Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
A JUMPER owned by Princess Diana has fetched a small fortune after it went under the hammer.
Lady Di’s black sheep sweater sold for a heart-stopping $1.14million (£920,000) at auction.
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The sale by Sotheby’s in New York outstripped its paltry $50,000 – $80,000 (£40,000-£65,000) estimate.
Diana’s sweater has also broke the world record for the most expensive jumper ever sold at auction.
The red jumper decorated with a black sheep among a row of white ones became one of the most identifiable items of the late princess’ wardrobe.
It was unearthed in an attic in March by designer Joanna Osborne.
Bidding for the jumper opened on 31th August, the 26th anniversary of the fateful day Diana was tragically killed in a car accident in Paris.
Her driver, Henri Paul, was under the influence and speeding at nearly twice the posted limit in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris.
Paul lost control of the vehicle carrying Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Fayed and their bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones and crashed into the wall of the tunnel.
Fayed and Paul were killed instantly.
The identity of the winning bidder was not revealed to the public.
The sweater’s design is often described as a symbol of Diana’s place within the royal family.
“Further investigation convinced the team: the damaged cuff, the shape, the single sheep at the shoulders, tiny variations in the sheep’s eyes which were individually sewn on…” Sotheby’s said.
“In conjunction with a photo matched authentication by Sotheby’s, this lost sheep jumper found in an attic is confirmed to be the original sheep jumper worn by Princess Diana over 40 years ago.”
It comes after a customised Land Rover used by the late Queen and Prince Philip has gone up for sale at an eye-watering price – and it has some special features.
The classic 4×4 was used by the royal couple in Australia during their 1954 Commonwealth tour.