Handwritten letters from Princess Diana go up for auction

Princess Diana's legacy has lived on in many ways. From her many charitable endeavours to her brilliant fashion sense, the late Princess of Wales remains a true icon.

Reminding us of the distinct mark she left on our world are a collection of her hand-written letters, set to fetch around $30,000 in auction.

Swann Auction Galleries have revealed a catalogue of Diana's letters detailing her excitement over a charity sale of her clothing that raised $3 million just before her death.

Suggested by her then 14-year-old son Prince William, the New York auction was titled 'Dresses from the Collection of Diana, Princess of Wales', with friend and Harper's Bazaar editor Liz Tilberis being a key figure in the organisation of the event.

The first of the letters is written to Tilberis, and dated 15th October 1996.

"I am so thrilled that you've invited me to New York for the evening of December 9th [Costume Institute Gala]," writes Diana.

"It goes without saying how enormously proud I am of you... Of course, I will be by your side and look forward to seeing you tremendously."

On February 25th, 1997, she continues: "A lovely idea of Veronica's, to host a preview reception in June for the sale of my dresses!

"The news of the auction came out far too early and it's due to be announced next week from Christies! It's been quite an event sorting out the frocks-memories flooding back & some excellent ones too!"

On April 3rd, 1997, Diana penned another letter to Tilberis expressing gratitude to the media coverage the auction garnered.

"Christie's have been tremendously organised on the cancer / AIDS front & there seem to be articles appearing, here, there and everywhere!" she writes.

The successful auction took place in New York on June 25, 1997 and raised money for the Royal Marsden Hospital Cancer Fund and the AIDS Crisis Trust.

A delighted Diana reached out to Tilberis once again on her birthday, July 1. Thanking her friend for her birthday flowers, she also expressed gratitude and amazement at the amount of money they managed to raise.

"Thank you so much for thinking of me on my birthday," she writes. "It was stunning the amount made by the auction last week. How typical of the Americans to be so totally generous. I can always rely on them!"

Sadly, Diana died just two months later following a car accident in Paris.

Tilberis also didn't survive long after the death of her friend, passing away from ovarian cancer at the age of 51 in April 1999.