At the time of her tragic death on August 31, 1997, the woman born Diana Frances Spencer had achieved iconic status as Diana, Princess of Wales. The initial exhibit of the Branson Exhibition Center, “Diana, the People Princess,” tells the story of that iconic rise from her birth and early years through the fairy tale engagement and wedding to Charles, Prince of Wales, her service as a member of the royal family, motherhood, divorce, separation from royalty and what she did with that iconic status up till her death.
Tony Doblin, President & COO, Exhibition Dynamix feels the exhibit is an excellent fit with Branson. He said, “Diana will resonate well with the Midwest and the people who come to Branson because, whether you were a millionaire or a pauper, Diana treated you exactly the same. It’s an incredible exhibition that provides a very interesting and exciting introspective look into her life.”
The vast majority of the items on display are the property of John Hoatson, a life-long collector of Princess Diana memorabilia and pieces. He said, “I have been collecting Diana memorabilia since my early childhood and have over 6,000 pieces in my collection.” In addition to the over 2,000 pieces from Hoatson’s collection, the exhibit has a number of her actual Royal Dresses and other unique and interesting items including photos, videos, other items that most people have never seen and actual tapes of Diana’s voice obtained from a private answering machine message to a dear friend.
The Royal Dresses in the exhibition were acquired by Maureen Rorech Dunkel when Princess Diana auctioned off a collection of her dresses in a well planned and publicized auction for charity on the evening of June 25, 1997 at the world famous Christie’s in New York City. The auction and sale of the auction’s catalog raised over $5.6 million for the charities selected by Diana to benefit her humanitarian efforts.
Over $700, 000 of that came from an anonymous buyer who was not even at the auction and had only found out about it five days before it was held. That buyer was Ms. Dunkel who purchased 13 of the dresses as an investment based on Prince William’s anticipated future ascension to the throne. Due to the tragic and untimely death of Princess Diana less than two months later, the investment value of the all the dresses sold that night has gone up drastically.
A number of the actual Royal Dresses are displayed in the exhibition and help separate the different stages of the life of this remarkable woman. One example is the elegant pink wild silk dress, with its bodice elaborately embroidered with a “tapestry of flowers, sequins and gold,” that she wore on her State Tour of India in 1992.
As important as the items in the exhibit are it is the way they are arranged and presented that contributes substantially to the experience guests will have while touring the exhibit. The experience starts by entering a theatre where a short video gives an overview of the stages of Diana’s life, from birth to death and her rise to iconic status. This provides an excellent foundation for the self-guided tour that follows.
When you exit the theatre you will enter the first major exhibit area, “Althorp,” her ancestral home where you will begin an experience that will share the life of this remarkable women from her birth to her death and the impact she has had even after her death. The tour uses videos, story boards, and an elaborate system of visual indexing and identification to identify each item in the exhibit which enhances the overall experience of the exhibit’s visitors.
One example of the variety and what to expect while viewing the exhibit is its “Engagement and Wedding” presentation. When you walk into the room, you are surrounded by huge video screen showing the actual wedding which creates increases the sensation that you are really there. Among many of the interesting items that most people have never seen is an actual preserved piece of the wedding cake.
Tammy Johnson, Director of Operations for the Branson Tourism Center said, “This exhibit is a great addition to the Branson entertainment scene. From the ‘Beverly Hill Billies’ TV truck to a Princess and the Titanic, the World’s Largest Toy Museum and so much more, the exhibit ‘Diana the People’s Princess’ is another excellent example of the choices Branson has to offer its guests.”
For additional information or tickets for the exhibit “Diana the People’s Princess” or any of Branson’s other shows and attractions or for lodging arrangements please contact the Branson Tourism Center (BTC), one of Branson’s largest and most respected vacation planning services. BTC can be reached by either calling their toll free number 1-800-785-1550 or through their website www.BransonTourismCenter.com.
