A STEEL seal belonging to one of Princess Diana's ancestors has been donated to Lydiard House.

Lady Diana Spencer - a distant great aunt of Princess Diana - married into the St John family who owned the house for several generations.

The seal has been donated by antique dealer John Hutchinson of Arundel, West Sussex.

Lydiard House curator Caroline Allington said: "We are delighted that Mr Hutchinson has kindly donated this seal to the Lydiard House Collection.

"The seal, which is presented in a treen box, belonged to Lady Diana Beauclerk. It is now on display to the public in the Blue Dressing Room at Lydiard House, which is devoted to Lady Diana Spencer.

"It is pleasing that this personal item relating to Lady Diana's life is now available for everyone to see alongside her beautiful painted floral wall panels, engravings after her work and the pastel portrait of her son, George Richard.

"Lydiard House is the only place in the UK, which dedicates a room to Lady Di's work, most of which is now in America."

Lady Diana Spencer, nee Beauclerk, was the beautiful and artistic daughter of the 3rd Duke of Marlborough.

She bore a remarkable resemblance to her many times great-niece Diana, Princess of Wales. Lady Diana Spencer married Frederick 2nd Viscount Bolingbroke in 1765 and bore him four children, George Richard, later 3rd Viscount Bolingbroke, Frederick, Charlotte and Henrietta.

Frederick, known as Bully' to his friends, and Lady Diana were sensationally divorced in 1768 and she later married Topham Beauclerk, the great-grandson of King Charles II and Nell Gwynn, with whom she had three more children.

The seal has the word Diana in a floral script underlined with a flourish. It is made of cut steel and would have been used to impress the wax used to seal letters and notes in the days before envelopes. The turned wooden box is labelled Lady Diana Beauclerk, which was Lady Diana's name from her second marriage.

The flowers from Diana's painted wall panels have been tracked down and planted in the ornamental fruit and flower walled garden at Lydiard.

  • Lydiard House and Walled Garden is open Tuesday to Sunday 11am to 5pm - winter closing (November to February) at 4pm. Admission charge applies.