The 1981 Ford Escort 1.6 Ghia, gifted to Princess Diana from Prince Charles in May 1981, two months before they married, was sold for £47,00 ($65,000) at Reeman Dansie’s Royal Auction.
“The Ford was Princess Diana’s personal transport in the early and happiest part of her relationship with the Prince of Wales,” Reeman Dansie said in an announcement. “There are numerous photographs of her driving it and even her watching the Prince playing polo, sitting inside it.”
The hatchback features a very special silver frog mascot on the bonnet – a gift from Diana’s sister. It symbolizes the old fairytale of a girl kissing a frog to turn it into a prince.
Reeman Dansi photos
“It still carries its original registration WEV 297W and is in incredibly original condition, having 83,000 miles on the clock, with its original paint and upholstery.”
YouTube channel Furious Driving got their hands on the Escort and gave an in-depth walk-through of the car:
According to the auction house, Diana’s Escort disappeared from public view for 20 years as it was in the possession of a Princess Diana admirer who “always cherished the car and its Royal history, so much so she kept its Royal provenance a secret even from her friends.”
Tim Graham photos
It was estimated the Escort would fetch between £30,000 and £40,000 ($41,430 and $55,239), but it’s no surprise the sale reached well past that at £47,000 ($65,000) due to its royal past.
