Personal letters written by Princess Diana to a former family housekeeper have shed new light on the childhood relationship between Prince William and his brother Harry. The notes to Violet Collison, affectionately called Collie, are currently being auctioned at Sworders in Essex.
In one letter, written from Kensington Palace in September 1984, Princess Diana expressed her gratitude to Collie for sending a gift to Prince Harry. She wrote, “William adores his little brother and spends the entire time pouring an endless supply of hugs and kisses over Harry.” The letter, along with a Christmas card from the same year, is estimated to fetch between £800 and £1,200 at auction.
“More than a dozen letters and cards from Diana, Princess of Wales, to her family’s former housekeeper are coming to auction this summer,” explains the Sworders website. “Our ‘Out of the Ordinary’ sale on July 30 will feature this remarkable collection of correspondence between the princess and the lady she affectionately called Collie.”
The letters gain prominence at a time when ties between the two Royals have become increasingly strained. Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle stepped down as senior royals in 2020 before moving to the US. Harry has been at odds with his family, particularly King Charles and Prince William, for the past four years.
Tensions between the two brothers strained further with the release of a Netflix documentary produced by Harry and Meghan at the end of 2022. The Duke of Sussex had also been vocal in his criticism of William while penning down his memoir ‘Spare’ which was published last year. During a recent interview, he also noted that his ongoing battle with the tabloids in public, becoming the first senior royal in over a century to testify in court, was a “central piece” to his family fallout. (With inputs from agencies)
