Princess Diana’s 1985 Ford Escort RS Turbo S1 is being offered at the upcoming Silverstone auction on August 27. The Ford Escort has 24,961 miles and was the last one ordered for the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
Her Royal Highness insisted on the new Escort Turbo RS and Ford’s public relations department suggested making the black RS Turbo the first example of the then current line that offered only all-white cars. The listing states that it is believed to be the first and only black RS Turbo Series 1. The Ford was registered on August 23, 1985.
Further customization continued by the Special Vehicle Engineering Department as a regular five-slat front grille and a secondary rear view mirror were installed. The secondary rear view mirror was installed for the security officer with a radio in the glove box, and the cable is still visible today.
Images courtesy of Silverstone Auctions 
“Following the car’s return to the Ford Motor Company in May 1988 with some 6,800 miles on the odometer, it was sold internally to Geoff King, the manager of the company’s Government Sales department, for his wife’s use,” the Silverstone auction listing states.
“The car was later used as part of a promotional giveaway by Kiss FM in September 1993, and won by a Miss Jones of Essex with a then odometer reading of some 12,000 miles. In 2008, the car caught the eye of the custodian of one of the best Ford RS collections in the country who purchased it from the appropriately named Mr Windsor, who had owned the car since 1st November 1994. Today the car’s low mileage of just 24,961 is naturally matched by its exceptional condition and detailed history file.”
The car’s history is well documented with archived and copies of internal memos from the Ford Motor Company verifying the re-plating of the registration number, which is the norm for former-Royal vehicles, when the Escort RS Turbo S1 was returned to Ford in May 1988. It has further documentation, including re-registration of the car back to C462 FHK, RS Owners Club documentation, maintenance receipts, newspaper clippings, glossy photographs of Princess Diana using the car, and period registration documents.
Was it a stick like the stock picture shows?
Wasn’t there, but I remember reading that Lady Spencer, the Princess Diana, was quite the wheelman. Perhaps, had she been driving instead of the drunk chauffeur, she’d be straightening out the royals today. It’s a rippin’ cool car.