‘Megxit’ and the Prince Andrew fiasco haven’t done much for the Royal Family’s image, but perhaps this will give cause to celebrate: Princess Diana’s iconic Audi convertible is up for sale at Classic Car Auctions in England this March.
The car in question is a 1994 Audi A4 80 Cabriolet, a model which normally sells for around £2,000 on the secondhand market. This particular version has a price tag of £35,000-40,000 however, no doubt thanks to its pretty impressive provenance.
Princess Di purchased (and was frequently photographed in) the car following her divorce from Prince Charles. At the time, it was rather unusual for a member of the Royal Family (ex or otherwise) to drive a German car, and it was later revealed that Audi doubled its sales of that particular model after Diana was seen driving it with William and Harry in the back.
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The car was used by Diana from its registration in March 1994 until July of that year, when she returned it to Dovercourt Audi of St John’s Wood with 4,000 miles completed on it.
It was then bought by political commentator, broadcaster and author Campbell Dale, who immediately took it on holiday with him. He reportedly kept the car for two years before it was sold to someone who lived near Kensington Palace, who owned it for 17 years. The car has since been part of private collections.
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According to Driven, a member of the auction house said, “This is a stunning car, one that is remembered by many of us of a certain age at the height of the Princess popularity.”
At 26 years, the Audi has clocked 22,000 miles. It is being offered with a solid history file, including relevant manuals and handbooks, and photographs of Diana driving the car.
