BOSTON, Massachusetts - It's been 20 years since Princess Diana's death, yet her legacy has barely faded.

Now, dozens of items with a direct connection to one of the most admired women in the world - from articles of clothing, to jewelry, to signed papers and photographs, and even to a piece of her wedding cake - are for sale by Boston-based RR Auction.

"She still resonates all over the world," said RR executive vice-president Bobby Livingston.

The 79 items from a variety of sources span most of her life, from her childhood to her teenage years to her wedding day and afterward. They even include belongings she donated to charity auctions just months before her death in a Paris car crash on Aug 31, 1997, at age 36.

The most spectacular item is a satin-lined, silver-jeweled evening bag that dates to the early 1980s. It was given to a member of the royal household and comes with a letter confirming its authenticity. It's expected to sell for more than $15,000.

A 43-centimeter silver necklace with a capital "D" charm that Diana is thought to have worn as a teen is Livingston's favorite item for sale.

"It really strikes me as the most personal item," he said. "The logo became definitive of her."

The necklace is expected to sell for $2,000, but Livingston suspects it could get much more.

Piece of cake

Perhaps the strangest item for sale is a piece of wedding cake encased in a special box commemorating Diana's marriage to Prince Charles, marked on the cover with "CD, Buckingham Palace, July 29, 1981".

The auction even includes a white sweater with a label inside that reads "D. Spencer". It was likely worn in Diana's teenage years and came into the possession of the head chef at her family's home when the family redecorated her bedroom.

Diana's signed childhood copy of Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Pigling Bland could sell for more than $2,000.

Online bidding ends on Sept 13.

Associated Press

(China Daily 09/07/2017 page10)