Kim Kardashian purchases Princess Diana's Attallah Cross

Kim Kardashian Bought a Cross Pendant Made Famous by Princess Diana

Though Kim Kardashian's style is a far cry to that of Princess Diana's, but the Reality TV actress turned business mogul and the late beloved Princess of Wales have something in common now. On 18 January, esteemed auction house, Sotheby's London, confirmed that the Attallah Cross, which is a "unique piece of jewelry" and was quite favored by the late Princess of Wales, was sold for £163,800 to the Skims founder.

The Attallah Cross was competed for by four bidders, before a representative for Kardashian bid more than double its pre-auction price in the final five minutes of the Royal and Noble Sale. The aristocratic amethyst necklace, had been worn by Diana on a number of occasions, and she was also photographed wearing the piece with a Catherine Walker dress in October 1987 when she attended a Birthright charity gala.

The luxury piece of jewelry was made in the 1920s by court jewelers Garrard, who also made Diana's sapphire and diamond engagement ring, and was created using square-cut amethysts and circular-cut diamonds weighing 5.25 carat. It was bought by Naim Attallah, a friend of Diana's, who would regularly loan the piece to her for events. According to Sotheby's, the cross was only ever worn by Diana and, following her untimely death on 31 Aug. 1997, it wasn't seen in public again until the auction.

"Jewelry owned or worn by the late Princess Diana very rarely comes on to the market, especially a piece such as the Attallah cross, which is so colorful, bold and distinctive," says Kristian Spofforth, Head of Jewelry at Sotheby's London. "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."

It comes as a surprise that the coveted piece was not won in auction by a royal collector or a family member, but by reality TV star, Kim Kardashian. Though the celebrity and business entrepreneur previously has not shown a penchant for the royal family, she does have a history of scoring iconic pieces previously worn by the famous personalities. In 2021, she also bought a look from Janet Jackson's 1993 music video for "If" for $25,000 from Julien's Auctions. And at the 2022 Met Gala, Kardashian famously arrived in a dress worn by Marilyn Monroe, loaned to her from Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum.