A 1994 Audi Cabriolet owned by Princess Diana is going under the hammer next month, with an estimated value of £50,000. The convertible green sports car was bought by Diana from a dealership in northwest London three years before her death, and she drove around 4,000 miles in it – sons Prince William and Prince Harry were photographed in it with her on a number of occasions.
It is among a prized set of 12 classic cars owned by a private gentleman that will be up for grabs on 12 – 13 November as part of the auction, Jewels in the Crown.
A convertible Audi owned by Princess Diana is going up for auction next month
Also included is a Bentley once owned by the Queen, which has been valued at £235,000. The Mulsanne limousine was built in 2012 as a special gift for the monarch's Diamond Jubilee tour of Great Britain. The luxury green motor, which also took the Queen to her only Cabinet Meeting at Downing Street in 2012, was fitted with armour protection, reinforced tyres, a walnut burr veneered picnic table and waist rails with inlayed royal crests.
The green sports car is expected to fetch around £50,000
A 2001 Daimler Supercharged V8, built to the Queen’s specifications, meanwhile, is expected to sell for £60,000. The royal travelled more than 11,000 miles in the car, and at her request, it features a number of unique modifications, including an adapted armrest with a sliding holder, specifically designed to hold her handbags.
Also up for auction is a 2005 Rolls-Royce Phantom first owned by Sir Elton John, which is estimated to fetch £155,000, Princess Margaret’s 1980 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith II at £11,000, and a 1972 Fiat 500L once bought by David Cameron for his wife Samantha, valued at £22,000.
The Mulsanne linousine was built by Bentley in 2012 as a special gift for the Queen
"It's an honour for Silverstone Auctions to offer cars with such amazing provenance, cars that belonged to HM The Queen, as well as being owned by some of the most influential personalities of the 20th century," said Nick Whale, managing director of Silverstone Auctions.
"We anticipate a huge amount of interest in these cars from across the globe. These cars have been wonderfully cared for over their lifetimes and we look forward to finding them new homes."