A CARPET from Romsey that bore witness to not one, but two Royal honeymoons is going up for sale.

Salisbury-based auctioneers Woolley and Wallis will be auctioning the large 19th century North West Persian carpet that has graced the floor of Broadlands for decades.

It is expected to fetch between £5,000 and £8,000 when it is sold on July 3.

The Persian carpet is of an unusual square design and, as such, was a good fit in the Ante Room at Broadlands where it has greeted guests over the years.

The Broadlands estate was the home of Louis Mountbatten, born Prince Louis of Battenberg, the uncle of Prince Philip, and was the honeymoon destination for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in November 1947. Mountbatten’s mentorship of the young Prince Charles meant that on his marriage to Lady Diana Spencer in 1981 the young couple also spent the first three days of their honeymoon staying on the Romsey estate.

The Queen was back at Broadlands in 2016 for the marriage of the Honourable Alexandra Knatchbull, daughter of the Earl and Countess Mountbatten, and the family maintain close links with their royal cousins – the Earl Mountbatten being godfather to Prince William.

The original manor and area known as Broadlands had belonged to Romsey Abbey since before the time of the 11th century Norman Conquest.