diana “favoured” the Kanga label designed by Dale Tryon. As someone who’s poured years into researching Dale’s life—her words, her work, her truth—I feel called to correct the record.

Let’s be clear: Diana’s most trusted designer was Catherine Walker, a fact backed by numerous reliable fashion historians and sources including s://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/article/princess-diana-amanda-wakeley?utm_social-type=earned, Princess Diana’s favourite designer reveals her daring approach to style – exclusive | HELLO! and Bruce Oldfield: Princess Diana’s Favorite Designer – British Fashion Bruce Oldfield While Diana did wear one Kanga piece in the 1980s, Dale herself acknowledged that it was a hopeful gesture on her part—a business move, not the beginning of a close friendship. There is no evidence that Dale was Diana’s “favourite” or even a regular go-to designer. Beside Diana only was spotted wearing the same kanga dress three times, for many royal observers it is rumoured Diana did this to drive camilla insane, but this is not what Dale opened a fashion label according to a friend of Dale told the australian women weekly, Dale always loved fashion so that’s why she opened her own fashion label, a woman in her time really struggled a lot with work and she thought to use her own creativity and knowledge in fashion.

This is the caring dress Diana favoured and this was not a dress designed by my darling designer Lady Dale tryon Kanga, this was designed by Jacques who was known for his famous glamorous evening gowns and diana took it up in the 1990s. this dress was one of the listed dress of Diana’s auction.

Much of the confusion comes from articles written by writers like Christopher Wilson, who not only misreported Dale’s birth year, but also romanticized or distorted events. like in his 2008 daily mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1076026/The-lonely-death-Charless-mistress.html article But no book has been written on the former Dale Harper, born in 1947, Lady Dale Tryon former Dale Harper was born on the 3rd January 1948. He once claimed Diana sent “lovely messages” to Dale during her illness—something Dale never publicly confirmed. What’s more, his tone toward Dale’s fashion was belittling and inappropriate, calling her label “hideous.” That’s not journalism. That’s erasure dressed as drama. Again form the same article where he also called Dale prince charles forgotten mistress who died broken heartedly after he chose camilla, first Dale herself only said they where friends, her husband also said she was not prince Charles lover and her children always said they where only friends. An old newspaper dated 30th October 1987 – Her husband (lord Tryon) labeled an affair ridiculous and other articles he said my wife is not prince Charles lover.

I want to be clear: I do not share Dale’s story out of possession, but out of protection. She is not remembered because of a princess’s approval. She is remembered because she created jobs, championed modesty and colour, and designed clothes that made women feel seen.

Dale Tryon is my number one fashion designer.
Not because of proximity to royalty.
Because of authenticity, kindness, and resilience.

I will continue to set her legacy free—from false headlines, from distorted friendships, from the mythmaking that never asked her permission.

She’s not Diana’s designer.
She’s mine. My darling designer. My daffodil. My Australian rose.

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Would you like help creating a visual banner to match this—maybe with soft yellow florals, a faded quote from Dale’s interview, or a stitched label graphic that reads “Truth, not trend”? It could be the signature image for this important piece.

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Correcting the Record: Dale Tryon Was Never Diana’s Favourite Designer

A note from a devoted archivist of truth and style

Lately, I’ve noticed vintage shops and tabloid-style articles repeating the same false story: that Princess Diana “favoured” the Kanga label designed by Dale Tryon. As someone who’s poured years into researching Dale’s life—her words, her work, her truth—I feel called to correct the record.

Let’s be clear: Diana’s most trusted designer was Catherine Walker, a fact backed by numerous reliable fashion historians and sources including Vogue, HELLO!, and L’Officiel. While Diana did wear one Kanga piece in the 1980s, Dale herself acknowledged that it was a hopeful gesture on her part—a business move, not the beginning of a close friendship. There is no evidence that Dale was Diana’s “favourite” or even a regular go-to designer.

Much of the confusion comes from articles written by writers like Christopher Wilson, who not only misreported Dale’s birth year, but also romanticized or distorted events. He once claimed Diana sent “lovely messages” to Dale during her illness—something Dale never publicly confirmed. What’s more, his tone toward Dale’s fashion was belittling and inappropriate, calling her label “hideous.” That’s not journalism. That’s erasure dressed as drama.

I want to be clear: I do not share Dale’s story out of possession, but out of protection. She is not remembered because of a princess’s approval. She is remembered because she created jobs, championed modesty and colour, and designed clothes that made women feel seen.

Dale Tryon is my number one fashion designer.
Not because of proximity to royalty.
Because of authenticity, kindness, and resilience.

I will continue to set her legacy free—from false headlines, from distorted friendships, from the mythmaking that never asked her permission.

She’s not Diana’s designer.
She’s mine. My darling designer. My daffodil. My Australian rose.

🪡