(Anglia Car Auctions via SWNS)
By Faye Mayern
The MoT certificate for the Daimler hearse that carried Diana, Princess of Wales, to her final resting place is going under the hammer.
The DS420 hearse, operated by Leverton & Sons, transported the princess from Westminster Abbey to Northamptonshire as millions around the world watched in September 1997.
The certificate is being auctioned by Anglia Car Auctions and could fetch up to £300 ($400).
Lyn George of Anglia Car Auctions said: “It’s difficult to forget the sight of that Daimler traveling towards Althorp, with people lining the roads and throwing flowers onto the hearse.
“What makes this certificate particularly interesting is that it was the actual MoT in force on the day of Diana’s funeral.
(Anglia Car Auctions via SWNS)
“It’s a very ordinary piece of paperwork connected to a quite extraordinary occasion.
“We’re also delighted that the vendor has chosen to support the Lennox Children’s Cancer Fund through the sale.”
The certificate was issued in June 1997 by Johnny’s MoT Station at the Abbey Road Motorist Centre in Belsize Park, London.
At the time, the hearse was in regular service and its historical significance was not yet known.
(Anglia Car Auctions via SWNS)
On the day of the funeral, Sept. 6, 1997, an estimated 2.5 billion people watched the journey on television as crowds lined the route and mourners threw flowers, some of which remained on the vehicle, as it traveled to Althorp.
The framed MoT certificate will be sold alongside a photograph of Princess Diana and two editions of the Daily Mirror dated Sept. 6 and 8, 1997, documenting the events of that week.
All proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Lennox Children’s Cancer Fund, which supports children with cancer and their families.
The auction will take place as part of Anglia Car Auctions’ Everything But the Car sale on Dec. 5.
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