Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Two handwritten items by Princess Diana went under the hammer in London yesterday, 27 October. They were among items put up for auction by leading fashion designer Bruce Oldfield OBE, as part of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Two Daytime series Cash In The Celebrity Attic.

Bruce hoped to raise Β£800 for Barnados, a charity close to his heart because he was raised in their care and they later funded his fashion studies at St. Martin's College of Art.

But he went on to smash his target and bring in the sum of Β£1,289.

His two star items came from a Royal source: a thank you letter and a Christmas card, sent to Bruce in the Eighties by his old friend Princess Diana. Each was valued at Β£300, but beat their estimates: the Christmas card sold for Β£320, while the thank you letter raised Β£420.

Bruce received the card in 1986. Princess Diana wrote: "Bruce, from the two of us, Diana and Charles" – though Prince Charles has signed his own name. It also contains a photograph of Diana and Charles with their toddler sons, Princes William and Harry, plus a pet dog on Diana's lap.

The letter is dated 20 December 1988, on two sides of Kensington Palace headed notepaper. Diana thanks Bruce for a blouse he designed for her:

"Dearest Bruce & Anita,
I do love my Christmas present and how smart it is. You are incredibly kind to have given it to me and I am overwhelmed and speechless (makes a change!) by the arrival. I've never been able to keep a parcel until the right day so I fear I've opened it immediately. Thank you both more than I can possibly say for thinking of me, from Diana"

The sale took place at Chiswick Auction Rooms. Having made Β£740 from the letter and card, Bruce said: "It's wonderful that they made such a staggering amount. I had no idea it would be as much as that. Nearly 20 years after she wrote them, I'm sure Princess Diana would be pleased that a simple card and thank you letter would help to support a charity of which she was President. It's obviously a charity that's very close to my heart too."

Bruce also commented that Princess Diana was much loved by his design staff, because she was always sending them notes of appreciation. She would sometimes turn up with flowers.

Cash In The Celebrity Attic is a Leopard Films Production for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ.

The Bruce Oldfield episode will air on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Two Daytime in January 2010.

LG