Back in 1999, I spotted a purple box at Toys “R” Us featuring a clone fashion doll called Royal Diana. She cost just $5.00, but as a young mom of three, my doll budget was basically nonexistent! Many Diana doll collectors passed on these dolls because the outfits weren’t perfectly accurate. They captured the look of Diana’s dresses, but sometimes the colors were a little off or a detail didn’t quite match. Since these dolls were made for little girls rather than serious collectors, I can understand why the outfits weren’t always spot-on. Still, the bright, funky colors, including hot pink, were a blast! The accessories were pretty minimal too: a quirky tiara and rose, a handbag, and almost always a pair of silver pumps. The two “collector” editions were the exceptions, coming with jewelry and a scepter for a little extra royal flair. At only $5.00, who could complain? Today, these nostalgic gems can sell for around $20.00 on the secondary market.
I’m starting to add them to my personal collection because I enjoy them, and they bring an extra touch of nostalgia to my Diana memorabilia.
Just a quick note on my “rarity” ratings: these are purely based on my personal treasure-hunting adventures and how tricky they were for *me* to track down. It doesn’t necessarily reflect a higher market value compared to other classic Diana dolls! Keep in mind that these cuties originally retailed for just $5.00 to $10.00, so they aren’t exactly high-stakes investments—let’s just enjoy them for the nostalgic joy they bring!
Let’s talk about the back of the box! I suspect those first two dolls were prototypes that unfortunately never made it into production.
I really wish they had released the lavender suit exactly as planned.
It seems unlikely we’ll ever find that elusive polka-dot suit—unless, of course, she magically turns up somewhere!
Another thing I noticed is most of these dolls have GREEN eyes instead of blue.
The Dolls
This doll is often listed as RED or Hot Pink or Purple .
I am still havea time trying to track down what gown that really could have inspired this one
Detail shots of the front of the dress
Notice this one in the photo is more of dark red color.
fixhere
The faces on these dolls are pretty good they suit the budget friendly price tag. I have seen a $100.00 dolls have worst faces than these.
So, why do I like these little dolls? Honestly, I just think they’re adorable! They were such a sweet, heartfelt tribute for younger fans at a time when the world was looking for any way to honor Diana’s legacy. Today, these dolls feel like a total “time capsule” nod to the late 90s.
They really filled a gap, especially since the big-name fashion doll companies missed the mark and ruined our dreams of getting a proper 11-inch Diana doll back then. During that time, the Diana fund was caught in a massive legal battle, which spooked a lot of companies into scrapping their tribute plans entirely. That’s probably exactly why the outfits weren’t always spot-on and why the series was so short-lived—but that just makes them even more of a unique, nostalgic treasure!
