Three June Days in Chicago: Volo's Princess Diana Rolls Exhibit Offers Extraordinary Historic Glimpse

VOLO - See the most elegant car in the world, built for the most elegant woman in the world: Princess Diana's custom-ordered 1996 Rolls Royce Silver Spur. This million-dollar car - which veils a shocking truth - is at the Volo Auto Museum for a limited time.

With its mirror-finish black sapphire paint and exquisite, glove-soft, tan leather interior, the special-ordered Silver Spur arrived just in time from England for Her Royal Highness' June 1996 visit to Chicago.

Her wings outstretched behind her, the Flying Lady hood ornament shines atop the Rolls' Parthenon-inspired grill. Luxury abounds, from the gleaming, hand-laid American Burr Walnut dashboard to the rear-seat passengers' inlaid picnic tables and plush sheepskin overlays on the Wilton wool-carpeted floor.

The car is just as it was when it arrived on the O'Hare Airport tarmac to greet a radiant Princess Diana, right down to the fine bottle of her favorite Pol Roger champagne within.

After the Princess of Wales returned to London, the now astronomically prized Rolls was stored, awaiting her next visit. Tragically, she died Aug. 31, 1997. Meanwhile, the car has been under wraps for 11 years.


Now, for a very limited time, you can see this priceless piece of history, on view for the first time since Princess Diana visited Chicago in 1996.

Visitors to Volo Auto Museum's Diana Rolls exhibit also will see numerous rare photos featuring Diana in and near the motor car, and of her triumphant Chicago visit.

The beautiful Princess died just 14 months after that trip, while fleeing paparazzi and riding without a safety belt through a Paris tunnel. The shocking truth is the contrast between the Rolls Royce on display at the Volo Auto Museum and the Mercedes in which Diana died. Many believe her chances for survival would have been greater were it the Rolls she was riding in that fateful night.


The Mercedes - a modified stretch limousine style - had been cut in half after it left the Mercedes factory. Technicians added about 30 inches to the length of the car, making it more spacious but weakening it structurally.

"Even with a safety belt on, she probably would not have survived because the limo collapsed in the middle and folded," said Greg Grams, founder and owner of the Volo Auto Museum.

In addition, the Mercedes weighed about 4,500 pounds. By contrast, the Rolls Royce Silver Spur Series III encases its occupants in 6,400 pounds of steel.


The Diana Silver Spur is owned by the Volo Auto Museum. The exhibit will be on view for a short time before the elegant car is returned to the museum vault, said Grams, adding that he was not sure when he might bring it out again.

Don't miss this limited opportunity to view the one-and-only publicly displayed Princess Diana transport and the gorgeous accompanying photo exhibit. See the Rolls and 300 other incredible cars at the world-renowned Volo Auto Museum, open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at 27582 W. Volo Village Road, Volo, Illinois. Call (815) 385-3644 for information.







Images courtesy of Stuart-Rodgers Photography and Daniel McAleer.