Interview with Joan Greene, Developer of Ashton Drake's Princess Diana Doll Line

As reported in Remembering Diana, Princess of Wales, with Collector Dolls, Diana Frances Spencer was born on July 1, 1961. In the months preceding her marriage to Prince Charles on July 29, 1981, several collector dolls were issued depicting Diana in her wedding dress. When Diana, who had become known as "The People's Princess," died on August 31,1997 Diana, Princess of Wales, was immortalized through several collector dolls. (Examiner) The first of the new tribute dolls issued was the Ashton Drake Princess Diana doll, designed by Joan Greene. Greene shared some details about the development of the Princess Diana doll with me in an exclusive interview to mark the 13th anniversary of Princess Diana's death.

Joan Greene Developer of Ashton Drake's Gene Marshall Line of Dolls and Princess Diana Dolls

Joan Greene was the developer of the Gene Marshall line of dolls at the time, and was in Las Vegas with Gene's creator Mel Odom for a Gene event on Sunday, August 31, 1997. As she was leaving her room for the event, Greene's phone rang. It was the general manager of Ashton Drake telling her that Princess Diana had just been killed. He told Greene to get back to the Ashton Drake offices immediately to begin working on a Princess Diana memorial doll. Titus Timescu was to be the sculptor for the doll and Joan Greene would be the product designer.

The Rush to Bring the First Princess Diana doll to Market

Many doll companies wanted to be the first to bring a Princess Diana doll to market. Goldberger re-issued their 1982 Princess Diana bride doll as the Original Historic Commemorative, The Royal Britannia Collection of Diana, Princess of Wales. Franklin Mint went to work on their Diana Princess of Wales Porcelain Portrait Doll based on the hand-beaded white designer gown and bolero jacket they had purchased at Christie's auction. (Associated Content)

Ashton Drake & Princess Diana's Travolta Gown

Ashton Drake Galleries also decided to do a series of "Portraits of Diana" dolls, starting with the famous dark blue gown Princess Diana wore to the White House in 1985. After dancing with John Travolta, the gown was forever known as the "Travolta Dress." After Diana's death, the Ashton Drake team was "racing the clock to be the first to market with the doll," according to Greene. As part of the team worked the clay sculpt and prototype, Ashton Drake had a seamstress in Chicago making a replica of that famous blue Travolta dress. (Examiner)

Ashton Drake Princess Diana First of Diana Dolls to Market

The hours of hard work resulted in a Princess Diana sculpt ready ten days after the death of the princess, and the ad was out within 30 days, making it the first of the new dolls on the market. Joan Greene's interest in Diana's dresses and commitment to the Diana doll project continued after that first doll was made, however.

Joan Greene, Maureen Rorech Dunkel & Christie's Princess Diana Gowns

"I became obsessed with knowing more about the 79 dresses that had been auctioned at Christie's just months before her death." Greene discovered that thirteen or fourteen of the dresses, including the Travolta dress, had been purchased by wealthy philanthropist and business woman Maureen Rorech Dunkel who paid $700,000 for the gowns at the auction to raise money for Diana's favorite charities in 1997.

Greene tracked down Dunkel and looked into the possibility of Ashton Drake copying the gowns. "At the time I am sure that it sounded like a wild goose chase to Ashton Drake, so I paid my own travel expenses to go in hopes of talking with her in person. I went on the trip knowing that I might not ever meet her or see a dress. I remember meeting first with her representatives, and they finally introduced me to Maureen."

Joan Greene - Seeing Princess Diana's Dresses Almost a Spiritual Experience

Greene said the two women hit it off and that what happened next was an almost spiritual experience for her. "Before I left that day, she took me to the actual vault where the dresses were being stored. Each dress was stored on a perfect Diana sized mannequin. It was one of the most awe inspiring moments of my life. There they stood, beautiful couture gowns that told a portion of the story of a young woman's life. The scent of her perfume lingered on some, and Maureen pointed out to me that the shoulder of a dark green velvet gown designed by Victor Edelstein bore the crush marks made from a tiny little child's hand. One of her children had gripped the shoulder of his mother as she held him before leaving for the evening."

A Little Boy's Handprint

Greene describe what was for her a strange and saddening feeling to see clothing that so recently was worn by a person once vital and alive. "I will never forget the feeling that after her very recent death, I stood nearer her clothing than I ever would the woman and that she was forever gone from us all. I mostly felt a great sadness for the little boy whose fingers had left their mark on that green velvet dress."

Original Princess Diana Travolta Gown Now at Kensington Palace

The Travolta gown that Ashton Drake copied for their first "Portraits of Diana" doll recently appraised at $1 million (December 2009) and is now on display at Kensington Palace, London. (Tampa Bay Business Journal.)

Sources:

Interview with Joan Greene

Princess Diana Dolls: Remembering Diana, Princess of Wales, with Collector Dolls

Exclusive: Doll developer Joan Greene on designing Ashton Drake Princess Diana tribute doll

Princess Diana dolls through the years; a look at Princess Di dolls past and present: Part 1

Princess Diana wedding dolls through the years; a look at Princess Di bride dolls past and present

Bank sought possession of Princess Diana evening gown on display at Kensington Palace