A shirt likely worn by Charles II as a baby and found in a Northamptonshire loft is set to make a princely sum at auction next week <June 4>.
Wendy Boulton from Rushden thought the 400-year-old cherished family heirloom was lost before she came across it during an attic clear out.
Now the historic 17th-century shirt could fetch £600 when it goes under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers on June 4.
Wendy said: “For as long as I can remember family tradition had it that this shirt belonged to Charles II as a baby.
“It was something of a conversation piece and bought out for all to admire on family occasions. After my dad died 10 years ago, I thought it had been lost but I was amazed and delighted it to have rediscovered it in the attic.”
The shirt was given to Wendy’s great great grandfather, John Bishop Boucher, by a “Miss Lane” thought to be a descendent of Jane Lane, Lady Fisher, who helped the king escape after his defeat at the Battle of Worcester in 1651.
Charles II never forgot those who aided him during his years in hiding and exile.
After the Restoration, many loyal Royalists who had helped him escape were rewarded with pensions, offices, gifts, portraits and personal tokens.
He lavished a pension of £1,000 a year on Jane Lane, as well as other long-held relics.
Charles II was born on May 29, 1630 at St James’s Palace, with his earliest months spent within the royal palaces of the Stuart court.
Despite their regal pedigree, royal baby garments, or “shifts”, could be surprisingly plain and designed to be worn under more elaborate outer clothes.
Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said: “The simplicity of the garment, with its hand-stitching, dates it firmly to the first half of the 17th century and is typical of infant clothing of the Stuart period.
“Whether viewed as a Royalist relic, a Stuart textile or a treasured family heirloom, this is an extraordinary piece of history.”
A handwritten family note records: “I always understood that this little shirt of Charles II when he was a baby was given to J.B.B.(John Bishop Boucher) by Miss Lane at Surbiton. She was a descendant of the Lane family. A Miss Lane assisted Charles II in his flight after the battle of Worcester.”
Another handwritten note reads “Shirt of his gracious Majesty King Charles II when he was a baby.”
As well as handwritten notes of provenance, the lot includes newspaper clippings from the 1930s regarding the Lane family’s right to use the armorial bearing granted by Charles II.
The king also offered Jane Lane’s brother a title and the right to add three lions to his coat of arms, as well as a strawberry roan horse on which he was said to have escaped.
Charles Hanson continued: “The narrow sleeves, tiny proportions and front-opening are consistent with very early baby clothing. Even the oxidation/staining and uneven wear suggest genuine age, rather than a Victorian reproduction.”
“The depth of historical research and handwritten notes which accompany the shirt establish its links to Charles II far beyond family folklore. It is a thrilling garment and one we are honoured to be offering for sale.”
Auction Details
Auction: The Derbyshire Summer Fine Art Auction
Auction date: 4th June 2026 | 10am
Location: Hansons’ Derbyshire Saleroom
Auction contact: [email protected]
Catalogue/bidding: www.hansonslive.co.uk | www.the-saleroom.com
