Kate’s see-through dress ‘could be worth £100,000’

A classic from the Daily Mail. They have hunted down the young woman who designed the see-through dress that Kate Middleton famously wore in a 2002 charity fashion show at St Andrews University, thus catching the eye of Prince William and changing the course of royal history.

It turns out the dress was designed by Charlotte Todd, 31, who was studying fashion and textiles at the University of the West of England. Todd did not go on to become a designer (no comment) and now works at an aquarium.

It turns out the dress was returned to Charlotte after the St Andrews show and she has kept it ever since in a wardrobe at her parents' home in Bristol.

Because it is very likely to provide the last memory the British public will share of its future queen photographed in her bra and panties, the Mail was keen to ascertain from experts what the dress might be worth. Answer: £10,000 now and, once Kate - sorry Catherine - is on the throne, it could fetch £100,000.

So, why does this count as a desperate story?

The Mail reports that experts "estimate it could fetch a staggering £100,000" at auction. So, did the Mail talk to Sotheby's or Christie's to get this valuation? Or perhaps Bonhams?

No, they got the estimate from Greasby's, an auction room in Tooting, south London, which specialises in selling the contents of suitcases lost or left behind at Heathrow airport.

The online catalogue for next week's sale at Greasby's begins:

1. Black holdall cont gents & mixed clothing

2. Black trolley case cont gents clothing

3. Black trolley case cont gents clothing

4. Green pull along case cont lds & gents clothing

5. Red trolley case cont gents clothing

We could go on, but you get the picture...

In short, if Kate Middleton ever loses her luggage at Heathrow, it is very possible a priceless item will come up for sale at Greasby's. But Charlotte's see-through dress seems unlikely to come under the Greasby hammer. ·