They were sold by him in 1988 to help a children's charity after he found them in the back of a drawer.

       A private collector put them up for auction with Dix NoonanWebb this week, along with his RAF logbooks.

       Auction house spokesman Christopher Mellor-Hill said: During the Battle of Britain, Townsend epitomised the very spirit of Churchill's famous 'Few'.

       "Then his royal connections brought him to prominence in the 1950s, and now, as a result of the Netflix series The Crown, he is known to a new generation today."

       Townsend, who died in 1995 aged 80, shot down at least 11 enemy aircraft in more than 300 operational sorties.

       He became the first RAF pilot to bring down an enemy aircraft on English soil in 1940.

       He went on to be King George VI's equerry in 1944 and comptroller to the Queen Mother's household in 1953.

       After meeting Princess Margaret they struck up a relationship but were not allowed to marry because he was divorced.