Fascinating diary belonging to Princess Diana’s great-great-grandmother, in which she listed all the men she danced with at balls, goes up for auction

• Adelaide Horatia Elizabeth Seymour’s diary has come to light
• Read More: Three of Princess Diana’s gowns are sold for £1.3million at auction

A fascinating diary kept by Princess Diana’s great-great-grandmother in which she listed all the balls she attended and the men she danced with has come to light.

Adelaide Horatia Elizabeth Seymour was a member of Victorian Britain’s social elite who was invited to countless balls, banquets and gatherings during the ‘London Season’.

As an attractive 19-year-old born into an aristocratic family – she was a direct descendant of Jane Seymour, Henry VIII’s third wife – she would have been launched into society to find a husband.

And judging by her ‘charming aide memoir’ there was no shortage of potential suitors who waltzed with her in the ballrooms of some of London’s finest residences in the springs of 1844 and 1845.

Adelaide made a note of the date and location of each event she attended, the name of the host and all the men who asked her to dance.

A fascinating diary kept by Princess Diana ‘s great-great-grandmother in which she listed all the balls she attended and the men she danced with has come to light

She also made summary comments about some of the balls.

For example, for Madame St Aulaire’s do of May 2, 1844 she wrote: ‘Dreadfully crowded & could not get into the ballroom till very late.’

However she found the Duke of Devonshire’s ball at Chiswick House on May 17 to be ‘a charming Ball’.

At most of the events Adelaide danced quadrilles and waltzes and her distinguished partners included various lords and ‘Prince Edward’.

Adelaide had to wait 10 years before she married Vice-Admiral Frederick Spencer, the 4th Earl Spencer.

Their great-grandson was John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer, who was Princess Diana’s father.

The booklet, which Adelaide titled ‘Balls and My Partners 1844-45’ fell out of another book bought as a job lot by antiques collector Peter Hone about 40 years ago.

Mr Hone recalled the book sale had links to Bagshot Park, the current home of Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.

Adelaide Horatia Elizabeth Seymour (pictured) was a member of Victorian Britain’s social elite who was invited to countless balls, banquets and gatherings during the ‘London Season’

Princess Diana bore a striking resemblance to her great-great-grandmother (pictured during a Royal Tour of Nigeria in 1990)

And judging by her ‘charming aide memoir’ there was no shortage of potential suitors who waltzed with her in the ballrooms of some of London’s finest residences in the springs of 1844 and 1845

He has kept it at his London flat ever since. Its true significance has only now been realised as he prepares to auction off some of the contents if his flat.

Mimi Connell Lay, of Lay’s Auctioneers of Penzance, Cornwall, has researched the little booklet and discovered the identity of its author.

She said: ‘I have never seen anything like it before. It is a lovely and fascinating record of all the balls she attended, the dances and danced and, of course, the partners she danced with.

‘This was all during the ‘London Season’ in Victorian Britain when the great and the good held swanky balls almost every night. It is like something out of Sense and Sensibility only this was real life.

‘Adelaide Seymour was obviously very well connected because she got invited to so many of these events.

‘She also must have been very attractive judging by all of the distinguished men who asked her to dance.

‘The booklet is tiny, about 10cms by 11cms. She cut up sheets of paper and stitched them together. There are probably 20 pages in all.’

For example, for Madame St Aulaire’s do of May 2, 1844 she wrote: ‘Dreadfully crowded & could not get into the Ball Room till very late’

The booklet, which Adelaide titled ‘Balls and My Partners 1844-45’ fell out of another book bought as a job lot by antiques collector Peter Hone about 40 years ago

For 1845 she attended 44 balls, four breakfasts and three teas and danced 373 times, including 134 waltzes and 118 polkas

On the final page of the booklet, Adelaide tallied up all the balls she went to. For 1844 she worked out she went to 32 balls and danced 291 times

On the final page of the booklet, Adelaide tallied up all the balls she went to.

For 1844 she worked out she went to 32 balls and danced 291 times.

For 1845 she attended 44 balls, four breakfasts and three teas and danced 373 times, including 134 waltzes and 118 polkas.

Some of the men she danced with included Lord Worcester, Lord Northland, Lord Curzon and Leopold Paget. 

The last two men must have been vying for Adelaide’s affections as their names pop up repeatedly in her little book.

The booklet will be sold on Thursday and had a pre-sale estimate of £400.

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