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Lot #185
Princess Diana Autograph Letter Signed to Sir Jimmy Savile

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Estimate: $1000+
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Description

ALS signed “Diana,” one page both sides, 4.75 x 7.5, Kensington Palace letterhead, October 30, 1987. Handwritten letter to BBC TV and radio personality Sir Jimmy Savile, in full: "You were a real star to have taken the trouble to telephone me on Friday—your support means a lot to me & I promise to do my best in Germany & hopefully the media will be good to us, who knows! Thanks for caring, Jimmy, & for your telephone call!" In very fine condition.

By 1987, marital issues between Diana and Charles had begun to circulate in the media. After Diana had missed a family holiday to Balmoral and then hadn’t appeared at a wedding with the rest of the Royal family, Sir Jimmy Savile called her to discuss these absences and the prospect of problems with her and Charles's upcoming trip to Germany. Thankful of Savile’s support, Diana conveyed optimism through her letter, noting that “she'd try her best in Germany,” but likewise expressed anxiety toward the press, hoping the “media will be kind to us.”

Sir Jimmy Savile was a British television presenter and charity fundraiser who was posthumously revealed to have allegedly sexually abused hundreds of people, including children, over several decades. He also notably held a relationship with Prince Charles, one formed over their shared interest in charity events. It’s purported that Savile acted as an unofficial adviser to Prince Charles, who sought his advice on a number of occasions on how the royal family ought to interact with the public and media. In 2012, following the revelations about Savile's alleged abuse, Clarence House, the official residence of Prince Charles, issued a statement saying that the Prince of Wales had ‘no knowledge’ of Savile's wrongdoing and had not been in contact with him since 1999. Despite these allegations, Savile was praised in obituaries for his personal qualities and his work raising an estimated £40 million for charities.

Auction Info

  • Auction Title: Fine Autograph and Artifacts Featuring Revolutionary War
  • Dates: #670 - Ended July 12, 2023





This item is Pre-Certified by PSA/DNA
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