The personal car used by Princess Diana from 1985 to 1988, when her sons were young, will be auctioned in England on August 27.
There was no shortage of luxury cars with drivers. Daughter-in-law of Queen Elizabeth II and wife of Prince Charles, the heir to the British crown, Princess Diana was transported in the Rolls-Royce or other Daimler of the royal family. But the young woman also wanted to have her own vehicle and drive it. Thus, after driving in a red Ford Escort 1.6i Cabriolet far too flashy according to its security services to maintain its privacy and with an unsuitable canvas convertible roof to ensure its protection, the very young mother of princes William and Harry fell back , in the mid-1980s, on another Ford Escort, a sedan this time, black moreover, recalls the site of the British auction house Silverstone Auctions who put it up for auction in the English spa town of Leamington Spa on August 27, 2022. Four days before the 25th anniversary of his accidental death under the Alma tunnel in Paris.
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It is also specified that Lady Di used this Ford Escort RS Turbo for personal purposes from August 23, 1985 to May 1, 1988. The Princess of Wales drove it to London, her protection officer at her side, in particular to go to lunch with friends in restaurants in Kensington or shopping in the boutiques of Chelsea.
The People’s Sports Car Driven by the People’s Princess
“The RS Turbo was never intended to be driven by the future Queen and was inconceivable as a means of transport for the future King William”, underlines Silverstone Auctions, ensuring that it remains today the most popular car choice. daring of a member of the British royal family. “Perhaps parallels could be drawn between the RS Turbo’s reputation as the people’s sports car and the honorary title of People’s Princess bestowed by the British public on Princess Diana.”
Princess Diana’s black Ford Escort RS Turbo to be auctioned by Silverstone Auctions at Leamington Spa on August 26
© JLPPA / Bestimage
Questioned by theDailyMail “Silverstone Auctions classic car specialist Arwel Richards explained: “We have sold a number of cars that had had a royal pedigree, but this car ticks all the boxes in terms of history, rarity, quality and quality. condition and mileage. The market loves the early Ford RS models.” “When royal cars are auctioned, it’s usually Rolls-Royce or Range Rover,” he said, noting how this popular model with such provenance was arguably unique and therefore “very exciting for buyers. According to him, Diana’s Ford Escort RS Turbo, which had belonged to a collector since 2008, could cost at least 100,000 pounds (about 119,500 euros).