A Royal Result | Princess Diana’s Letters to a Lifelong Friend

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More than a dozen letters and cards from Diana Princess of Wales to her family’s former housekeeper sold in our 30 July Out of the Ordinary sale for a total of £51,850 (including buyer’s premium).

Violet Collison, the head housekeeper to John Spencer, Viscount Althorp, and his wife, Frances Ruth Roche, at Park House on the Sandringham Estate, played a significant role in the Spencer household. She witnessed the births of four Spencer children—Sarah, Jane, Diana (later Diana, Princess of Wales), and Charles. After the Spencers' marriage ended, Collison followed Frances to London in 1967, working for Frances and Peter Shand Kydd until her retirement in 1973. Collie remained close to Frances and the Spencer children until her death in 2013 at the age of 89.

^{Lady Diana Spencer, later HRH Diana, Princess of Wales (1961-1997) (Sold for £7,150)}

This collection of cards and letters reveals that Collie remained in Diana’s thoughts throughout her life. The correspondence spans from before Diana's marriage to Charles, Prince of Wales, through the births of Princes William and Harry, and beyond. Collie was invited to the Royal Wedding on 29 July 1981, and received a ticket for the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, on 6 September 6 1997.

Most of the letters to Collie are thank-you notes for Christmas and birthday presents given to Diana and her children, Prince Harry and Prince William. These notes often include a line or two about Diana's life at the time.

^{HRH Diana, Princess of Wales (1961-1997) a handwritten two-page letter dated September 25th 1984 (Sold for £13,000)}

A double-sided letter, written on Buckingham Palace notepaper to Collie thanking her for a birthday present is dated July 8th 1981, only three weeks before the Royal Wedding. The then Lady Diana Spencer observes: 'everyone frantically busy here doing last minute decorations ... the bride to be has remained quite calm!'. In its original envelope addressed in Diana’s hand, the lot made £7,150 (inc. BP).

Writing as the Princess of Wales on Kensington Palace notepaper on September 25th 1984, Diana thanks her former housekeeper for a gift to Prince Harry. She notes that ‘William adores his little brother & spends the entire time pouring an endless supply of hugs & kisses over Harry.’ Offered together with a Christmas card from the same year, this lot rose to £13,000 (inc. BP).

^{HRH Diana, Princess of Wales (1961-1997) a handwritten double-sided letter dated December 13th 1984 (Sold for £3,400)}

Violet Collison’s personal invitations to the Royal Wedding (including a copy of the order of service) was offered together with ticket no.109 for the Funeral of Diana plus other correspondence related to the Memorial Service of Diana, Princess of Wales on 31st August 2007. With an estimate of £200-300 the collection made £1,300.

Head of Art & Estates, Luke Macdonald, said the letters were "so intimate". "They’re things that otherwise we probably would not be aware of outside the small circles of the Royal family," he said.

"The fact that she was wanting to say a special thank you - for albeit small presents - really says how kind and generous and caring Diana was." Ms Collison remained close to Frances and the Spencer children until her death at the age of 89 in 2013. "She was a constant in Diana’s life, somebody she could relate to and perhaps even escape from the world she was in," Mr Macdonald said. "There was huge affection - she adored her." 

Out of the Ordinary 

Tuesday 30 July | 10am

outoftheordinary@sworder.co.uk | 01279 817778

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