Princess Di's Riding Helmet is Riding Back to the Royal Family and more Nobles to Come

 By Laura Medina

In a very kind and unselfish gesture, a woman is giving away her fiancee's gift for her and took it off the auction market then returning the gift to its rightful owner, the impending British royal heir, Kate and Will's expecting bundle of joy.

This gift appears to be pretty simple, a brown velvet riding helmet but it carries the weight of history.  This was Princess Diana's riding helmet.  She wore this when the British Royal Family gave her equestrian lessons to be part of the horse-riding loving family.

Once Princess Diana was done with her horse-riding lessons and the British Royal family, she gave it away to one of her assistants.  That assistant pass it through many hands, including hands of a Fred Hayman employee in Beverly Hills.  Eventually, the President of "In Person, Inc.," had it in her hands as a gift from her fiancee.  To relieve the clutter, Jean S. Beekman put the riding helmet on the auction market to make some extra money while cleaning out the clutter.

As soon as the news of the royal baby came out, Jean felt it was wrong to sell it away to another passing stranger who wouldn't cherish it as much.

Jean did what she felt was the right thing to do.  She is returning Princess Diana's riding helmet to her grandchild, arriving any day and time now in London. 

Welling up in tears in an interview, Jean felt it was selfish to make money off a stranger when it rightfully belongs to the next, upcoming generations of British royals.  If a princess, then it is expected of her to learn horse-back riding as soon as possible.  Her returning that child's grandmother's riding helmet as an heirloom is a continuation of a legacy.  Jean felt it isn't right to steal that away from the impending royal baby.

Princess Diana's riding helmet will be on display for the rest of the week.  Then, come Saturday (that expecting day), this heirloom will be on its way back home to London for the Kate's and Will's baby.

Since the whole world is going to be enthralled in anything Brit Aristo, this Sunday is airing the third and last Summer trilogy of "Secrets of Manor House" on PBS.

The third and last documentary is "Secrets of Chatsworth," this Sunday on the 14th at 8pm.

Following the success of the “Downton Abbey”-inspired special SECRETS OF HIGHCLERE CASTLE, SECRETS OF CHATSWORTH explores the estate’s extensive grounds and tells, among other accounts, the tragic tale of Billy Cavendish, heir to Chatsworth’s 10^th Duke of Devonshire, and Kathleen Kennedy. Kathleen, the sister of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, married the British aristocrat, only to lose her husband after only four months of marriage. Billy was killed in action in World War II. Four years later, Kathleen died in a plane crash and was buried at Chatsworth.

“What these magnificent estates have in common is not only a rich and immensely entertaining history, but a modern-day context as well,” said Robert Strange, executive producer at Pioneer Productions. “In their own ways, each house presents viewers with a living drama that stretches back for centuries yet still plays itself out today.” 

 “We are delighted to bring these specials to PBS,” added Beth Hoppe, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager of General Audience Programming for PBS. “British dramas are a centerpiece of PBS’ Sunday night lineup and this fascinating series adds a real-life dimension to those stories. These exquisite homes take on a dramatic new life once you understand the rich  — and sometimes twisted  — stories of Britain’s actual characters who lived in them. ”

Other than they're upper-crust, what's the connection between Princess Diana and Chatsworth House?  

They share a common ancestor, Lady Georgiana Spencer.

In the documentary, you'll find out she was the "Princess Diana" of her day, a spirited fashion plate who bucked conventions.  She was interesting enough to be the subject of a 2008 movie, "The Duchess" with Keira Knightley as her.

Oh shoot, just watch "SECRETS OF CHATSWORTH" this Sunday night at 8pm on PBS; and you'll find out.

This weekend is going to be British history butting against British present and future.