Wallis Simpson items under the hammer in Lichfield

The items were originally auctioned after the duchess’ death in 1986, coming to sale again in the late 1990s before Tuesday's auction

Items once belonging to the late Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson, sold for £1,730 at auction on Tuesday.

Earrings, belts and stationery found among her estate following her death in 1986 were auctioned in Lichfield.

The Staffordshire auction house had estimated the items to fetch about £200, but the earrings sold for £500, the belts £850 and the stationery £380.

Richard Winterton of Richard Winterton Auctioneers said: "We had a huge amount of interest for these items."

The collection included five fabric and suede belts once owned by Wallis Simpson

"Judging by the interest and flurry of bids, many share that fascination in a woman who continues to captivate people more than three decades after her death", Mr Winterton said.

The stationery is pre-printed with "The Duchess of Windsor requests the pleasure of the company of..."

A pair of Bergere gold-plated, clip-on earrings, in a red and gilt case - with an interlinked WE, for Wallis and Edward - were among the items.

The romance between divorcee Mrs Simpson and King Edward VIII led to his abdication in December 1936, less than a year into his reign.

He was then made Duke of Windsor and married Wallis six months later, with his brother - Queen Elizabeth II's father - becoming England's monarch in his place.

The collection also featured a coronet, five fabric and suede belts and a parcel of unused stationery including a blank invitation and matching envelope.

The effects tell a "story of a life of grandeur," Sarah Williams, senior valuer at the auctioneers, said.

The items tell a story of a life of grandeur, the auction house said