New York - The marathon sale of property from the Duke and Duchess of Windsor's Paris home made a total of $23,362,000 (£16,856,000) when it ended at Sotheby's yesterday.
The total was almost four times the pre-auction estimate of $7 million for the entire sale. The proceeds will go to a foundation to fund charities favoured by Mr Dodi Fayed and Diana, Princess of Wales. The property was sold by the Harrods owner, Mr Mohamed Al-Fayed.
Buyers from round the world competed for the duke's and duchess's furniture - including the desk at which he signed the abdication in 1936 - clothing, stationery and costume jewellery. One of the highest prices during the nine-day sale was $2.3 million for a painting of the duke in hunting clothes by Sir Alfred Munnings.