The medals awarded to a royal chauffeur who drove King Edward VIII during the abdication crisis have gone on sale for £1,800.
William Figg, who was originally a stable boy from Ashendon, Buckinghamshire, learnt to drive the first electric cars in 1904 so he could ferry the royals around.
He formed a close bond with Edward's mother Queen Mary as her personal driver for over 30 years, and also chauffeured the Prince of Wales during the early stages of his controversial romance with American socialite Wallis Simpson.
This meant he was aware of the courtship long before it became public knowledge, with the royal dramatically abdicating the throne after 11 months in 1936 to marry the divorcee.
Mr Figg died aged 86 in 1966 and his collection of four medals, including his Royal Household Faithful Service medal, is going under the hammer with London-based auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb next week.
The medals awarded to a royal chauffeur who drove King Edward VIII during the abdication crisis have gone on sale for £1,800. William Figg's medal group consists of the Royal Household Faithful Service Medal; Coronation 1911; Jubilee 1935; The Royal Victorian Medal.
Left, William Figg preparing to chauffeur Queen Mary. Right, Edward and Wallis Simpson on their wedding day in 1937
Mr Figg drove electric Broughams and was praised by Queen Mary for his 'fine driving to Balmoral'. When he retired in 1936, he lived in Kennington, south London, on an estate belonging to the Duchy of Cornwall.
He attended Queen Mary's funeral with his wife in 1953.
The archive, which has been consigned by a private collector, also contains letters from the Royals to Mr Figg and photos of him driving Queen Mary.
A Dix Noonan Webb spokesperson said: 'On the appointment of Oscar Humphrey as Head Chauffeur to King George V, Figg was appointed official Chauffeur to Queen Mary.
'He held the position as Chauffeur to Queen Mary until the death of King George V in 1936, although he drove most members of the Royal family including the King on many occasions.
'He also drove the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII, whilst he was courting Mrs Simpson, and was well aware of his clandestine meetings long before they became known to the public.
'He drove King Edward many times when the abdication crisis was reaching its peak.'
Oliver Pepys, associate director at Dix Noonan Webb, said: 'We are very pleased to be selling this Royal Victorian Medal (RVM) group of four
