A Ford Escort Ghia gifted to Princess Diana by the Prince of Wales is set to go under the hammer in Colchester.

The 1981 Ford Escort Ghia was given to the late Princess as an engagement present in May that year and was used by her until 1982.

The silver saloon was the Norfolk-born Princess' personal transport during the early period of her marriage to Prince Charles. It was even driven by her on trips to watch the heir apparent play polo.

Complete with original paintwork and upholstery, the car – which has a valid MOT until March 2022 with no advisories – has just 83,000 miles on the clock, after its owner kept it away from public view for more than 20 years.

On top of that, the car also features a silver frog mascot on the bonnet – a copy of a gift from Diana's sister, Lady Sarah Spencer, to remind her of the fairytale of a beautiful girl whose kissed turned a frog into a prince.

Having previously been put up for sale in the late 1990s, it is understood a number of high-profile celebrities had put bids on the car in the millions of pounds.

Colchester-based auctioneers Reeman Dansie will feature the car at its Royal Auction on Tuesday, June 29. It is expected to fetch between £30,000 to £40,000.

James Grinter, managing director of Reeman Dansie, said he was "amazed" by the originality of the car, adding the female owner cherished the car so much that she kept its royal provenance secret from her friends.

One of Princess Diana's other iconic cars, a 2.3L 1994 Audi 80 Cabriolet, sold for £58,000 at auction last year.

The convertible, used by the Princess for a matter of months, was used by her to ferry around sons Prince Harry and Prince William.