Princess Diana broke the mold when it came to being a royal, and as a result, it’s not all that surprising she broke the rules.

Diana wore an off-the-shoulder black dress to her engagement party (Image: Getty Images )

Princess Diana was known for her bold fashion choices, often ignoring royal clothing traditions to forge her own style path.

As a royal, there are numerous protocols and long-standing rules to follow, especially regarding attire. Royal women are typically expected to wear skirts or dresses that are knee-length or longer, paired with tights instead of bare legs, at official events.

Hats are a must at royal weddings, and flashy nail polish is frowned upon, reports the Mirror UK. 

However, when Princess Diana joined the royal ranks, she seemed to challenge an unspoken rule about the color of her wardrobe.

Fashion legend Dame Zandra Rhodes has shared that while Diana had a fondness for little black dresses, wearing black was generally reserved for mourning or funerals within royal circles.

It wasn’t a one-off occasion, the royal had a penchant for black dresses (Image: Getty)

Dame Zandra recalled how Diana would visit her Mayfair shop, peruse the racks, and sometimes choose black garments.

She said: “She was very shy. She would come into my shop in Mayfair and go through the rails. Sometimes she picked something in black, which the royals weren’t allowed to wear except at funerals, so we would make it in her size in a different color.”

Diana famously disregarded the unspoken royal protocol by frequently choosing black attire for various events.

In 1981, during her engagement to Charles, she made a bold statement by wearing a striking black gown by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, who would later design her wedding dress to a charity concert.

The off-the-shoulder taffeta creation turned heads, particularly catching the attention of her soon-to-be husband.

Diana wore a strappy black dress on her 36th birthday (Image: Getty Images )