Private photos of wartime Queen to be sold by Colchester auctioneers

Major Violet Wellesley, pictured with Queen Elizabeth II, died in 1971 but passed the private archive to a close companion

A private archive which documents Queen Elizabeth II's experience as a wartime mechanic will go under the hammer.

The collection belonged to her Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) driving instructor, Major Violet Wellesley MBE, who left instructions the documents only be sold after the Queen's death.

The records from 1945 include what is believed to be the only driving licence the monarch ever owned.

Colchester auctioneers, Reeman Dansie, will be selling more than a thousand royal, fine art and antique items on 8 and 9 November, including a pink satin full-length petticoat worn by Her Majesty.

Also on sale are plaster life casts of Sir Winston Churchill's and Princess Diana's hands, the latter of which is advertised at an estimated sale price of £30,000-£40,000.

Most of the black and white photos in the collection are believed to have been taken by ATS staff

An official royal photographer is believed to have taken the shots of King George VI and the Queen Mother visiting the training centre in Camberley, Surrey, while Princess Elizabeth was serving there

Miss Wellesley's private archive was passed to a close companion, who in turn, left it to their daughter

Miss Wellesley praised the Princess's work ethic and how she got "thoroughly dirty" in the role

Reeman Dansie managing director, James Grinter, said Miss Wellesley's archive was "very special".

"The driving licence is totally unique because I believe she never had a licence apart from this one, she didn't need one, hence her cars didn't need registration plates," he said.

"The sale estimate is £1,000 to £2,000 but in all honesty, it will absolutely fly."

The Princess's provisional driving licence (No B1232) listed her name as H.R.H Princess Elizabeth and she stated she had blue eyes, was 5ft 4ins (163cm) tall and had light brown hair

The collection includes a handwritten letter from Miss Wellesley, sent to a royal biographer, in which she wrote that the Princess "insisted in fact on being treated as an ordinary ATS".

"She not only crawled under cars but got thoroughly dirty," she said, adding that her driving was "outstanding for a beginner".

"She was a quick learner in everything and delightful to teach as a result. I was very struck by her remarkable eye for detail - and her sense of humour which is unfailing."

Miss Wellesley served in World War One as a despatch rider before becoming a driving instructor in the Women's Royal Auxiliary Corps

Reeman Dansie said the 1950s "very rare" pink satin petticoat was owned by The Duchess of Grafton, Ann Fortune FitzRoy, who had told the buyer that Queen Elizabeth II wore it originally

The plaster life cast of Princess Diana's left hand, by the sculptor Oscar Nemon, has an estimated sale price of £30,000 to £40,000