TV series
Auction house is selling props from “The Crown”
A replica of the “Gold State Coach” is on display at Bonhams auction house. photo
© Julia Kilian/dpa
The series tells about the British royal family. A London auction house is now putting furniture, costumes and stage sets under the hammer. Interested in the replica Downing Street facade?
Actress Olivia Colman, for example, climbed into a gold-colored carriage in a scene as Queen Elizabeth II, which is now up for auction.
The replica of the “Gold State Coach” was one of the most difficult and expensive props in the series, writes the auction house Bonhams. Equipped with red velvet and richly decorated, the carriage is expected to fetch between 30,000 and 50,000 pounds (the equivalent of around 35,000 to 59,000 euros).
Entrance to 10 Downing Street
Anyone interested in the carriage should have enough space. Things are likely to be similarly difficult with another lot number – the replica entrance to the British government headquarters in London’s Downing Street.
“Would it surprise anyone if Boris Johnson got the nod to secure it for parties at his Oxfordshire estate?” asked the Guardian newspaper. The tabloid Daily Mail reported on an alleged offer from the former prime minister.
Princess Diana’s little black dress
Bonhams auction house is located on one of London’s most expensive shopping streets and displayed the items before the auction. This includes a tailored black dress. Princess Diana once wore the original at an appearance after her separation from Prince Charles – the current king – when his infidelity became public. The dress became known as the “Revenge Dress”, translated roughly as “revenge dress”.
A ring modeled after Diana’s engagement ring will also be auctioned, as will a leopard-print swimsuit and a gray Harvard sweater. The proceeds from the auction will support a scholarship program for filmmakers.
Series sparked debate
The series “The Crown” told the story of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II with a total of 60 episodes. The production repeatedly sparked discussions about the question of how realistic a historical series must and can be. The last episodes appeared on the Netflix streaming service in December.
The auction shows how detailed the production design and costumes were. A total of around 450 objects are expected to go under the hammer at the auction, which will include an online event in addition to the auction in London.
These include elaborate robes from the coronation scene, wooden furniture, an old jaguar, specially made paintings, polo sticks, a pocket watch and lots of framed photos of the fictional royal family. Or two small corgis – the dearly loved dogs of the Queen, who died in 2022 – made of porcelain. In any case, they would need less space than a gold carriage.