Princess Diana’s personal letter to school friend heads to auction
Diana, Princess of Wales once admitted that she “hated” London and preferred life outdoors in Scotland.
The revelation was made in a newly revealed personal letter written shortly after her wedding to now King Charles III.
The previously unpublished letter was sent to Diana’s former school friend Katherine Hanbury in 1981, only weeks after the royal wedding. In the handwritten note, Diana looked back on her honeymoon and early married life, expressing how much she enjoyed being away from the pressures of royal life in London.
Following their wedding at St Paul’s Cathedral on July 29, 1981, Diana and Charles spent 12 days aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia travelling through the Mediterranean before heading to Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
In the letter, Diana wrote warmly about the honeymoon, saying the couple enjoyed “endless sun” and calm seas during the trip. She also said she loved spending time outdoors in Scotland and admitted she disliked London in comparison.
“We had a blissful honeymoon with endless sun and luckily calm seas… we are now up in Scotland until the end of October, which is a big treat for us – I adore being outside all day & hate London!”
The princess wrote that staying at Balmoral was a “big treat” and said she adored being outside all day. She also shared that married life was making her happy at the time, writing that it was “wonderful being married” after two months together.
The letter is now part of a larger collection of personal items connected to the late princess that will be auctioned later this year. The archive belongs to Katherine Hanbury, who attended school with Diana before she became one of the world’s most famous royals.
The collection is complete with photographs from their school years, including images featuring actress Tilda Swinton and filmmaker Joanna Hogg.
The items are expected to be sold through Gorringe’s Fine Art & Interiors in July, with their estimated value between £4,000 and £6,000.
Auction specialist Albert Radford called the collection a rare and personal look at Diana before royal duties fully reshaped her life. He said the material presents her as a hopeful young woman still holding onto ideas of love and normality before becoming consumed by public attention and royal expectations.
