A set of rare Princess Diana photographs and handwritten letters is set to go under the hammer this summer, offering a fresh look at the late royal long before palace life defined her public image. According to People, the collection comes from Katherine Hanbury, a childhood friend who attended West Heath Girls’ School with Diana between 1973 and 1977. The group of items will be offered by Gorringe’s on July 7 and includes four color photographs, personal correspondence and a memorial service program from 1997.
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West Heath Photos Trace Diana’s Teenage Years
The newly surfaced images show Diana during her school days at West Heath. Two photos place her inside her dormitory, while another captures her outdoors with the sports field behind her. A fourth group shot shows Diana relaxing in the sun with fellow pupils near a school building. The pictures present an informal side of her teenage years, far removed from the polished royal portraits that later became familiar around the world. They also add a personal layer to the historical record of her life before marriage and motherhood.
Katherine Hanbury Kept Letters and a Birthday Card
The collection goes beyond photographs. It also includes a handwritten birthday card Diana sent to Hanbury, signed “Diana (S),” a small detail that appears to reference her Spencer surname. Albert Radford of Gorringe’s described the archive in a statement, saying, "This intimate archive offers a rare glimpse of Diana, Princess of Wales, before duty and fame had the final say," according to People Magazine. He added that Hanbury remembered Diana volunteering to clean the headmistress’s house, a memory that points to a modest and practical side of the future princess.
Diana’s 1981 Honeymoon Letter Joins the Sale
Among the most notable items is a three-page letter Diana wrote from Balmoral after her 1981 wedding to the future King Charles. "Dear Katherine, I can't tell you what a lovely surprise I got opening your card. Thank you so much for putting pen to paper and wishing me well," Diana wrote to her friend. The note, written on embossed paper with the royal crest, continues with details from the trip and closes on a warm note. The original registered envelope is part of the lot as well, complete with Perth postmarks dated Sept. 29, 1981.
Gorringe’s Sets July Estimate for Diana Archive
The auction house has placed an estimated value of 5,383 to 8,076 on the full group of items. As reported by Gorringe’s, the lot also includes an order of service from a private thanksgiving ceremony held at St. Martin-in-the-Fields on Nov. 19, 1997, two months after Diana’s death in Paris at age 36. The timing of the sale is notable, landing close to both her July 1 birthday and her July 29 wedding anniversary. Together, the photographs and letters form a compact but striking record of Diana at very different stages of her life.
