Princess Diana's Autograph

Princess Diana was the ‘most photographed woman in the world’, and a 20th century icon. From her  wedding, watched by aworld audience of 750 million viewers, to her tragic death in 1997, her life enthralled people around the world.

She was famous for her beauty and style, which turned her into a fashion icon, and for her tireless charity work which helped highlight the plight of both AIDS sufferers and the victims of landmines.

Despite the wealth and privilege, Diana’s turbulent private life and very public divorce made headlines around the world. And her personal sadness led the public to form an emotional connection with her that no other member of the Royal family has achieved.

This connection was evident through the public outpouring of grief following her sudden death - with three million mourners attending her funeral at Westminster Abbey and over a million bouquets left outside her home in London.

This fascination with her life has remained ever since, and the value of her autographs and memorabilia has risen accordingly. The industry’s PFC40 Autograph Index shows that the average price of her signature has risen from £1,250 to £8,950 since the year 2000, an increase of 616%.

Collecting tips

Princess Diana’s signature is one of the most sought-after royal autographs on the market. The most valuable are good-quality signed photographs and items of a personal nature such as letters and notes.

Signed photographs are attractive to collectors as they have an ‘eye appeal’ which makes them more suitable for display. The public fascination with Diana’s private life means that notes and letters which offer an insight into her personal relationships will always be of interest to collectors of all types.

Other items such as Christmas cards are also a popular area for collectors, but a large number of examples on the market were created with an autopen and are relatively worthless. It can be difficult for anyone other than experts to spot the difference between genuine signatures and autopen signatures without extensive research.

For this reason it is important to buy Princess Diana autographs from a reputable, experienced dealer. who will always research the authenticity and provenance of autographs before offering them for sale, and will back this up with a lifetime money-back guarantee. These guarantees offer collectors protection that certificates of authenticity do not, as certificates can mean nothing unless issued along with a guarantee.