A letter from Princess Diana – set to be sold at auction later this year – has shown how close Prince Harry and Prince William were as children.

In one correspondence addressed to Violet “Collie” Collison – who was Diana’s parents’ head housekeeper at Park House on the Sandringham Estate – the Princess gushes about her two children.

In the letter, written from Kensington Palace on 25 September 1984, Diana thanks “Collie” for a gift to Harry.

“William adores his little brother and spends the entire time pouring an endless supply of hugs and kisses over Harry,” she wrote.

Ms Collison followed Diana’s mother to London in 1967 after the princess’s parents divorced, and worked for her and her new husband until she retired in 1973.

She died at the age of 89 in 2013.

Ms Collison’s stash of handwritten letters and cards from the Princess of Wales are to be sold at auction by Sworders in Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, later this year.

Another letter in Ms Collison’s collection is dated 8 July 1981 – three weeks before Diana married the then-Prince Charles.

In it, she wrote that “everyone frantically busy here doing last minute decorations,” while “the bride-to-be has remained quite calm”.

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It comes as the Duke of Sussex discussed how his legal battles with the tabloid press have been a “central piece” in his rift from the Royal Family.

Speaking to ITV documentary Tabloids On Trial about what he thinks of the decision by his family not to take on the press in the way he has, Harry said: “I think everything that’s played out has shown people what the truth of the matter is.

“For me, the mission continues, but it has, it has, yes. It’s caused, yeah, as you say, part of a rift.”

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According to Sworders’ website, 23 letters and cards from Diana are to be sold as part of the Out of the Ordinary Sale on 30 July.

Sold individually, the letters are estimated to fetch between £200 and £1,200.

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