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Floral artists spoke exclusively to GB News about how they recreated Princess Diana's iconic gowns

Princess Diana's legacy has been brought to life through thousands of fresh flowers in a new exhibition celebrating the late royal's enduring influence.

Fleurs de Villes Diana opened at Somerset House this week, with 15 elaborate floral mannequins recreating some of the Princess of Wales's most memorable fashion moments and exploring the causes and humanitarian work that defined her public life.

GB News' Dorothy Reddin visited the exhibition on Tuesday to see the striking creations, which have been made entirely with fresh flowers by some of Britain's leading floral artists.

The exhibition explores how Diana used fashion as a way of communicating with people, connecting cultures and drawing attention to causes close to her heart, from HIV/AIDS and cancer care to maternity health and the global campaign against landmines.

Among the most striking pieces is a mannequin created by Claridge's Flowers, recreating the Catherine Walker gown Diana wore during a 1991 state banquet in Brazil.

The royal's visit to Brazil was part of a major overseas tour and showcased her increasingly hands-on approach to international diplomacy, with her fashion choices often becoming a powerful part of her public image.

Elsewhere, Moss Floral Art has recreated Diana's famous 1986 visit to Kyoto, Japan, where she wore a Tatters dress inspired by the Japanese flag and incorporated a silk kimono into her outfit.

Steven Bonilla-Graham-Darby of Moss Floral Art told GB News: "I believe she was gifted that kimono, if I'm right. That's what inspired the look.

"All the colours, textures, and details - especially down the bottom - are when it got really creative on the original print."

The floral artists used flowers to capture not only the overall silhouettes of Diana's clothes, but also the intricate details that made her wardrobe so memorable.

Another mannequin, created by the British Floral Association, recreates the Emanuel gown Diana wore to a 1986 state banquet at the German Embassy.

The gown later became one of the 79 dresses personally selected by Diana for her landmark 1997 charity auction at Christie's, which raised millions for causes including cancer and AIDS charities.

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Kerrie Raines, of the British Floral Association, told GB News: "She was in the German embassy, so this is how she wore it. We decided to construct it... Obviously, we needed to do dried [flowers] and then the fresh, and doing it as pure as we possibly can.

The painstaking creations demonstrate the extraordinary amount of work involved in transforming fresh flowers into representations of garments that have become synonymous with one of the most famous women of the 20th century.

While fashion is at the heart of the exhibition, its organisers are keen to ensure the story goes beyond Diana's clothes.

Each mannequin represents a different aspect of her public life, highlighting the way she used her global platform to champion causes and connect with people.

Dr Tessy Ojo, CEO of The Diana Award, told GB News that flowers were also central to the public response to Diana's death in 1997.

"By the time she passed away almost 30 years ago, the thing that hit you as soon as you came into Kensington High Street was the smell of flowers," she said.

"And that smell reminded you that we had lost someone because whilst we smelled it, we also felt the grief. We wanted to be able to tell that story through flowers."

The decision to tell Diana's story through fresh flowers therefore carries a particular resonance, recreating the sensory experience that became so closely associated with the extraordinary outpouring of public grief following her death.

Visitors to the exhibition are surrounded by the scent of thousands of flowers as they move between the mannequins, with each creation offering a different window into Diana's public life.

The exhibition also highlights the way Diana's influence extended beyond the clothes she wore. Her approach to fashion became an important part of her public diplomacy, with designers, colours, jewellery and individual outfits frequently helping to communicate messages during royal tours and engagements.

At the same time, her work with charities and vulnerable communities helped shape the legacy for which she is remembered today.

Fleurs de Villes Diana is supporting The Diana Award, with a portion of proceeds from every ticket sold going towards the charity, which works to empower young people to create positive change.

The exhibition will remain open to the public at Somerset House until October 6. It is also expected to embark on an international tour in 2027, taking its celebration of Diana's life and legacy to audiences beyond Britain.