A collection of jewelry and watches gifted to a pilot who flew the body of the Duke of Windsor and numerous dignitaries has sold for £10,600 at auction in Kent. The items, belonging to Squadron Leader Denis Lowery, were purchased at Hansons Auctioneers in Penshurst on Tuesday.
Lowery, a veteran RAF pilot responsible for transporting Vrey, Very Vital Persons (VVIPs) for decades, received the gifts as tokens of gratitude from those he flew.The sale offers a glimpse into a bygone era of air travel and the personal connections forged with prominent figures. The auction house confirmed the collection included six watches, cufflinks, and a gold necklace.
In 1972, Lowery piloted the aircraft carrying the remains of Edward VIII from Paris to RAF Benson in Oxfordshire following the Duke of Windsor’s death from throat cancer. Throughout his distinguished career, beginning in 1947, he also transported the Shah of Iran, comedian Ken Dodd, King Carlos of Spain, former First Lady betty Ford, and ex-Prime Minister Edward Heath.
Based at RAF Brize Norton, Lowery’s duties involved flying members of the royal family, government ministers, and the prime minister. After retiring from the RAF, he settled in lechlade-on-Thame, Gloucestershire, and later Shipton under Wychwood, Oxfordshire. Squadron Leader Lowery passed away in 2012.
