Photo: Silverstone Auctions
Who said it was easy being royalty? Because of her status and duties, Diana was expected to make regular public appearances, especially at schools and hospitals. She was, however, “finding it very difficult to cope with the pressures of being Princess of Wales.”
Shy but charismatic, and a city girl at heart, she loved to drive her own car rather than being driven around. Not to mention it was way stealthier, replacing the police outriders flanking an armored Rolls-Royce with a single member of the Protection Command riding shotgun.
One popular car of choice for Her Royal Highness was a black 1985 Ford Escort RS Turbo S1, which she owned until 1988.
While it wasn’t glamorous for the Royal Family, the car was made to help the high-profile Princess “fly under the radar” while visiting the Chelsea boutiques and Kensington restaurants outside of which she was frequently photographed.
The car was registered on the 23rd of August 1985 and was presumed to be the only black RS Turbo Series 1, with most of the other examples donning a Diamond White coat of paint. Turns out there were actually 3 black RS Turbo Series 1, all of them used by the Royal Family.
The black RS Turbo bearing chassis number WF0BXXGCABFA81486, along with engine number FA81486, was sold by Silverstone Auctions for £724,500 (about $856,902 at the time of writing). All the proper paperwork and documentation attesting the vehicle’s royal status is intact, and the car’s exceptional condition is further confirmed by the odometer reading of just 24,961 miles (40,171 km).
Moreover, internal memos from the Ford Motor Company confirm the re-plating of the car’s registration number, a common practice for ex-Royal cars.
The Ford Escort was manufactured from 1968 until 2000. During the 80s and 90s, it was frequently the best-selling car in Britain, with more than 4.1 million Escorts of all generations being sold there over a period of 33 years.
One popular car of choice for Her Royal Highness was a black 1985 Ford Escort RS Turbo S1, which she owned until 1988.
While it wasn’t glamorous for the Royal Family, the car was made to help the high-profile Princess “fly under the radar” while visiting the Chelsea boutiques and Kensington restaurants outside of which she was frequently photographed.
The car was registered on the 23rd of August 1985 and was presumed to be the only black RS Turbo Series 1, with most of the other examples donning a Diamond White coat of paint. Turns out there were actually 3 black RS Turbo Series 1, all of them used by the Royal Family.
The black RS Turbo bearing chassis number WF0BXXGCABFA81486, along with engine number FA81486, was sold by Silverstone Auctions for £724,500 (about $856,902 at the time of writing). All the proper paperwork and documentation attesting the vehicle’s royal status is intact, and the car’s exceptional condition is further confirmed by the odometer reading of just 24,961 miles (40,171 km).
Moreover, internal memos from the Ford Motor Company confirm the re-plating of the car’s registration number, a common practice for ex-Royal cars.
The Ford Escort was manufactured from 1968 until 2000. During the 80s and 90s, it was frequently the best-selling car in Britain, with more than 4.1 million Escorts of all generations being sold there over a period of 33 years.
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