The Ferrari that was fit for a Princess...

That "most beautiful rear end" thread sent me back to the books, because it made me remember a Pininfarina 330GTC special that was built for the Princess Lilian de Rethy, wife of the King Leopold of Belgium. The car had what I think was the very first use of a concave rear glass, like a Dino or Testarossa later used. Plus, it had every bit as refined a fenderline as a Lusso. It was also the inspiration for the later 365 GT 2+2, and several copies of this special were apparantly made.

After I found it, it just occurred to me that I did not know very much about this lady, except for a B&W photograph of her looking at an earlier clay model prototype with Alfredo Vignale and Nino Farina. And she sure looked the part of a royal family Ferrari enthusiast...ermine fur coat and all.

Did a little more research, and she was just as fascinating as her coachbuilt specials...turns out she was quite contraversial in her day. Not born a royal, she married King Leopold "a little too soon" after the death of his first wife, the beloved queen Astrid, was suspected of being a Nazi sympathizer, was suspected of being a little too cozy with her stepson, and rumored to be the inspiration for Jackie Kennedy's style of dress (and Christian Dior's success).

And - believe it or not, besides the several famous Ferrari's, a lowly Oldsmobile station wagon that she owned is also up on auction presently - I guess just because it was her property.

Does anybody else have any stories about Princess Lilian & her Ferrari's?