Princess Diana's 1981 Ford Escort to be auctioned
- Published
A car given to Diana, Princess of Wales as an engagement present is to be auctioned after the current owner kept its origins a secret for 20 years.
The Prince of Wales gifted the 1981 Ford Escort Ghia Saloon in May 1981.
The car is estimated to fetch between £30,000 and £40,000 when it is listed at Reeman Dansie's Royalty, Antiques and Fine Art Sale in Essex on 29 June.
It has its original registration, 83,000 miles on the clock and retains its original paintwork and upholstery.
The car also has a copy of a silver frog mascot given as a gift to the princess by her sister, Lady Sarah Spencer.
The vehicle was used by Princess Diana until August 1982.
She was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997.
The current owner has been described as a "great admirer" of the princess. The auctioneers said she kept the car's Royal connection secret from her friends and it had effectively disappeared from public view for more than 20 years.
A spokeswoman for the auction house said it confirmed the Royal provenance from the vehicle's history file, registration number and the many photographs of Princess Diana in the car.
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