Elizabeth Emanuel said she was “just so happy that it has finally all been settled” after she and her former husband, designer David Emanuel, resolved a High Court dispute over drawings of the designs they created together, including Princess Diana’s wedding gown. PEOPLE reported on October 22, 2024, that the settlement had been reached through mediation and that Elizabeth now owned all intellectual-property rights of the Emanuel partnership.
What the settlement covered
PEOPLE reported that the settlement was announced on October 18, 2024, following mediation. The dispute concerned drawings of the wedding gown and other designs associated with the former Emanuel partnership. The report said Elizabeth owned all of the partnership’s intellectual-property rights after the settlement.
PEOPLE did not publish the full settlement agreement or disclose whether any money changed hands. Its account also does not establish what a court formally ordered beyond reporting that the case was settled.
What David Emanuel had alleged
As PEOPLE described the case, David alleged that Elizabeth reproduced drawings of designs they had worked on together and offered them for sale without his consent. One drawing was of Diana’s wedding gown. He claimed that the activity infringed copyright and breached the former couple’s separation agreement, which PEOPLE said addressed future use of the Emanuel label.
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Those were David’s claims as reported by PEOPLE, not findings that Elizabeth infringed copyright or breached an agreement. The report did not examine the court filings or provide the settlement agreement.
What Elizabeth said after the case settled
Speaking to PEOPLE, Elizabeth said: “I am just so happy that it has finally all been settled.” She added: “This means I can move forward with my life.” PEOPLE also reported that she confirmed the terms had been achieved in mediation.
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David’s statement about the Emanuel label
PEOPLE carried a statement from David that it attributed to the Telegraph. In it, he said: “Emanuel was at the forefront of haute couture in the 1980s until Elizabeth and I went our separate ways. Our creations were very much in demand from the world’s most famous women throughout that period. We had a very distinctive house style and in keeping with that we created some of the most iconic dresses of the 20th century.” This was a statement reproduced by PEOPLE, rather than a direct interview quote in its report.
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Elizabeth and David Emanuel designed Diana’s wedding gown, worn at her wedding to Prince Charles on July 29, 1981. PEOPLE described the ivory dress as featuring a ruffled collar, puffed sleeves, a 25-foot train and 10,000 pearls. The dispute reported in 2024 involved a drawing of that gown as well as drawings of other designs.
PEOPLE said the Emanuels met at Harrow School of Art in 1974, married in 1976 and launched the Emanuel label in 1977. Their work for Diana also included evening gowns and the blouse she wore for her official engagement portrait.
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