Diana: Her True Story caused controversy when it was released and again after Diana’s death in 1997 (Picture: Getty)
Prince Harry’s autobiography sent shockwaves across the world as Spare lifted the lid on his experiences within the Royal Family.
But like mother, like son as Princess Diana was heavily involved in her own book which caused massive controversy.
Diana: Her True Story was released 32 years ago today on June 16, 1992. Written by Andrew Morton, the book claims Diana had attempted suicide several times and discusses her eating disorder and the relationship breakdown between herself and then-Prince Charles.
At the time it was released Mr Morton claimed he used reliable sources to write the book, including Diana’s friends and family, and Buckingham Palace said Diana had not been involved in any way.
But after Princess Diana’s tragic death in 1997, Mr Morton admitted that he had in fact worked closely with her to write the book.
They never met in person to maintain plausible deniability on Diana’s part: Mr Morton would send her a list of written questions via a go-between, Diana’s friend James Colthurst, and she would record her answers on tapes and send them back to him.
At first Buckingham Palace denied Diana had any involvement in the book (Picture: Jayne Fincher/Getty Images)
Charles and Diana divorced within a year of the book being published (Picture: Tim Graham/Getty Images)
His reveal was unsurprisingly met with disbelief, so in response he published parts of the tapes and their transcripts to prove Diana’s involvement.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams described the publication of Diana: Her True Story as ‘extraordinary for its time’, adding that Buckingham Palace were never sure just how closely Diana cooperated with it until after her untimely death.
He told Metro.co.uk: ‘Her support for its contents had been demonstrated almost immediately when she had arranged to be photographed outside the home of a former flat mate quoted in the book.
‘Press reaction was partly on class lines with royal apologists, especially in the Tory press, lining up to attack Morton.
Some of the most shocking revelations in Diana: Her True Story and from the secret tapes released after her death
The book alleges that Princess Diana tried to kill herself up to five times during the 1980s, with the first in 1982 and the last attempt in 1986.
Diana admitted that she was suffering with bulimia while on honeymoon with Charles, and claimed it began when he told her she was ‘a bit chubby’.
She also admitted her deep jealousy of Camilla – at the time she and Charles were thought of as close friends, but it later came out that they had carried our three affairs while Charles and Diana were still married. She says she tried to discuss the affair with both Charles and Queen Elizabeth, but was met with a ‘wall’ of silence.
In the tapes she said: ‘We were opening our diaries to discuss various things; out comes two pictures of Camilla. And on our honeymoon we have our …read more
Source:: Metro
