How much is a dress worth? It seems one worn (twice!) by Princess Diana can’t secure a bid on eBay.

The silk chiffon evening gown was among 79 dresses that Diana auctioned off for charity at Christie’s in New York in June 1997, two months before she died in a car crash in Paris.

The dress, a strapless bodice made of draped and tucked silk designed by Catherine Walker, is one of four of Diana’s dresses owned by the WE television network and was put up for grabs on eBay 10 days ago.

However, the gown, which was also worn by Diana to the 1989 London opening of Miss Saigon, did not appear to have attracted any bids after opening offers were invited at $US125,000 ($A154,790).

Sydney Morning Herald

Diana also wore the dress to the 1997 Cannes Film Festival. The proceeds from the eBay auction were to go to America’s Promise Alliance, a charity that helps disadvantaged children stay in school.

While bidding for charity isn’t like shopping for a vintage bargain, this dress did seem to be overpriced. In 1997 the winner of the first charity auction won it for $US71,000, and it was later valued at $US275,000.

“If we were to put the dresses up for auction, our auction estimate would be $US20,000 ($A24,766) to $US40,000 ($A49,532) dollars for each of the dresses,” a representative from Christie’s auction house told the Washington Post.

Another Diana dress by the same designer sold at a London Auction for $US121,000. The gown Diana wore when dancing with John Travolta sold for $US222,500.

So, how much is too much to pay for a dress? While the owner of the dress having died very publicly in a horrible car crash would deter me from buying, others obviously don’t feel the same way. The eBay auction (now closed) received over 300,000 hits. Maybe a viewing fee should have been charged?

In the days before the tenth anniversary of Diana’s death, a journalist is claiming she was pregnant when she dies. Yawn, we’ve heard that before. To spice it up he adds that Dodi Al Fayed wasn’t the father.

Hopefully we can get past the ten year anniversary and get back to gossiping about Royals who are alive. Prince William, anyone?

Picture note by Celebitchy: Header image from eBay auction for Diana’s gown. Image below via the Sydney Morning Herald.