The designer of Princess Diana's wedding dress has filed a copyright lawsuit against the companies behind a Las Vegas exhibition, accusing them of displaying an unauthorized life-size replica of the gown after negotiations for permission to reproduce it failed.
British fashion designer Elizabeth Emanuel filed the complaint Monday, November 2, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada. She alleges that the exhibition, Princess Diana & The Royals: The Exhibition, copied protected elements of the dress she created for Diana's 1981 wedding to Prince Charles, along with sketches and designs for other garments.
The lawsuit names Sportbox Entertainment Group, Astound Group, See Global Entertainment, and two LV Exhibitions entities. Emanuel claims the companies commissioned Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave to create a paper replica of the wedding gown despite knowing that she had not authorized its reproduction.
According to the complaint, representatives associated with the exhibition approached Emanuel about licensing her designs as early as 2019. Negotiations continued into 2020 but failed to produce an agreement. Emanuel alleges that the companies proceeded with the replica anyway, creating a display that closely resembled the original dress.
The exhibition features a life-size paper reproduction of the gown, including its elaborate decorative details and long train. Emanuel claims visitors can walk across a transparent platform above the train, allowing them to examine the replica as part of the paid attraction.
Her lawsuit focuses on the dress's artwork, patterns, and decorative embellishments rather than its overall shape or functional features. Emanuel argues that those creative elements are protected by copyright and that reproducing them without permission infringes her rights.
The complaint also identifies replicas of other garments Emanuel designed, including a black evening dress, a pale blue sequined gown and bridesmaids' dresses created for the 1981 royal wedding. She further alleges that the exhibition displays her original sketches and a limited-edition book about the wedding dress without authorization.
Emanuel accuses the companies of using her name to identify the designer of several displayed garments despite her refusal to license the works. Alongside copyright infringement, she brings claims under Nevada law for deceptive trade practices, violation of her right of publicity and unauthorized use of her name.
The designer created Diana's wedding gown with her former husband and business partner, David Emanuel. The ivory silk taffeta dress, featuring antique lace, elaborate embroidery and a 25-foot train, became one of the most recognizable garments associated with the British royal family.
The former spouses previously disputed ownership rights involving sketches of designs they produced together. They settled that separate lawsuit in October 2024, ending a British High Court case over drawings that David Emanuel alleged had been reproduced and offered for auction without his consent.
In the new Nevada lawsuit, Elizabeth Emanuel is seeking damages, profits attributable to the alleged infringement, and a court order preventing further unauthorized use of the protected works. She also requests the seizure of infringing materials and other relief available under federal and state law.
The case was filed as Emanuel v. Sportbox Entertainment Group, Inc., No. 2:26-cv-03629. The court has not ruled on the allegations, and the exhibition operators have not yet filed a response, as reflected in the initial public docket.
