DIANA Closely Guarded SECRET By Inspector Ken Wharfe

Welcome to Weekly Book Chat with Shauna from The Vintage Read Show! Every Friday Evening 9.30 PM AEST.
This week I share my review & readings from
Diana, Closely Guarded Secret by Inspector Ken Wharfe.
This is searingly honest account of his experience protecting the “heir and the spare” Prince William & Prince Harry, and later Diana Princess of Wales.
We get lots of intimate insights & some that may even shock!
#thevintagereadshow #weeklybookchat
#bookreview #Diana
#royalfamily

[@madeyed2702]

I am tired of people who refused to see Diana’s weaknesses and painted her like some kind of innocent naive woman. Both Charles and Diana had their shares of mistake, but it’s not fair to put 100% the blame on Charles. To me, Charles truly love Camilla - unlike Diana who seemed to crave love from all the wrong men. May her soul RIP

[@yehuditcollins6783]

Totally agree. Charles was and is faithful to Camilla, the true love of his life. Whereas Diana had numerous affairs.

[@JoBarratt-fd9ee]

Well said.

[@sue8344]

Being a child of divorce , she was desperate for stability . Years ago I read that Diana agreed to marry Charles because he was the one man who would never leave her, as at the time divorce was unthinkable for the future head of the Church of England .

[@mary50-tl7hi]

She loved the doctor Hasnat Khan He couldn't cope with the press such a shame. 😢

[@kipscathy1850]

@@mary50-tl7hi also his family would not accept her.

[@maureenball6733]

Yes I noticed a similar insight into Diana here as we got from Wendy Berry - the Highgrove housekeeper. Wendy's book was the first time I realised Prince Charles's situation was impossibe. Impossible even if Camila had disappeared from sight totally.

[@barbraluce5706]

I totally agree

[@mimib95]

Both books complement each other so have more than a ring of truth. I bet that Highgrove is a lot more peaceful these days.

[@bryan7938]

Agreed too

[@kipscathy1850]

The more we learn about Diana, the more I see that Harry is very much like her in morality, in petulance, in spoiled behaviors. I agree with you about William - in addition to the extra attention from Queen Elizabeth, thank heaven for Catherine and the Middletons!

[@louesparza8003]

Truth!

[@krishnavyas313]

@@kipscathy1850 don't forget charles, he also raised william.

[@HMF1950]

Agreed. You can also surmise that Meghan did study all of Diana’s behaviors.

[@vericarauza5830]

🎯

[@PS_testing321...]

I think Prince Philip always tried to keep everyone's feet on the ground, too. He always understood none of it was about him.

[@beverleightodd5710]

What People don't realise is that Princess Margaret was involved with London Lighthouse, an AIDs charity (now part of the Terrance Higgins Trust) before Diana. So when people say Diana was the first Royal involved in an AIDs charity they are wrong Princess Margaret was.

[@Lynda-vq5yl]

She did it quietly behind the scenes. One must admit that Diana's open support for the AIdes charity helped the world be a bit more accepting and less judgmental about the disease; it was the same with leprosy her visiting sufferers showed the world it is not the highly contagious disease that people have been terrified by throughout the ages.

[@jacquibrown4271]

Princess Margaret didn’t like Diana, she thought she was too flashy and wrong for Charles.

[@monicawarner4091]

Princess Margaret wasn't as big of an attention-seeker as Diana was, quite possibly because she had grown up with a lot of attention. One of the very rare times that Charles ever criticised Diana was when he complained that she promoted herself rather than whichever charity she was supposed to be drawing attention to. She accused him of being jealous of her popularity, and of course the Press ran with that angle.

[@annatjienilsen539]

Diana deliberately went out of her way to upstage Margaret.%here is a description of that in Lady C's book

[@gabrielagaytan6575]

​@@jacquibrown4271Oh boy! She was so right!!🎉

[@amethystfeathers7324]

I am repulsed by Diana's behavior with Tigger. That's disgusting and imho that's where Harry's cruel streak comes from.

[@JayneDay-e7t]

I agree!

[@kerriferguson2023]

Of course it is terrible to be cruel to helpless animals but let's not forget that she also pushed Raine Spencer down a flight of stairs.That cruel streak was deeply evident and not just in animals.

[@CarolBrett-o1c]

She also slapped her father across his face when she found out he had married Raine

[@kerriferguson2023]

@@CarolBrett-o1c Yes, such a little "charmer" (sarcasm). And Raine was such a lady and never held a grudge. (Yes, I have met her.) Even after the Spencer "brats" gathered up Raine's personal effects into garbage bags and deposited them outside Althorp after the Earl's passing (allegedly). I had not heard of her slapping her father's face but nothing would surprise me now. That "shy Di" look from under her hair fringe NEVER fooled astute people and I never understood why people were enamoured with her. I am in awe of how King Charles put up with her antics for as long as he did and so delighted he has finally ended up with a mature and genuine wife. Harry seems to be so like his mother in so many ways.

[@amethystfeathers7324]

@@CarolBrett-o1c I didn't know that!

[@pamelacox540]

Oh my goodness. Diana calling paps and walking back and forth in a bathing suit for paps, even compromising the security of her sons for pap shots. Abuse of staff. Who does that sound like?

[@amethystfeathers7324]

Well they say we marry a parent......

[@monicawarner4091]

It's obvious why Harry thinks that his wife is just like his late mother. The big difference is that Diana did have a good side!

[@patriciaboyd6161]

Just like her daughter-in-law.

[@elizabethmadron1336]

@pamelacox540 Meghan walked in front of Whole Foods in Kensington hoping someone would notice her.

[@heidimeigs5192]

Sounds exactly like the todger’s wife.

[@kitty6720]

After that scene with Diana in a towel, ironing Ken’s shirt, all I can think of is the things W had seen while D was alive and the things he knows about her, carrying that burden, but will never say, yet his ingrate brother goes on about whining about his lot in life🙄. It’s no wonder W chose to marry someone as seemingly grounded as C appears to be. After seeing D and her antics, as much as he loved her as a son, he wanted none of that drama in his life. So C was right when she, allegedly, said that W was lucky to have her.

[@fwgre9654]

@@kitty6720 who the phuck does that? Diana had no boundaries.

[@elizabethmadron1336]

@fwgre9654 besides being Borderline, This also sounds like the behavior of a narcissist and historonic.

[@anitapairaiturker8365]

It sounds to me like Diana was so starved for attention, she got a thrill out of turning the staff on. The towel incident - seriously, who does that? No boundaries at all.

[@fwgre9654]

@anitapairaiturker8365 Not starved, she had a deep maw of neediness. It didn't matter how much attention she received it would never be enough. When she stalked her married lover's family with over 300 phone calls it was indicative of someone with mental health issues.

[@anitapairaiturker8365]

@@fwgre9654 I did read about the calls. Awful for his family to deal with that. But I also can't help feeling for Diana - someone that desperate is to be pitied, because it must have been incredibly painful to feel and react like that so often.

[@JFra127]

Never heard the towel story before. I suspect Diana needed to have men in her thrall. Part of her personality disorder IMO. Such a sad part of her life.

[@Maureen-cc3pl]

Poor William walking in on that scene. How ‘cringe’ that had to have been for a pre-teen boy to have his mother behaving like that. William has inherited all the best genes in his family. Fortunately he’s made of strong stuff.

[@elizabethmadron1336]

Diana and Marilyn Monroe were both Borderline personalities. Let that sink in for a moment.

[@diannescott4504]

​@@Maureen-cc3pl even at that age he knew.

[@looloo4029]

I feel quite sick thinking of that poor, frantic little dog. 😢

[@thevintageread]

Same! She lost me at that point.

[@christie883]

Totally agree, so horrible! 😢

[@juliesuris8906]

Cruel, it says a lot about anyone who would torture an animal even for a minute.

[@JanetDriver]

Agree. It’s disgusting!

[@bettydillingham1498]

Absolutely 💯 % agree. I realize Diana was an empty vessel waiting for anyone to love and save her and that’s a shame. BUT to torture any animal is so abhorrent to me that there’s no excuse for her behavior. My only gratitude is that William was able to find a wonderful and loving wife in Princess Catherine along with her stable family. Also, William took the time to critically analyze his mother and saw her strengths and weaknesses. He’s a much better man for this. Unfortunately, Harry is more a reflection of his mother. That’s a shame but actions always have consequences. 👎

[@moo2351]

Re Tigger, we now know where Harry gets his questionable character. I am always wary of people, who do not like or are empathetic of animals.

[@cornelia9778]

Worse than that, people who abuse animals inevitably abuse people. Hello Megain.

[@JoanMorrison-vq2jc]

​​@@cornelia9778 Hello "Lady" Diana..😢😮😮.

[@monicawarner4091]

​@@cornelia9778 • That's so true. There have been several studies which have proven the link.

[@erineddy7999]

Hand in hand with this opinion is that if an animal is reactive around a particular person take note. Animals and small children can have a sense of a person’s true character. IMO.

[@monicawarner4091]

​@@erineddy7999 • Very true.

[@ceciliaburris4059]

Thank you for this! Diana wasn't the saint that people would have her be. Another loyal employee, Patrick Jephson, left her employee after being thoroughly disgusted with the Bashir interview. For those of us old enough to remember, you could literally see the end coming.

[@MayYourGodGoWithYou]

Her brother encouraged that, he hated the monarchy [do you remember the things he was saying publicly when she got engaged, about how she was more royal than the royals and how Charles was marrying above himself/Diana was marrying below herself and all because they had an illegitimate ancestor in the past who's father was a royal] and saw this as a way to try and bring them down. Friends of his who stopped being friends as a result of this spoke out [also about his treatment of women in general, nasty character all around]. AS someone else pointed out, for centuries the Spencer's had been trying to sell a female member to royalty as a wife but they'd only managed to sell them as mistresses, the Queen Mother was the first to be taken in and she forced Charles to marry Diana with his father's connivance I remember feeling disgusted as his claims way back then and my opinion of him hasn't improved since..

[@monicawarner4091]

​@@MayYourGodGoWithYou • Isn't it ironic that followers of the Cult of St Diana are all over the Internet spewing out the most ridiculous and libellous accusations against Camilla, making cruel and nasty jibes about her looks, and condemning her because her grandmother had been a mistress?

[@JaneMacdonald-z2w]

What a bloody disgrace, all of them. Ken Wharf should have stopped it happening in the first place. THERE’S THE CRUELTY THAT HARRY HAS, IT CONES FROM HIS MOTHER!!!Bloody shameful

[@sue8344]

He’s an employee , that wouldn’t have gone over well .

[@LeaTom-z1i]

@@sue8344Agree, Diana probably would have got rid of him, as she did anyone who didn’t agree with her! However, I think it’s indefensible to go along with putting an innocent little dog into an oven! He wouldn’t have been sacked, he would just have been deployed elsewhere , that wouldn’t have had the same kudos or travel opportunities as working for the POW…….Just my opinion.

[@monicawarner4091]

​@@LeaTom-z1i • I share that opinion. Also, it seems to me that Mr Wharfe makes a lot of excuses for Diana's behaviour.

[@LeaTom-z1i]

@@monicawarner4091 It was interesting to hear his resignation story today, in all the interviews I’ve seen him do, in which he always sings Diana’s praises, I’ve never heard him mention this story before. I also don’t like the way that he’s always negative about William, but excuses Harry’s bad behaviour when they were children.

[@monicawarner4091]

@@LeaTom-z1i • I'm only part way through the video and I'm already shocked. I thought I knew a lot about Diana after living through her marriage and divorce etc., and having read several biographies of her. One of the things I'm finding shocking is that Wharfe actually admitted to keeping quiet about poor Tigger, and to not leaving the room when Diana was standing there in a towel. It appears that he was more than a little infatuated with her.

[@GCons60-fn9mv]

Just watching Lady C and she has just made some very complimentary comments about you 😊

[@Alexaklr]

Yes she did!

[@vicm4795]

Well deserved 😊

[@kiwirose935]

She did indeed👍

[@heidimueller1039]

I had to give up on Lady C. She’s way too supportive of Trump and Putin.

[@PatriciaMei-qt1cy]

She did say lovely things about you and well deserved

[@flowermeerkat6827]

From what I've seen of Ken Wharfe, he seems like a really honorable man.

[@JaniMargaret]

Diana leaned on William far too much when he was far too young to take such a burden. He was such a good son to his mother.and the story of her embarrassing him in front of his friends brought tears to my eyes. That is something a parent should NEVER do.

[@BMack-p9s]

It's not wrong to learn to be a good son; and there's no such thing as a perfect parent either, we all have moments we regret. He learnt how to give emotional support which has served him well. He also felt close to her.

[@patriciaboyd6161]

@@JaniMargaret like mother like son.

[@monicawarner4091]

​@@patriciaboyd6161 • When has William ever embarrassed any of his children? When has he used any of them as an emotional crutch? Do you really believe he poured his heart out to George about how worried he was about their mother's and grandfather's cancers?

[@MagicCityGirl]

Same here

[@JaniMargaret]

@@monicawarner4091 I took it she was referring to Harry? Although as we’ve never seen his children we don’t know how he is around them!

[@sandragreer4161]

Yipes, it was no accident Diana was in towel ironing. That scene is bizarre! I have increasing sympathy for Charles. No wonder William was often embarrassed by his mother. Thank you so very much for this enlightening Vintage Read.

[@AJA-ie5uu]

It sounds to me like a weird power play, toying with the “lower classes” working for her. Arrogant, entitled and toxic, like her younger son. The casual cruelty to the poor dog as well speaks volumes about her character. The “shy Di” saintly thing was just part of the manipulative act

[@janicewilliams2076]

I was never a fan of Diana, and the idea that she was some sort of "wronged woman" and heading for sainthood, was absolutely nauseating. This book seems to prove my point. Hank compared his wife with his mother, and with his mothers animal cruelty, constant staff turnover, media manipulation, whining about the royal family and cutting off her friends, maybe he has a point. It all sounds eerily familiar.

[@mezzamuddle]

Lady C's book The Real Diana confirmed for me what I had always suspected. I never bought into the Saint Diana narrative.

[@monicawarner4091]

@janicewilliams2076 • I completely agree with your comment. I have always thought that Meghan's behaviour was very similar to Diana's. The big difference is that Diana had a good side.

[@monicawarner4091]

​@@mezzamuddle • Same here.

[@NiniM8154]

Yes, Janice! Agree with you totally. I was never a fan. She struck me as such a phony, something her youth couldn't account for.

[@ErinAbou]

I think this is exactly why he thinks Meghan is like his mother.

[@Polopony]

Frankly, the story of Tigger the dog being shut in the oven makes me understand exactly why Charles might have lost interest in his beautiful wife...

[@jacquiberdini4488]

Tigger the dog had absolutely nothing to do with disgusting Charles never being a faithful husband...right from day one!

[@margaretcross1419]

OMG Harry did marry his mother and has inherited many of her personality traits. Poor William having to deal with his mother's erratic behaviour and antics and now mirrored in his brother and his wife.

[@MayYourGodGoWithYou]

Might be why he and Charles [and other family members] give them some degree of understanding. They would have known he had inherited his mother's issues, known he couldn't necessarily help what he was or is and that he was basically nasty through and through. They would also have known about his mother's issues and that he had literally inherited it from her. Though understanding might lead to forgiveness he mustn't be allowed back into the family and if he does return needs to be kept at a distance AND under constant surveillance [who knows what he might try and do]

[@pi1986]

Diana and the dog? Nope. She had the responsibility of not allowing it in the 1st place. I may think she didn't want the guy to be fired or in trouble, but the fact that she didn't stop it that poor animal going through that fear, shows what .. person she was

[@jackiegould1569]

It seems like the second apple didnt fall far from the tree doesnt it. But it goes to show that harry did marry his mother in many many ways.

[@Sally-nse2]

And William married his mother with Diana’s other capacities- so true they both went looking - in some ways - for women who were in small part an echo of their mother

[@jackiegould1569]

@@Diovanlestat I have often thought that Diana split into two through her boys. William got her good bits and harry her nasty bits. Jeykll and Hyde. Love the comment about people forgetting about Charles and the IVF babies 😂

[@SusanMarg]

Enjoyed this a lot❤ From all the books my general impression is that Diana was exhausting and very high maintenance emotionally

[@LeeDon76]

I think she was like a bottomless pit; she could never be given enough attention.

[@sue8344]

@@LeeDon76 she was a child of divorce and felt abandoned by both parents . Charles wasn’t equipped emotionally to give her what she needed as he never truly loved her and was so different from Camilla who had shared interests with him .

[@Anna_Key]

​@sue8344 Charles was used to women like his grandmother, his mother, his sister, and Camilla. All intelligent, strong, reasonable, rational, clever women. Diana would have been a nightmare once she gave up pretending to care.

[@sue8344]

@ Very true

[@JaniMargaret]

@@LeeDon76now who does that remind us of!

[@catlink8998]

Diana was very needy and craved male attention. I can imagine Ken trying to give her privacy and her laughingly telling him to not be stodgy and stay. The more I learn about Diana the more her second sons' behavioral roots becomes apparent.

[@vasundajay]

I agree. All this, “Harry would never have married Meghan if Diana was alive “ rhetoric really makes me wonder if either son would have managed to have healthy relationships with her around. She really, wanted to be the sun in the lives of all the men around her. She needed that attention. Not a happy person

[@monicawarner4091]

​@@vasundajay • One thing that I'm certain of is that Diana would not have "loved" Catherine as so many people believe. She would have been eaten up with jealousy that Catherine attracts so much media attention. I think she would have been jealous of Meghan to an extent too, but nowhere near as much.

[@ChelleDavidson-th5sl]

By the time Ken Wharfe became Diana's bodyguard she had already had an affair with the former married bodyguard Barry Mannakee, so was probably throwing out a lure to see if this new fish would bite.

[@monicawarner4091]

@@ChelleDavidson • Her first affair that I know about was with Henry Herbert, 17th Earl Pembroke. It began before Harry was born. I can't remember who her second affair was with, but I believe Barry Mannakee was the third.

[@ellenmccain6740]

Totally disgusting story about that poor dog! What abominable show of character! People who can be that cruel to a poor helpless animal deserve zero respect and allowing someone to be that cruel in one’s presence is equally awful. Unbelievable cruelty.

[@SH29824]

OMG the poor dog

[@JoaninFlorida]

I'm not trying to defend Diana, but why wasn't the dog barking its head off?

[@monicawarner4091]

​@@JoaninFlorida • It could have been. The kitchen will be large and the oven may not have been near enough to the entrance to hear a dog barking inside an industrial type oven, especially if the Chef, Diana, and KW had a radio playing in the background to drown it out.

[@JoaninFlorida]

@monicawarner4091 I think your kind of grasping here.

[@NakaidaBeauzec]

She made a choice by refusing to wear a seatbelt, pure arrogance, stop blaming others.

[@KezWills-vp8rj]

True but that’s how Ken Felt and it is his Book on Diana, with his Words and his Opinion, so I don’t believe he was using it as an Excuse.

[@ecm958]

The only person who survived in that car was the one wearing a seatbelt.

[@annieearle962]

And having a drunk driver speeding….duh

[@malgorzatachrobak9676]

She also refused to have security

[@nancyjay790]

Several mistakes combined to lead to tragedy. Had a number of people taken their responsibility more seriously, perhaps her death wouldn't have happened in that manner.

[@Polopony]

Yes, Diana fell out with pretty much everyone in her life at one point or another (apart from her young sons, of course). So no surprise that her friendship with Wharfe came to grief. She clearly didn't understand about appropriate boundaries, and in that and so many other respects she really does sound more and more similar to M.

[@JaniMargaret]

The Middletown’s must certainly have played a huge part in giving William’s life stability. But don’t you think Charles should be given some credit too? Even Diana often said he was a good father - even when they were in the middle of their divorce. In spite of Harry’s whiney denials there is plenty of evidence to show Charles did his best to raise the boys in a warm and affectionate environment.

[@louesparza8003]

Oh, please!

[@krishnavyas313]

​@@louesparza8003 you liked your own comment 😂😂 And what's wrong with the comment anyways

[@Lynda-vq5yl]

Let; 's not forget Charles had a lonely childhood, through no fault of her own , Her Majesty had to put her duties before motherhood, who can forget the little boy at the train station shaking his mother's hand when she returned from a tour of six months? His mother loved him dearly but they were different times, Charles did his best to be a wonderful father to his children and was openly affectionate to them despite his own experiences as a child. It was all very formal in public when he was a child. He did his best I firmly believe that and some of William's qualities he learnt from his father.

[@maryireland4253]

I agree. King Charles did not become warm, playful, and nurturing when he became a grandfather. Watch him with Prince Louis on his lap at the Jubilee. His care and caring are part of him; they did not appear overnight, and children respond to authenticity. (Sorry for using a term MM has ruined for normal usage.)

[@kittyG-kq5ib]

@@maryireland4253 If you watch many clips of the King where children are present, he always has time for them chatting with them making them feel special, this is not new, The King has always been a kind and gentle man

[@Briardie]

That dog story is ABOMINABLE. I am disgusted at them all. How can anyone hate a dog or contemplate hurting one? Sick. Harry is just like his mother. Sick.

[@JayneDay-e7t]

It makes me feel sick!

[@AJA-ie5uu]

He always said he wanted to carry on his mother’s legacy - and he has, in all the very worst ways

[@lap8329]

Anyone who would be so cruel to a helpless little dog, or go along with someone else doing so is finished in my book. I will never think of Diana the same after this.

[@susiebower1778]

Putting a dog in an oven?!? Despicable.

[@MayYourGodGoWithYou]

@@susiebower1778 I knew she forced Charles to get rid of his pet dog and that she literally didn't like animals but had no idea about the oven. But thinking about it I could see it happening, and I could believe it of her brother as well for that matter, he is someone else with a serious something missing only he seems to prefer ill-treating [politely put] women and daughters rather than animals. But then animals can't answer back or defend themselves which might be why Diana picked on them. Some people just have a kink in their personalities and that family [Spencer] have more than most.

[@optimisticgal]

On a serious note, Ken must have been devastated when she was killed, having spent so much time with the family, and knowing he would put his life on the line for her. Poor man. He was no longer able to protect her. She made her own decisions,. sadly.

[@BuntyMcB]

I’m not surprised to hear about the flirtatious ironing in nothing more than a towel. She flirted with most men she met and slept with more than a few of them. I never fell for her doe eyed innocence.

[@estherkuan7683]

I was one of those who was never taken by the saintly Diana narrative. Instead of the media’s “shy Di”, I saw the “sly Di”.

[@KR-ev5lj]

Same here.

[@CarolFremel-my4hs]

Exactly

[@ritamarshall2644]

I’d agree with that! I never trusted her.

[@monicawarner4091]

Me too Esther! I always referred to her as "sly Di."

[@margerysealey8130]

Yes me top I could see right through her same as megrain I saw through her at the engagement interview

[@jm162]

That was fun! Looking forward to next Friday... Yes, it was a really big shame that Diana's behaviour was so poor that Ken had to resign - she was a lot of things tied up in complicated knots, some beautiful and good and some petulant, spoiled and nasty... Thankfully William has Catherine to help him know how to behave like a decent human and shame the other one doesn't have that stability and decency in his wife...

[@JaniMargaret]

She was a flawed human being as are we all. She should be left to rest in peace.

[@jm162]

@@JaniMargaretyes. The Diana industry, led by her second son, is quite disgusting.

[@monicawarner4091]

​​​​@@jm162 • I would call it a cult rather than an industry. Its followers refuse to accept that Diana was a human being like all of us, and the abuse one gets for daring to suggest that while she had an absolutely wonderful side, she wasn't perfect, is unbelievable. The comments from Diana supporters on channels posting really libellous and hateful videos about Queen Camilla are on a par with the Sussex Squad.

[@monicawarner4091]

​@@jm162 • I see it more as a cult rather than an industry. It's adherents refuse to accept that Diana wasn't a saint, and the abuse that anyone gets for suggesting that she had failings like all humans, can be as bad as anything the Sussex Squad come up with.

[@CarolFremel-my4hs]

Williams character owes much more to his father than his mother

[@realmms]

Diana was a 3D person, the media painted her as a hard pressed saint ignoring the fact that she was a complex individual. Just like regular people sometimes you are at you’re best and sometimes you’re at your worst.

[@hellpoint7534]

Exactly. The current trend of tearing her down is just as bad as making her a Saint.People are complex.

[@JaniMargaret]

@@hellpoint7534I’m afraid Harry has a lot to answer for. His constant dining out on her memory has tarnished her image, rather than add lustre.

[@starrynight1329]

She was the medias golden goose.

[@HelenLeach-q9v]

You need to read out the book, “The Real Diana”, by Lady Colin Campbell. Diana asked her to write it and helped her in certain spots. It will open your eyes completely to Diana. She really had a lot of problems, was not a very nice person, but a very, good actress and a mynx. It changed my opinion of Diana, forever.

[@ChelleDavidson-th5sl]

Another great book to review would be "The King and Di" by Howard Hodgson . Of all the Royal books I have read it details Diana's mental illness the best.

[@LeslieMacDonald-gg2kg]

I agree, I read that book and it was really eye-opening. But well balanced, I thought. Didn't make Diana either a horrible person or a saint. Lady C writes really awesome books.

[@kathybutterfield2760]

But I've had enough Diana.... this was a fun review.

[@AM-qp2wx]

@HelenLeach.....Diana asked Lady C to write, but Lady C declined because she wanted to write 'truths', and Diana wanted to control the content; Diana contributed nothing. (This fact is from Lady C herself on one of her podcasts)

[@HelenLeach-q9v]

@@kathybutterfield2760 Yes you are right. But Harry keeps using her as the saint everyone should look up to. And bloody Tina Brown, the Harry loving journalist, uses her “friendship” with Diana as her excuse. Diana used her as a friendly journalist to write her up favourably, that is all.

[@emman.8655]

Have never been taken by that demure sidelong (upward) glance... but the towel incident was totally beyond expectation😮

[@juliesuris8906]

The ironing story is a very domestic, intimate scene. I bet most of us wouldn’t iron only wearing a towel if someone other than our husband/lover is around.

[@Duchess-of-Camelot]

And in front of her young son.

[@Lynda-vq5yl]

@@Duchess-of-Camelot She was obviously flirting with the man in front of her son, it could have emotionally damaged a young son watching his mother do that.

[@emman.8655]

@@juliesuris8906So Ken Wharfe could've unwittingly revealed s'thing by mentioning this incident then?😮😮Shauna's right, he could've/should've excused himself upon seeing her in that state.

[@lloyannehurd]

Regarding the ironing incident, being seductive obviously served some purpose with Diana.

[@d.h.a.2700]

Yes. The towel story is absolutely astonishing. Hugely unprofessional. The Tigger story is also astonishing. My viewpoint of Diana is dropping.

[@LisKofod]

Very childish 😊

[@Lynda-vq5yl]

Very flirtatious of her, almost an exhibitionist, tempting men to see how far she could lead them on, then acting offended if they respond---I've seen other women do it more than once.

[@anndenovan9026]

@@Lynda-vq5yl Also a very dangerous position she put him in with his job. Makes you wonder what else poor William was witness to.

[@CarolFremel-my4hs]

I didn’t know she was cruel to animals - she made such a song and dance about fox hunting

[@purpurina5663]

Fantastic choice and recount, Shauna! Boy Diana was impossible (I always thought so), mentally ill actually; and it pains me how skewed and unfair the public perception of her and Charles is.

[@junecunningham9262]

Can you imagine staunch Charles having to cope with so much damage. He would have been well out of his depth.

[@PriscillaLanza-h3b]

Yes, you are right, but it is difficult to manage the reputation of a ghost.

[@user6c7mxkmg]

The cook dared put the dog in the oven bc he felt backed up by Diana. What a horrible bunch

[@jackieporter5323]

The story I heard was that it was Diana who out Tigger in the oven…what chef would risk that ? How did he think Diana or Ken would react to that?…..I think it was Diana, she was very mean.

[@fwgre9654]

Charles was a saint to put up with her in the first place. He was bullied at school and by his father and it must have been hell to live with Diana. When she deliberately pushed her stepmother down the stairs that was it for me. The dog story is just the icing on the cake.

[@elizabethmadron1336]

Anyone that are cruel to animals are on my shyte list.

[@JoanMorrison-vq2jc]

When the Countess Raine went flying down a flight of stairs in Althorp ( thanks to Diana's shove) the queen and the royal family were very careful to cover these types of events. Dumb Diana didn't notice it but she really had a friend in QE - didn't she?

[@monicawarner4091]

​@@JoanMorrison-vq2jc • She certainly did. I don't think she ever realised just how much "that bloody family" had done to hide her many "indiscretions" from the public.

[@KN-qc6nl]

That was an amazing read by you! Well done Shauna! I truly enjoyed it! And, I agree, animal abuse is not ok. Putting the dog in a warm oven is beyond cruel and there should have been consequences for it.

[@lilianbirt7235]

That dog story is horrific!!!!!!!!

[@shawnawana235]

Diana loved for all men to want her, I was not too shocked at what Ken Wharf said about the towel and Diana. I got the impression after reading all I have on Diana that she was one of those women who had to have the attention of every man she came into contact with, the type to flirt with her friends husband's. Just my take.

[@sue8344]

I think it was a desperate need to feel loved . Her parents divorced when she was still a child and felt abandoned by both . She married a man who could not divorce her ( at the time it was unthinkable for the future monarch) but he married her out of the need to produce heirs . She knew of his feelings for Camilla and felt abandoned again.

[@mezzamuddle]

I agree.

[@deeshires8721]

I think there was definitely an intimate relationship going on and that was the reason he left not because she wouldn’t let him do his job. He was very unprofessional.

[@junecunningham9262]

Now we see how Harry sees his wife in his mother.

[@monicawarner4091]

​@@sue8344 • Friends of Diana from her pre-marriage days have said that she wasn't in love with Charles, but with the idea of being Princess of Wales. Charles had admitted, before the wedding, that he still had feelings for Camilla, and offered to take the blame if she wanted to back out of the engagement. She went ahead with the marriage.

[@cherylmundy6354]

I am with you Shauna, the fact Diana did not immediately take the dog out of the oven, is appalling. And, the flirting with her security guard in front of her son, William really gives some unwelcome insight into Diana’s unhealthy mental state. Gives me more respect for Williams choices and how he has conducted himself over the years. Family dynamics is very interesting. However, it does go to character how one handles it in maturity. Love your book reviews.

[@thevintageread]

Or stop him putting the dog in there! For me that would have been that chefs last day.

[@cornelia9778]

Barbara Barnes was totally right. Bringing Harry up with false expectations was the basis for all the uproar.

[@erineddy7999]

I believe that the expectation of being co-crown prince, one day co-king, is exactly why Harry is pitching such a fit now. Feeding this idea to his wife is, in my opinion, the reason that the two of them were never going to fit in with the royal family. Harry’s delusion was fed to him from early childhood. His wife bought into it. The two of them are going to find it hard to be happy in that delusion. IMO.

[@SH29824]

I am shocked by the towel ironing story - SHE was hitting on him clearly in my opinion

[@tanianaldrett9156]

So attention seeking as always.

[@user-me7by2jc3d]

Diana, too, was always breaking down in tears...

[@CarolFremel-my4hs]

And flinging herself down stairs while pregnant - I wonder if Harry realizes how little his mother really thought of him

[@karenturner7184]

From the start I thought Diana was mentally affected and her younger child followed her.

[@deeshires8721]

Harry does seem to be very like his mother emotionally. Makes one wonder about what goes on in his private life.

[@shannonshaffer5598]

Of all of the videos you make, the books are my favorite! Many like this one, I read at the time they came out and are still be on my bookshelf. It is a joy to think back on them as your review the books. Thank you!

[@taylorteam2901]

Well now ... 😳 Do you suppose the Markles in California have read this book 🤔 Mmmm. So much for his litigation of MSM. He learnt from the best 😮 And Di's parenting skills were absolutely appalling. Not the first time we have heard that either 😖

[@JAlex-ld2lh]

Yep learned fro m the best. She was never the angel everyone saw

[@Penny-z9b]

@@JAlex-ld2lhnot quite everyone! Never cared for her myself.

[@monicawarner4091]

​@@Penny-z9b • Many people openly shared your opinion...right up until her untimely and tragic death, when she was beatified overnight! Anyone since then who has dared point out that she wasn't perfect, has been totally vilified, and a cult has formed around her memory.

[@katiehill619]

I'm delighted to see this review - there are so many books on the royal family out there, I really enjoy getting a sense of the books you cover. Diana was a very damaged soul, unfortunately. I've seen Ken Wharfe speak about the circumstances around Diana's death and how avoidable it all was. He has a lot of integrity, so this was really interesting to hear more.

[@lilianbirt7235]

I love your voice and listening to you read is a pleasure. When I heard your selected excerpts from the bodyguard’s book, I was not super surprised because we have known for years that Princess Diana had mental health issues. Her bulimia was probably an umbrella for other behaviours connected to mental health problems. So I am not shocked when I hear the ironing of the shirt scene. Diana had many men in her life during her marriage. She liked the attention and validation from men. Her decision making was impulsive and self-centred. Her death was a culmination of all her issues: the need for male companionship; the adrenaline seeking cat and mouse game with the paparazzi when she was with the Fayeds; the vindictive choice to go on holiday with the Fayeds when she knew how they were viewed by the Royal Family; the restless and maniac time with Dodi; and her terrible decision to not put on her seatbelt that fateful night. Could she have been saved by Ken Wharfe that night? Perhaps. But I believe the trip to Paris on that August night was Diana finally sealing her destiny. It could not have been written better by any bard looking for a tragic tale to tell.

[@junemcrae8393]

You can see where Harry gets his nastiness from thank you for that Shauna ❤😂❤

[@leslieacoca5876]

Thank you - I love these readings! I always thought Diana was a classic borderline personality disorder (very serious mental health disorder.) She had few boundaries herself, yet insisted on perfection from others: if you got too close-she'd freeze you out- she would discard you if you crossed her and needed constant attention from literally everyone. She perfected the photo art of the "victim" all the while playing in the field of men.Thankfully for her she was young and beautiful which appeared to blind the public to her personal failures. I'm sure there was some genuine altruism in some of her charities; but many of her do-good photos look like publicity stunts to me.

[@heikefrank4909]

Publicity stunts? I like this... I always thought, she staged 'Beauty and the Beast'!

[@sue8344]

This sounds terrible but the best thing to happen to Diana was that she died young and in tragic circumstances . At the time of her death , her reputation with the public was deteriorating . The press wasn’t always on her side . I read that once when she went to the gym a photographer called her a ‘see you next Tuesday’ so he could get a picture of her being upset . The stories of her many boyfriends were coming out. Her death instantly elevated her to saint status and only the good side of her was remembered .

[@anndenovan9026]

That now is the problem, Harry mentions her so often and, as you say, some people talk as though she is a saint and get very upset when they are told otherwise and don't believe what she was really like. Poor Charles has been called some terrible names on line lately because they need someone to blame and they don't want the truth about her.

[@annieearle962]

And now her horrid son is “dining out” on her memory and not doing her any favours . This similarities are showing.

[@monicawarner4091]

​@@anndenovan9026 • There is a plethora of YTube channels which have appeared recently whose sole purpose is to post the most vile and libellous accusations against Camilla. The personal insults too are the very definition of "hate speech," on a par with anything the Sussex Squad spews.

[@dianelee2318]

Diana definitely should not have played that little ironing scene in front of William....that poor boy was often exposed to inappropriate scenes and information, far too early in his life. Lucky little Harry was "spared" much of that! I shared with my sister....love these!

[@annalizevermaak1594]

I'm with you Shauna, I used to love Diana... How my opinion of her changed over the decades... I'm the same age as Diana... Grew up with her.... The Tiger story is the last bit for me.... Now I understand her horrible second son a bit better! She was beautiful, but actually quite damaged and not by King Charles!

[@Lynda-vq5yl]

She was damaged way before her marriage to Charles, but she liked to play the wronged wife, she must have been a nightmare to live with, histrionic and unstable.

[@kittyG-kq5ib]

@@Lynda-vq5yl correct King Charles sadly was never going to have a happy marriage to Diana, she was too unstable and needy

[@monicawarner4091]

​@@kittyG-kq5ib • Diana would never have found what she was looking for in any of the men she had affairs with either. Sadly, she was far too needy.

[@kittyG-kq5ib]

@@monicawarner4091 sadly Monica I feel you are correct, she arrived into Charles life already damaged a young women who felt abandoned due to her parents divorce and also being sent off to boarding school, had she lived sad to say she may not have found her happy ever after

[@pinkroses8714]

The oven thing.......... Oh what a "passionate and loving person" old Di was. That was So Telling !!!!

[@Alexaklr]

As a person who never wants others to see her naked, I can't imagine ironing in a towel - with an audience! After all, towels can be slippery little devils and pop off at the slightest movement. The story about the poor dog is beyond forgivable. It's CRUELTY. I remember all the nasty performances Diana displayed when she was with Charles - on Royal Tours! She publicly presented herself as the most miserable human being on Earth which I found unacceptable. She was not one to keep her private life private. And we wonder why Harry is the monster he is! He learned from Mummy. IF Harry has any kids, they'd probably be just like their father and grandmother - sheltered little brats angry at the world. I'm so done with that family line. Thank God for William, his wife & children.

[@blr4076]

As the old grand ma would sa “shameless hussey”.

[@angelabinns5726]

❤That was wonderful but oh boy! I had never heard the shirtless one. 😮 She certainly had body confidence, wouldn't you say 😊❤

[@thevintageread]

Yes, that was a new one for me, too!

[@kathybutterfield2760]

Gosh tho, in front of her young son??? 😮

[@kathybutterfield2760]

Thank you Shauna! Very enjoyable. Eye opening too!

[@VL-qy4fc]

The mother of a friend of mine taught as West Heath, Diana's school. The general consensus in the staff room when the news of Diana's relationship with Prince Charles broke was that it was just a fling, Diana was known to be "difficult"

[@ClaireBaxter]

Yes, I'm hearing things I've never heard before. The Tigger story, which is abhorrent, and the towel tale - completely agree with your thoughts about that!

[@adneenmourin7359]

Thoroughly enjoy your book reviews, Shauna. Don't worry about the views. People nowadays don't value books. Their loss

[@LeslieMacDonald-gg2kg]

Horrible story about poor Tigger. Diana didn't like dogs and, at some point, she made Charles get rid of either Tigger or another dog that Charles loved; I'm not sure which one. To me, this was a huge sign that Charles did whatever he could to make things work. I wouldn't get rid of a dog for anyone and no one who knows me would dare ask me to. I acknowledge that Diana did a lot of great things in her life, but I always felt she had significant mental issues (maybe because of her childhood) and that Harry inherited them, either by being raised by her or by inheriting the genes from her. I agree that William was lucky to find Catherine and her family when he was young enough that they could change his life for the better, and I believe they did. What a great story, today! Thank you! ♥

[@krishnavyas313]

The golden Labrador 🐕 named Harvey who was in the photos with charles and Diana at Balmoral castle before they were married. Harvey wasn't just his pet but he was his emotional support dog after death of his honorary grandfather lord mountbatten and charles God son Nicolas who was also grand son of lord mountbatten. Charles was more close to lord mountbatten and Queen mother than his parents Diana admitted that she was very much jealous of Harvey and wanted to get rid of it. when she was pregnant with Harry, she told charles she couldn't stand Harvey's smell because of her pregnancy and she felt she has developed Dog allergy and that's why charles gave up Harvey. He was very heartbroken. I think he finds out that Diana's dog allergy is bs and they he brought two more dog Tigger 🐕 and Roo🐕 Diana despises them with passion. In one of their Christmas card photo, both children are on charles's lap and Tigger 🐕 is on Diana's lap.

[@LeslieMacDonald-gg2kg]

@@krishnavyas313 Thank you, I think. haha I hate knowing this. I don't trust people who hate dogs unless it's because they had a scary experience with one. Luckily for Charles, Camilla loves dogs at least as much as he does.

[@krishnavyas313]

@@LeslieMacDonald-gg2kg Diana hated everything charles that loved except their children.

[@gwendolineknox784]

@@krishnavyas313 There are NO 'golden labradors! It is either a Golden Retriever OR a Yellow Labrador.

[@elizabethmadron1336]

Who the hell gets jealous of a dog? I do not trust people that hate dogs.

[@ChristinaBacon-j2m]

Thank you Shauna I do enjoy your analysis of the books you review. Diana definitely needed some medical intervention. Her marriage to Charles was not the fairy tale she envisaged but her actions make it clear that everything she did was not as wonderful as we all had thought. The shirt incident was gobsmacking but Diana's treatment of her staff was almost on a par with how That Woman H married behaved. Spoiled brat are the words which come to mind for both these women. Like many of my generation I thought that Charles was too cavalier in his behaviour towards her but now one can see how dumbfounded he was and unable to cope. Thank goodness William inherited the best of his parents and none of their faults. Choosing Catherine was a wonderfully sensible thing to do and she has given him and their children such a stable and loving family life. Unfortunately H has inherited the worst traits.

[@jacquibrown4271]

I’ve worked Royal visits with most of the Royals, Diana included. Princess Anne and QE11 were the best and most professional. Diana moaned about having to do it behind the scenes. Charles was always great fun.

[@gwendolineknox784]

Thanks for that insight. I think Charles has been the most maligned royal in recent times. He is kind underneath.

[@jacquibrown4271]

@ I think he’s very misunderstood.

[@NancyDVI]

Wow, Harry really did marry his mother!

[@waipocock5767]

Diana was asked once why she did Charity work, her answer, what else is there to do. Shows her real feelings.

[@elizabethmadron1336]

I have since found out since Diana died that she got Fridays and Mondays off. Sounds like someone we all know. Besides being Borderline, I think Diana was a Covert Narcissist IMO. The charity work was being used to make her look good.

[@jeanh8141]

I think Meghan is more like Diana than we sometimes suspect....she had a great reputation in public but was not that nice of a person behind the scenes.

[@elizabethmadron1336]

Diana also had bulimia!

[@CarolFremel-my4hs]

Diana however was much more naturally beautiful and no so vulgar

[@monicawarner4091]

​@@CarolFremel-my4hs • Diana also had a good side.

[@chrissierichards6802]

I can see where meghan has got her behaviour from. Ken should have left the room and for William to be there too. What else does William know xx

[@Sally-nse2]

Alot more than his brother.

[@monicawarner4091]

Diana used teenage William as a confidante about her many affairs. He was her emotional crutch, trying to console her when her lovers broke off the affairs, which they always ended up doing. No-one could cope with her neediness. It's not at all surprising that he took his time to get to know Catherine really well before asking her to marry him.

[@Kari_B61ex]

I knew about her close friendship with Richard Kay, she was photographed getting into his car a few times, all very furtive. I didn't like the way she pursued Will Carling - they were romantically linked by the press and she didn't do anything to squash the rumours. He was married at the time and it must have been horrible for his wife. He later wrote a book and firmly denied there was any relationship between them. She appeared to crave attention even at the cost of others.

[@Lynda-vq5yl]

Her popularity went to her head as it does a lot of people

[@gwendolineknox784]

She actually stalked at poor Surgeon at night at the hospital where he worked. No wonder his family intervened..

[@Kari_B61ex]

@@gwendolineknox784 Yes, that was Hasnat Khan.

[@annieearle962]

Richard Kay is a sugar…..constantly backing the Harkles….there’s something there. On Palace Confidential he is such a Harkle sycophant and almost sounds anti royal. Unpleasant.

[@Kari_B61ex]

@@annieearle962 I don't watch it when he's on the panel.

[@avissmith8384]

Love the snippets of this book. God Diana was a bit of a hussy! Much of the story line does not shock me but I do find it sad their was so much alienation. Thanks Shauna❤

[@NancyDVI]

Poor Tigger! I've totally lost respect for Diana! Anyone that is not kind to animals shows their true personality !

[@KR-ev5lj]

Thank you for this another brilliant book review.🥰 I was never team Diana & felt that Camilla was a much better fit for Charles. Intelligent, loving books, animals & outdoors. I'm appalled by Diana being complicit to animal cruelty. Poor Tigger.

[@suekay5782]

These book reviews are sooo good, you find the most interesting bits Shauna nd you share your excitement and enthusiasm, it's contagious You also remember correlating (or not) stories from other sources :)

[@thevintageread]

Glad you like them!

[@barbarakessler4787]

Shauna, sorry to hear your book reads are not getting many ratings. I love your readings as, like reading a book, they are a few minutes escaping from social media harsh realities of current situations! I hope the readings don’t stop! Much appreciation for your effort and talents! From Washington State in America!

[@ErinAbou]

I’m in Washington too! 😂❤

[@belindabutler6294]

So Diana markled lots of people including Ken Wharf. Seems Harry really did marry his mother.

[@JAlex-ld2lh]

Scary

[@MarionFeltham]

Lots of similarities - all so sad isn’t it.

[@JaniMargaret]

Except Harry is just as manipulative as his mother and now (as I just found out from the dog incident) it seems he inherited his cruel streak from her as well. Markle is no saint but Harry is no victim

[@JAlex-ld2lh]

@@JaniMargaret Markle is no saint but Harry is no victim --> a great synopsis

[@julieross652]

No excuses,animal welfare comes FIRST.

[@GinWren]

Love your book reviews so much. Please keep them coming!

[@Djs-dja]

Your book readings are my favorite!!

[@Liz.M1460]

I'm enjoying these book videos very much indeed

[@Emmajaymusic]

I agree Shauna! Why did he not simply excuse himself and leave the room- regardless of any protestations.

[@hellpoint7534]

I doubt it happened 😉

[@Lynda-vq5yl]

SHE ought to have had more decorum than to stand wrapped in just a towel in front of a man, but he should have asked to be excused.

[@nancytrowbridge3085]

@@Lynda-vq5yl Didn't she have a robe to wear.

[@DeedraBoyer]

I love all your shows but really enjoy your book readings❤️

[@Wildflowers516]

I was one of the people who at first really felt for Diana thinking then PC was so wrong …. But as years passed and more stories appeared ~ she definitely had her handful of not so nice things … I do think Charles realized the press war certainly wasn’t helpful to either of them , I’m sure it’s sad for KC to see Harry trying the same bs (kudos to KC for not getting sucked in again ) ! Thank you Shauna 😊

[@nancyjay790]

In my mind, Princess Catherine is what many hoped Diana was: beautiful, completely devoted to her husband, with grace and poise, and able to gently assist the Royal Family to move from more old fashioned manners and attitudes to move forward with the times while entirely respecting the heritage and responsibility that the Royals assumed over the many years.

[@kathleenburkinshawauthor]

Am flabbergasted about the towel ironing story! 😮😊Thank you so much for sharing these!! 🥰

[@monicawarner4091]

@kathleenburkinshaw • The towel ironing story made me remember reading in Lady C's book, "The Real Diana," that before Charles came along, Diana often spent weekends with boyfriends, at their home, where she used to love doing their laundry for them. 🤔

[@krisy-in-italy]

Oh my oh my, I’m at a loss for words. Absolutely scathing remarks and one must believe they are true. Diana’s crown is a little more tarnished now in my eyes and after the Housekeepers Diary I didn’t think it could get worse. I do think that it’s good to have the “real” Diana shown warts and all. Poor Ken he must have been devastated upon hearing of her death.

[@susanturnbull8180]

Love all your book chats Shauna ! Hellos from the east coast of 🇨🇦

[@thomasinavolkman4456]

While William and Catherine have talked about their pets like their 1st dog Lupo, I have never heard of Diana and Harry having any pets. We know the late Queen loved animals and Kind C and Camilla.

[@beverleightodd5710]

Thr problem with her staff has a background in the Bashir interview, he hed to her paranoid beliefs that people were passing on stories when in actuality she was the one tipping off Richard Kay.

[@sandstorm29]

I love the book readings and don’t understand why they are not being watched. They are so interesting and full of little known details. They draw a vivid picture into the day to day lives that were not reported in the media. You have a very engaging delivery of the selected passages so it is really baffles me that your viewership is low. Please don’t be discouraged Shauna. Maybe it’s just the time of year and everyone is spread thin on time. I’ve been having to work so much overtime I myself have been missing out on a few of my favorites. Please keep the books coming as they are definitely something I look forward to taking the time to sit with my cup of tea and enjoy the story. Love from me and Petunia in Tennessee. 💙🩵💜

[@jameydupuy9280]

I had a boss once that acted, with each of us, the way P. Diana did with her staff. We would each come in new, and she was sweet and great. Over time, she would start looking for anything- real or made up- to get angry about. She always had to have one person "in her sights" to be upset about and bully. I felt that the only reason she was so nice to us was that, while she was being petty and mean to another person, she could say, "see how nice I am? It's not me it's her....". It was like her niceness was just a foil to make her meaness even more cruel. We often thought her meaness was her true form, while her niceness was just an act she could never keep up. Eventually, we all fell in her sights to be a target of her anger. She had many mental instabilities. My last day was when she went into a rage smashing up the office, ran across the busy road and we found her yelling while rolling and clawing at the grass under a large tree. We had to call an ambulance and her husband. I was never so happy to leave my resignation letter on her desk, empty my desk out, and never go back. Any time any of us tried to leave, she emotionally manipulated us, made false promises, and just made it impossible for anyone to leave professionally with a two weeks notice. If you were able to give a two weeks notice and try to work it out, she would make your life hell by yelling and public humiliation. To this day, it was by far the worst job I ever had! I imagine, I was not the only person who left my resignation on her desk that day. I even gave up 4 days paycheck to never have to see that woman again. No, she did not mail it. I never thought she would.

[@WendyTomlinson-v8v]

A friend recommended I watch your podcast and I am so glad I did. To be honest I am shocked by Diana’s behaviour as I had no idea she could be so promiscuous. I have started to change my opinion of her and feel rather sad for the then Prince Charles. Thank you.

[@kathybutterfield2760]

Isn't this called a utube channel, not a podcast? Shauna has a podcast too, I believe.

[@Polopony]

Yes. It slightly makes you wonder if she really was so 'tidy' when she married Charles...

[@WendyTomlinson-v8v]

@ yes, my bad !

[@corriepitt7630]

This is a wonderful series, in which the books are discussed in an engaging, insightful, and thoughtful way. A delight every Friday! Shauna, I am distressed at the story about that poor dog. And haunted by the thought that Harry just may have broken that poor little puppy’s front legs all those years later. I have lost all sympathy for that heartless woman. I hope all of that malice flowed away from William as it surged into Harry. Thanks so much for this Vintage Read!

[@laurieboyles474]

So many echoes of that behavior in her youngest son. It's sad, really,he has done her memory no favors. He has sparked interest in Diana, a desire to know what she was genuinely like.He should have left her to rest in peace.

[@l.h.2543]

Years before Charles got married, he gave an interview where he said he felt the secret to marital happiness was having common interests and hobbies with one’s spouse. Shortly before dating Diana, Charles broke up with a girlfriend after it became obvious that the gf was bored still at Balmoral. Diana pretended to adore Balmoral and portrayed herself as a “country girl.” Charles was completely hood winked.

[@monicawarner4091]

She did indeed. She pretended to share all his interests...until after the wedding when she admitted that she couldn't stand Balmoral either.

[@nalayini1504]

I like how Ken Wharfe says, 'I had the care of her for 16 years'..when he could have said 'I was assigned to her'...he obviously really did care ❤ You're so right Shauna, it's truly Ken's voice that comes through ❤ As for that juicy story with the ironing and Diana in a towel omG - SCANDALOUS!!! 😂 But Diana seems a bit of a flirt I think she craved admiration.

[@jackiereid1310]

Hmmmm, a whole other side of Diana indeed. Perhaps she and Meghan may have more in common than any of us thought! It certainly explains Harry's attraction to her!

[@foretfleur]

Oh I nearly switched off about the dog, that is so cruel, they sound such horrible people.. I am an absolute whoosh when it comes to animals, I've had to turn off films if the animal in that is hurt, I can't watch any of those docu series and adverts about animals suffering as it gives me nightmares!

[@purpurina5663]

Me too! I could never watch westerns where horses went down, or famished donkeys drawing carts... I can't go on. Still, I don't consider myself an "animal lover" in the modern sense where dogs are put in handbags. They are, as St Francis said, our younger brothers (our older brothers I should think), and deserve care and respect. I hope all three involved got their just desserts somehow.

[@theheartoftexas]

I do find this shocking! I haven’t read this one, but after reading “The Housekeeper’s Diary “ and “Shadows of a Princess”, this book fits in to help see the whole picture of Diana. The image we all had of Diana was completely created. Both her staff and the UK press created the “People’s Princess”. We all truly believed the story of Diana from her meeting the POW to her death, and it was mostly, untrue. I think that’s what causes the shock. If you read all these things about someone you had never heard of, you would think oh well, just another spoiled, mentally unwell, aristocrat. But when you have to put the reality of Diana together with the myth, it’s almost unbelievable! Almost. Those of us who lived through those years with her, I think, if we’re being honest, suspected an underlying darkness. As always, well done Shauna! Can’t wait for the next one! ❤

[@monicawarner4091]

@theheartoftexas • We didn't ALL fall for the fabricated image of St Diana. From before the engagement announcement I thought of her as "Sly Di," rather than "Shy Di." There was just something about her that seemed so fake to me, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I soon realised that she tended to promote herself rather than the charity or good cause that she was supposed to be drawing attention to. Prince Charles mentioned this to her once, and she claimed that he was jealous because she was getting all the attention from the Press. She obviously told her Fleet St contacts, because they ran with that story afterwards.