One year on from then-Prince Charles' confession that he had been unfaithful in his marriage with Princess Diana, he made his first outing at the same high-society event with his then-girlfriend Camilla Parker Bowles at The Ritz.
The newly-divorced 48-year-old was pictured entering a party for Lady Sarah Keswick, who became one of her official Queen's Companions in 2022. The event marked the first time she had been seen at the same event as Charles, who was still legally married, with the pair carefully orchestrating their movements, arriving 90 minutes apart and leaving separately.
Aside from their mere proximity, headlines honed in on Camilla's choice of outfit, which strongly resembled the one Princess Diana had worn the year before. The Rosalind Klein dress had a black velvet bodice with a flattering off-the-shoulder neckline, which showcased her three-strand pearl necklace with a large aquamarine at the centre, thought to be passed down from her mother, Rosalind Shand.
After gathering at the waist, the material changed to a silk polka-dot jacquard skirt, which had the illusion of a leg-split when Camilla lifted the material as she exited the car. She accessorised with sheer tights, black heels and a red shawl that she later draped over her shoulders to keep the autumn chill at bay.
Secret details behind Princess Diana's 'revenge dress'
© Julian ParkerIn 1994, Diana had worn an uncannily similar look, even down to her choice of pearl accessories. Attending the Vanity Fair party at the Serpentine Gallery, she wore what has become one of her most famous outfits of all time.
Designed by Christina Stambolian, the 'revenge dress' featured the same shoulder-baring straps, alongside a sweetheart neckline and a fitted silhouette that fell to her knees. She had originally bought the dress in 1991, but had delayed wearing it for three years over fears it was too daring for a royal princess.
© WireImageShe had initially chosen a Valentino gown for the Serpentine Gallery, but made a last-minute change to her wardrobe after her planned outfit was leaked to the press.
Diana styled the figure-hugging dress with sheer black tights, ebony heels and a seven-strand pearl choker featuring the sapphire and diamond cluster the Queen Mother had given her as a wedding gift in 1981.
The outing took place on the evening that Prince Charles made his notorious adultery admission on television.
"It is a deeply regrettable thing to happen, but it does happen, and unfortunately, in this case, it has happened," he said.
Just weeks after now-Queen Camilla wore her black off-the-shoulder look, Princess Diana said in her bombshell BBC Panorama interview with Martin Bashir: "There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded."
Camilla and Charles' Operation Ritz
© GettyThe couple's 1995 evening at the Ritz laid the groundwork for what insiders dubbed 'Operation Ritz' four years later. In January 1999, Charles and Camilla staged their first official photographed exit as a couple outside the same hotel after celebrating Camilla's sister Annabel Elliot's 50th birthday.
Masterminded by Mark Bolland, the PR stunt saw more than 200 photographers capture the couple's walk to their waiting car, which marked a positive step towards rehabilitating Camilla's image and gaining acceptance for their relationship.
