If all the queen has to do is switch her handbag from one arm to another to signal to her aides that it’s time to wrap up a conversation, Princess Diana had a secret message behind her signature clutches, too. Diana’s satin clutches, tiny enough to only fit essentials, were more than a fashion statement.

Which jewels will Kirsten Stewart wear in her portrayal of Princess Diana?

English designer Anya Hindmarch, known for the early “it bags” and the “I’m not a plastic bag” tote, revealed in The Telegraph how Diana candidly called the little satin purses she made for her “cleavage bags”, explaining how the royal especially needed her clutches whenever she wore low-cut dresses, as she’d use it to cover her chest while getting out her car, to shield herself from photographers.

The story behind Diana’s revenge dress

In 1994, on the eve of her then-husband, Prince Charles, publicly admitting his affair on television, Princess Diana decided not to hide, and hit the town glamorous and unscathed, turning to fashion to show her power. She appeared at a Vanity Fair summer soirée event at the Serpentine Gallery wearing a drop-dead gorgeous dress that was made to make heads turn.

It was a Christina Stambolian frock that had all the elements for a show-stopping moment: an off-shoulder neckline, styled with her seven-strand pearl and sapphire choker, a flattering fit that hugged her frame, and a chic asymmetrical hemline. Diana almost did not wear the dress, the designer told Marie Claire, as she was worried it’d be too revealing.

Done The Crown? 6 more must-see movies and series about the British royals

Thankfully, she did. Meredith Etherington-Smith, formerly of Christie’s International who worked with Diana on the auction of her dresses, deemed the move “quite deliberate” and told USA Today that the princess was “very good at obliterating the press”.

Following that eventful night, according to InStyle, Diana’s and her iconic ensemble was all over the front pages, in lieu of what could’ve been headlines about her ex-husband’s affair.

The LBD would then be christened the now-famous “revenge dress”.

Why Diana stopped wearing Chanel for a while

Following Diana’s divorce from Prince Charles in 1996, she refusing to wear Chanel. Australian designer Jayson Brunsdon, who had worked with her in the same year of the divorce, recalled in Harper's Bazaar how the princess revealed why she was averse to the brand. On a trip to Australia, Diana was to wear a Versace skirt suit, which had a pencil skirt and a fitted jacket, and turned to Brunsdon for advice on the best accessories that would suit her look.

Why Lady Kitty Spencer is way more than Princess Di’s copycat niece

Brunsdon decided on a pair of classic Chanel shoes, but the princess responded: “No, I can't wear linked Cs, the double C,” she said. “It's Camilla and Charles.”

It was understandable as the divorce was fresh that time, and Diana would later on be seen wearing Chanel again, slowly easing iconic pieces back into her wardrobe.

Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter .