Princess Diana's 'Confidential' Letters During Divorce From King Charles Auctions For Six Figures
By Fiyin Olowokandi on February 20, 2023 at 11:30 PM EST
Over two decades after her tragic death, Princess Diana continues to make headlines!
The late Princess of Wales is undoubtedly one of the most popular members of the British Royal Family. Millions worldwide are fixated on her life and death, especially the blonde beauty's ill-fated marriage to King Charles III, the current monarch of the United Kingdom.
Their tumultuous relationship and eventual divorce remain a matter of public interest. Now, Diana's private letters to friends have revealed more about the Sandringham native's train of thought during this difficult point of her life.
Keep scrolling for more!
Princess Diana's Letters During The Last Years Of Her Life Sold For Good Cause
As shared by PEOPLE, the late Princess of Wales' intimate letters to her closest correspondents, Susie and Tarek Kassem, were auctioned for a hefty price at a recent event.
The handwritten relics brought in a six-figure sum as they were penned during the deceased's high-profile divorce. Lay's Auctioneers announced that a collection of the late Princess's letters were sold for $169,663. The set titled "Diana, The Private Correspondence of a Princess" featured 32 personal notes written on Kensington Palace stationery and, naturally, in Diana's penmanship.
The letters were sold in individual lots, allowing fanatics to acquire more than one momento of the late Princess of Wales. These messages held sentimental value as the mother-of-two sent the notes to the Kassems from 1994 to 1997, the final years of her life.
Why would her closest friends give up such valuable tokens? The auction house explained that the responsibility had grown too big for the family. "Susie & Tarek Kassem, as very close friends of Diana, Princess of Wales, have treasured these letters for over 25 years," Lay's explained in a statement.
The organization noted that as much as the Kassems treasured the "special and loving relationship" they had with Diana, they did not wish to shift the burden of protecting her letters to their children. "They have decided to sell the letters and use proceeds of the sale to support some of the charities that were close to Susie and Diana's hearts," the auction house said.
Although they dropped 32 letters to fund a good cause, the Kassems continued protecting their late friend's privacy by keeping the "more personal and confidential letters" from the late royal. However, the little shared revealed scary truths about Diana's divorce.
In a note dated May 20, 1996, sold as Lot 418 for $27,643, the mother-of-two expressed suspicion that her palace phone was bugged, making it challenging to discuss private matters with Susie. However, that did not stop the late Princess from voicing her regrets.
"If I had known a year ago what I'd experience going through this divorce, I'd never have consented. It's desperate and ugly," the deceased humanitarian wrote. A few months later, she appeared to be in better spirits while penning a sweet letter to her friend on December 17.
In the note, Diana thanked Susie for sending her flowers, which the royal appreciated as she was not a "lover of Christmas." The Sandringham noted her expectations for 1997, hoping it would be an "easier year" for everyone.
Unfortunately, fate had other plans. After her divorce from Charles was finalized in August 1996, Diana tragically died a year later. The Princess of Wales passed away in a car accident at the age of 37 while visiting Paris.
The Late Princess' Amethyst Crucifix Was Sold To Kim Kardashian
Last month, The Blast reported that a priceless necklace previously worn by the late royal was sold to the Queen of reality TV, Kim Kardashian. After wearing Marilyn Monroe's iconic dress to the 2022 Met Gala, the SKIMS founder added Diana's amethyst crucifix to her memorabilia collection.
The late philanthropist donned the famously dubbed Attallah Cross at a charity ball in 1987 after the jewelry company, Garrard, loaned her the accessory for the London event. The gorgeous crucifix featured amethyst gems and diamonds encrusted in the jewelry's gold lining.
This bold look made Diana a trendsetter in the 80s. Given its significant value, it made sense that Kardashian, a fellow fashion queen purchased the rare necklace. The entertainer won the relic for $197,453 at the Sotheby’s auction on January 18.
However, fans were displeased by her extravagant purchase. The majority slammed the 42-year-old for ruining iconic fashion mementos, while others called her out for trying to stay relevant by buying famous items. Angry or not? The media personality got the jewelry fair and square.
