Queen Victoria’s silk knickers sell for £1,700

A 130-year-old pair of Queen Victoria’s silk underwear were sold yesterday for £1,700 – three times their estimated sale price.

Her knickers, with a large 42 inch waistline, were tailored for her and bear the stitched VR monogram.

A lady bought the regal pants at a Christie’s auction in 1981 as a novelty Christmas gift for her father.

The knickers, dating back to 188090, had an estimated sale price of £300-£500 at the sale in Woburn, Bedfordshire. But after a bidding war between a telephone bidder and an online bidder from Australia, they sold for £1,700.