Rare photographs capturing Princess Diana during her school days are up for auction. The images, taken by her schoolmate Katherine Hanbury at West Heath Girls’ School in Sevenoaks, Kent, between 1973 and 1977, showcase a youthful Diana in various settings including her dorm room, outdoors on the school grounds, and enjoying leisure time with friends.
These pictures, dating back to 1977, offer a glimpse of Diana just before she crossed paths with Prince Charles for the first time. Preserved by Hanbury over the years, the candid snapshots are now part of a collection being auctioned at Gorringe’s Auctioneers in Lewes, East Sussex, with an asking price of £4,000.
Albert Radford, a specialist in books and manuscripts at Gorringe’s, commented on the archive’s significance, highlighting how it unveils a side of Diana, Princess of Wales, that was untouched by fame or royal duties. The collection paints a picture of a young Diana who valued simplicity, family life, and ordinary joys, as recounted by memories shared by individuals from West Heath Girls’ School.
The auction also includes a handwritten note by Diana, penned during her honeymoon with Charles at Balmoral. The note, dated 27 September 1981, reflects Diana’s early days of marriage, describing their blissful travels aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia through destinations like Egypt and the Greek Isles, followed by a serene stay in Scotland.
In the excerpts of the letter made public by the auction house, Diana’s tone is positive and enthusiastic about her married life, expressing her love for rural living and adjusting to the formalities of royal protocols. The Diana archives, expected to fetch between £4,000 and £6,000, will be auctioned on July 7.
