Diana and King Constantine II of Greece were longtime friends, but no one is quite sure why she sent him these cards laden with bawdy jokes and crude drawings some 35 years ago.
Dominic Winter AuctioneersThe two greeting cards are from the GirlsTalk series and were released around 1987.
Comically saucy greeting cards featuring adult-themed jokes that were sent by Princess Diana to Greece’s last king, Constantine II, sold at auction on May 17, 2023, for about $8,677.
In a press release from Dominic Winter Auctioneers, the auction house which sold the pair of humorous greeting cards, said the reason Princess Diana sent the cards is unclear “as the cards do not celebrate a birthday, Christmas or christening.”
Rather, they theorized the princess must have seen the cards and been reminded of “Tino,” as he is referred to by Diana.
“Dearest Tino, lots of love From Diana,” she inscribed on one of the cards. “I couldn’t decide which card to send & then thought you’d enjoy both!”
Constantine II reigned as the king of Greece from 1964 until the Greek monarchy was abolished in June 1973. He was also the first cousin once removed of Prince Philip, with each man being a descendant of King George I of Greece. Philip and Diana were godparents to Constantine II’s youngest son, Philippos.
Following the abolition of the Greek monarchy, Constantine II and his family lived in London.
It’s clear that Diana and Constantine II had a close relationship, and perhaps the greeting cards reminded the late princess of some conversation the two had shared.
Dominic Winter AuctioneersThe inside of the greeting cards, featuring Diana’s handwritten messages to Tito.
Both greeting cards came from the GirlsTalk series published by Emotional Rescue in the late 1980s. The first features artwork by Mike Edwards and depicts the biblical figure Adam nude (with a conveniently placed leaf to cover his privates) leaning against a tree and the text “Adam came first…”
Inside, the card continues, “…Men always do!”
The second card features a woman in her underwear and the back of a man’s head in front of her crotch. The exterior text reads, “What’s the definition of the Perfect Man?” Inside, it reads, “A midget with a 10-inch tongue who can breathe through his ears!”
The cards reveal another quirky side of the late princess, whose life was regularly put on display by paparazzi and tabloid press.
At the time of Diana’s death in 1997, Diana was 36 years old, and just one year divorced from then-Prince Charles of England. She and her boyfriend, Egyptian filmmaker Dodi Fayed, were fleeing paparazzi when their limousine crashed into the cement barrier of a Paris tunnel, and both were killed.
Since her death, she has remained a subject of fascination, with many conspiracy theories proclaiming that any number of dubious actors had orchestrated her death. Some even suggest the Royal Family may have played a part.
King Constantine II of Greece passed away on January 10, 2023.
The greeting cards were part of a more extensive collection of royal memorabilia at the auction house, including King Juan Carlos I of Spain’s alarm clock and an undocumented autograph manuscript of Queen Victoria.
After reading about this unique insight into the life of Princess Diana, learn more about the late Princess Diana’s life through these 33 photos. Or, explore the strange world of Victorian Christmas cards.
