Kate Middleton's VW Golf car could speed past $32,000 in eBay auction

Dating back to her university days when she met Prince William, the car will draw worldwide interest

A car previously driven by Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, has been put up for sale on eBay (UK).

The consigner is one Sonny Brazil, previously a neighbour of the Middleton family, whose father bought the blue VW Golf in 2009 in a part-exchange deal with Kate's brother James. Sonny reportedly paid £1,400 for it.

With a registration date of November 27, 2001, the car was used by Kate during her days at St Andrews University, where she began her romance with Prince William after he saw her at a student fashion show.

She received a parking ticket in 2007 when parking the car outside her Chelsea home - despite arguing with the attendant.

The lot, which Brazil says has been valued at £30,000 by a Dorset auction house, is being offered with a starting price of £20,000 ($32,250).

Originally, that was to include a set of sterling silver cufflinks owned by the Middletons. But Brazil has had a change of heart and decided to hand these back to the family - which is very gracious as they are probably valuable in their own right.

Royal history: Kate Middleton's VW golf car

However, invoices and bills including a log book with the confirming text 'Miss Catherine Middleton'. These are important, as eBay is not always the most reliable place to buy genuine memorabilia, although only a really brazen fraudster would try faking this one.

Brazil describes the Golf as "…the best piece of Royal History anyone could have", which is hardly plausible, even if he means the history of this generation. (Further back than that, collectibles such as Henry VIII's divorce letter would surely count.)

Nevertheless, the car was provably used by the Duchess, who has generated enormous global interest, and the link to her early days with Prince William also make it an item likely to maintain a high value.

Yes, it was really hers - the confirming documents

Cars with an aristocratic connection, albeit not usually VW Golfs, have impressed at auction before. For example, in February of this year, a 1933 Bugatti Type 51, previously owned by Fitzroy John Somerset - Lord Raglan - sold for the equivalent of $1.27m.

In May 2011, Princess Beatrice's flamboyant Philip Treacy hat which she wore to Kate and William's wedding, sold for $131,000 on eBay.

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