Boothroyd’s most treasured items to be sold at auction
BARONESS BOOTHROYD’S 9-carat diamond ring, which she bought after claiming “a diamond can never be too large”, is to be sold at auction.
The late Speaker of the House of Commons bought the ring from her favourite Westminster jeweller, who had been tasked with finding a suitable diamond for the baroness.
When the jeweller found the diamond, he telephoned her and she asked him to bring it to The House as soon as possible, telling him: “A diamond can never be too large!”
The ring is one of a few prized possessions that belonged to Lady Boothroyd set to be auctioned this month. The items are expected to make £200,000, with the ring alone expected to fetch between £70,000 to £100,000.
Also for sale is her black leather dispatch box bearing the cypher for Elizabeth II and Lady Boothroyd that is expected to sell for £300.
A Lachasse London cotton and silk cocktail suit worn by the baroness at Lord Lloyd-webber’s house party in the summer of 1997 is estimated to sell for between £100 to £200.
Framed photos of her meeting Bill Clinton and Nelson Mandela also feature, as well as a bust of her, with an estimated value of £300 to £500.
Lady Boothroyd auctioned off some of her “life story” treasures in 2021.
At that sale, a box gifted to her by Boris Yeltsin, the late Russian president, was expected to fetch £50 but sold for £2,400.
Other items auctioned off included a limited-edition ceramic figure of Lawrence of Arabia, and personal items including costume jewellery and a mirror from her dressing room.
Lady Boothroyd, who died last year at the age of 93, held an auction in 2021 when she downsized from her London home to a smaller country cottage in South Cambridgeshire as she felt she had too many belongings which would not fit in her new house.
She neither married nor had children and so the proceeds of the new auction will be split between six charities.
The sale is being held by Special Auction Services of Newbury, Berkshire.
Thomas Forrester, director at SAS, called Lady Boothroyd an “engaging, entertaining and human politician who was respected across the house”.
He added: “It is heartwarming to know that the proceeds of the auction will go to many worthwhile and deserving charities.”
The auction takes place on Jan 23.