Royal items go on sale to help raise money for cancer charity

Six special items that were used by Queen Elizabeth II during her jubilee celebrations are being sold to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

They include a "diamond" that went on display at the Tower of London before it was used by the Queen at her Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

Three special torches - which were used to celebrate the start of the year 2000, the Queen's 90th birthday and her Golden Jubilee - will also be up for sale.

Each item is expected to sell for between £20,000 to £30,000 at an auction in March.

Most of the items were designed by the Queen's pageant master Bruno Peek, who helped to organise lots of royal celebrations over 40 years.

He said he felt "privileged and honoured" to have worked so closely with her.

The last time he saw the Queen was when she lit a beacon at her Platinum Jubilee in 2022 and thanked him for all of his work.

Mr Peek said: "It was a lovely moment which I will cherish for the rest of my life."

Even though he owns the special items, he said he could never sell them and keep the money.

He explained: "Given that the King and Catherine, Princess of Wales, have both had cancer treatment, I felt it was appropriate to use them to raise money for Cancer Research UK."