Barbara Hutton's Rolls-Royce survived prince's fatal crash, sold for £166,750
A rare 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental, originally commissioned by heiress Barbara Hutton for Prince Alexis Mdivani, has been sold at auction for £166,750. The vehicle is noted for its unique history, including surviving a fatal crash and being transported across the Atlantic.
Why it matters
This sale highlights the enduring market value of historically significant luxury automobiles and the intersection of celebrity provenance with automotive collecting.
A luxury car built as a wedding gift became the centre of a remarkable story involving an American heiress, a Georgian prince, a fatal crash and a transatlantic journey. The 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Drophead Coupé, commissioned by Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton for her first husband, Prince Alexis Mdivani, survived its owner's death and went on to cross the Atlantic aboard the Queen Elizabeth 2. More than nine decades after its construction, the historic motor car sold for £166,750, including the buyer's premium, at a Bonhams auction on September 19, 2026. According to Bonhams' auction catalogue, its rarity, bespoke engineering and documented history made it an especially distinctive example of pre-war automotive craftsmanship.A Rolls-Royce commissioned for a royal romanceBarbara Hutton, granddaughter of F. W. Woolworth, the founder of the Woolworth retail fortune, was among the world's wealthiest women by the age of 21.
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