Princess Diana interview bbc 1995. Interview with Princess Diana on BBC

For example, letters that Charles wrote to his wife were recently discovered American President Nancy Reagan - in them he described the difficult relationship with his wife. This time, the world is discussing secret audio recordings in which Diana admitted that a few weeks after the wedding she wanted to commit suicide.

The audio recordings were made public by writer Andrew Morton, author of the book “Diana. Her true story“- and although the book really became sensational in its time, it turned out that this was not all the details from the life of the princess, so the manuscript was republished with new details. Diana made audio recordings on tape and shared her most intimate things, and later handed them over to Andrew with a request to keep everything secret until the right moment came.

“We got married on Wednesday. And on Monday (July 27, 1981) we headed to St. Paul for our final ceremony rehearsal. And when there were more camera flashes, I realized what a day it would be. I cried my eyes out. I was completely crushed. Throughout the engagement, Camilla's shadow appeared. I desperately tried to understand the situation, but I had no reason to do so, and I could not talk to anyone,” the princess shared, recalling how she was afraid that Charles’ mistress Camilla Parker-Bowles would ruin their marriage.

“I remember how tired my husband was. We're both tired. “It was a big day,” Diana added and also said that on the eve of the wedding, Charles sent her a card in which he wrote that he was proud of her.

“When I walked to the altar, I looked for her (Camilla) with my eyes. I remember being so in love with my husband that I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I thought that I was the happiest girl in the world,” said the princess.

Diana also shared that during the preparation for the ceremony and after, she suffered seriously from bulimia and was completely obsessed with Camilla, not trusting Charles. “I thought he was calling her every five minutes and asking her how to cope with this marriage,” she says.

From August to October 1981, she and her husband remained at Balmoral - during this time the princess fell into a period of depression. “I was terribly thin. I was so depressed that I tried to take my own life.”

Because of this condition, the princess had a very difficult time with her first pregnancy, and doctors even advised her to have an abortion, but Diana refused, although after the birth of William she emotional condition worsened. “When the Queen first saw William, looking into the incubator, she said: it’s good that he doesn’t have ears like his father,” Diana added.

BBC: Your Royal Highness, were you prepared for the pressure when you entered royal family?

Diana: When you are 19 years old, you always seem to be ready for anything and imagining your future. At first I felt out of place, but I always felt the support of my husband.

Air Force: What did you expect from family life?

Diana: I believe that everyone in a marriage, especially if you have divorced parents, wants to succeed. And don’t fit the mold of what you saw in your family. I was desperate for this, I desperately loved my husband and wanted us to share everything together, I thought we were a great team.

Air Force: How did you feel everything that was happening to you? After you have become a princess with the prospect of taking the queen's throne.

Diana: I was not discouraged by this, I was never deterred by responsibility. Naturally, it was and remains a difficult task to hold such a post. As for becoming a queen, for me it was not an end in itself when I got married.

The most unexpected thing What happened to me was the attention from the media. We were warned that the engagement would cause a stir among journalists who might sneak up unnoticed, and it did. Then they focused their attention on me, and I began to appear alone on the front pages of newspapers every day.

Air Force: How do you explain that Lady Diana Spencer has become the most photographed, most talked about woman in the world?

Diana: I had to for a long time track what causes people's interest in my personality. I assumed that this could be because my husband had done a lot of work preparing for the wedding and the relationship. But over time, you realize that you yourself become a product, and people make good money from you.

Air Force: According to the press, it was very difficult for you to cope with your responsibilities. Were you worried?

Diana: Yes, sure. Then there was a situation that could not have happened before, it felt like the media was everywhere. It was something like a circus in which everyone wanted to take part. It was a situation where you can't feel sorry for yourself: you either sink or swim. You learn this very quickly.

Air Force: And what did you do?

Diana: I swam. We went to Alice's Spring in Australia. And when we arrived, we went for a walk, and I asked my husband a question: “What should I do now?” He replied: “Go to the other side and talk to them.” I said, "I can't, I can't." He said, “You must do this,” and went off to do his duty. I followed and also fulfilled my duty. I began to understand everything. We did a six-week tour: four weeks in Australia and two in New Zealand. At the end, when we returned, I became a completely different person. I felt a sense of duty, interest and understood my role, which I still perform.

Air Force: Were you suppressed by people in the very beginning?

Diana: Yes. I was very much intimidated by such interest, I was a plump, round-faced 20-21 year old girl, and I could not understand what caused such interest.

Air Force: Can you say that on initial stages Were you happily married?

Diana: Very happy. But the pressure from journalists was phenomenal. For example, when we were traveling around Australia, they could hear her: oh, they didn't bypass her. If you were a proud man like my husband, how would you feel hearing this every day for four weeks? You would feel depressed instead of happy.

Air Force: When you say “didn’t bypass it,” what do you mean?

Diana: They didn't let me pass.

Air Force: That is, they preferred you over your husband?

Diana: Yes. I felt uncomfortable about this, it seemed dishonest to me, because I wanted to share everything equally in our lives.

Air Force: Aren't you flattered that the media pays increased attention to you?

Diana:Increased attention was not flattering, because with this attention came envy and various difficult situations.

Air Force: What did you initially see as Princess Diana's role? Did you have any ideas about what she should do?

Diana: No, I was very embarrassed to appear on that stage. But over time, I began to immerse myself more and more in the problems of people rejected by society - drug addicts, alcoholics, the oppressed. And in them I found something close to me. I was amazed by their sincerity during our communication. In hospices, for example, people are more open and vulnerable, they are more natural than others. I really appreciated it.

Air Force: Did the palace help you understand what your role is?

Diana: No. No one sat me down and gave me a piece of paper and said, “This is what is expected of you in the future.” But I was happy that I managed to find my place, I felt it and loved being with people.

Air Force: Have you created the role you wanted to create? What did you do for this?

Diana: I remember sitting on hospital beds and holding people's hands. And people were in some shock because they had not seen this before. Although for me it was a completely normal thing. I dreamed that people would find solace in these actions, and I decided to do it.

Air Force: You became pregnant a short time after the wedding. What was your reaction when you found out you were expecting a boy?

Diana: A huge relief. I felt that he would work with me. A huge relief. When I was pregnant, the scanner showed it was going to be a boy.

Air Force: Have you always wanted to have a family?

Diana: I came from a family where there were four of us. We were incredibly happy. And now William and Harry are just happiness for me, although it is harder than having two girls, because a different approach to raising them is required. But I decided: let their future be what it will be.

Air Force: How did the royal family react when they found out it was going to be a boy?

Diana: Everyone felt awe to some extent. For me, the pregnancy was quite difficult, but when William was born, it was a huge relief, peace reigned. I was healthy and happy. But then came postpartum depression, which was discussed many times. It was a difficult time. You wake up in the morning and realize that you don’t want to get up, you don’t feel understood, you cry to yourself.

Air Force: Was this not typical of your character?

Diana: Yes , Certainly. I have never been depressed in my life. When I then analyzed what changes had occurred in the last year, this picture stood before my eyes, and my body said: “We want rest.”

Air Force: What did you want?

Diana: I wanted a lot, I understood that I needed space and time to adapt to the new conditions that arose on my way. I knew I could cope, if only people would be more tolerant of me and give me time.

Air Force: When you talk about new conditions that have appeared on your path, what do you mean?

Diana: It was a short period of time. The time in which my life completely changed, when everything turned upside down, was a wonderful moment, but also a moment of change. And I saw where there were rough edges and how to smooth them out.

Air Force: How did your family react to your postpartum depression?

Diana: I may have been the first member of this family to be depressed and cry openly. And it was obviously discouraging, because if you haven't seen it before, how can you react to it?

Air Force: How has depression affected you? life together?

Diana: This allowed everyone to talk about me as an unstable and unbalanced person. Unfortunately, this has been discussed off and on for several years.

BBC: According to reporters' statements, it is believed that life became so difficult that you injured yourself?

Diana: When no one listens to you or you feel like no one is listening to you, anything can happen. You hurt yourself on the outside because you want help, but you realize you're not getting what you need. People greedily devour and count all this, but if you appear in the press, it means you have enough attention. But I didn't cry out for help because I wanted to be better, to move forward, to fulfill my responsibilities as a wife, mother and princess of Great Britain. So I was stabbing myself. I didn't like myself, I was ashamed because I couldn't handle the pressure.

Air Force: What did you usually do?

Diana: I injured my arms and legs. Now I work in an environment where I see women with similar problems and understand what they are causing.

Air Force: What was your husband's reaction to your actions?

Diana: I've never done this in front of him. But it is obvious that the one who loves wants to care.

Air Force: Do you think he understood what was behind it?

Diana: No. Not all people had time to see it.

Air Force: Can you say that you were unwell, or is this natural for a princess?

Diana: I was in my role. I was obliged to get out of this state and fulfill my obligations - not to leave people in trouble, to support and love them. And people supported me in return, although they didn’t realize how much they were helping me.

Air Force: Did you feel that you were maintaining the image of the successful Princess of Wales?

Diana: Yes, sure.

Air Force: The depression was severe, judging by your words. Later it became known about your illness - bulimia nervosa. This is true?

Diana: Yes, I suffered from bulimia for several years. It was a hidden disease. You hit yourself because your self-esteem is low and you don't feel valued or loved. You get indigestion four or five times a day, sometimes more, and it makes you feel uncomfortable. Then you get annoyed by your bloated belly, and everything continues in a vicious circle. This all really destroys you.

Air Force: How often did this happen?

Diana: Depends on the pressure. Coming home, you feel empty, because at that time you had to be with the dying, the sick, and those experiencing family troubles. And you realize that you can feel comfort when other people feel it. You come home and, out of habit, jump into the refrigerator. This is a symptom that accompanied me during my marriage. I asked for help, but gave the wrong signals. People thought bulimia was just a cover. They concluded: Diana is unbalanced.

Air Force: Instead of getting to the bottom of the reason.

Diana: Well, yes.

Air Force: What was the reason?

Diana: The reason was the situation that my husband and I did everything together, we did not want to disappoint the public, a lot of worries remained inside our house.

Air Force: Did you seek support from the royal family?

Diana: No. You know, when you have bulimia, you are very ashamed and hate yourself. People think you're trash. So you can't discuss it with people.

With bulimia your weight remains stable, while with anorexia you lose a lot of weight, so there was no evidence.

Air Force: When people assumed you were a waste, did anyone support you?

Diana: Yes, people. Many times.

Air Force: What did he say?

Diana: Something like: “I hope you become trash later.” This was also pressure in its own way. Of course, I would like to hold out.

Air Force: How long have you been sick?

Diana: For a long time. Now I'm free from this.

Air Force: Two or three years?

Diana: Mmm. I think a little more.

Air Force: According to newspaper reports, during this period you experienced difficulties in your personal life?

Diana: We were a newlywed couple, pressed by the media, who were fascinated by everything we did. No matter what clothes I wore, no matter what I said, no matter how my hair lay, the way we behaved became our work - all these little things tired us after a few years.

Air Force: How has public interest affected your marriage?

Diana: It was difficult, especially for a couple who do the same job: we drive the same car, shake hands. It's hard for a couple, especially if all the attention is on you. We tried to fight it, but it was unbearable. My husband decided that we needed to share our responsibilities. It was very sad because I loved the company enough.

Air Force: That is, it was not your request to do everything yourself?

Diana: Not at all.

Air Force: Jonathan Dimbleby's biography of the Prince of Wales, which, as you know, was published last year, suggested that you and your husband had very different worldviews, different interests. Do you agree with this?

Diana: No. I believe that we had a lot in common: we both loved people, our country, children, worked in a cancer clinic, in hospices. But I was portrayed by the media, if I remember correctly, as stupid. I once made the mistake of telling my child that I was dumb as a log. And all the newspaper headlines globe were full of this phrase. I regret that I said that.

Air Force: The prince is described in the biography as a great thinker, a man with varied interests. What does he think about your interests?

Diana: I don't think I was allowed to have them. I was always the 18 year old girl he got engaged to, I had no growth spurts. But, fortunately, I grew up.

Air Force: Explain what you mean when you say that.

Diana: Well... "

Air Force: When do you say that you have never had tremors?

Diana: When I succeeded in something, no one said: “well done” or “everything is fine?” But when there was a stumble, and this happened because these conditions were unusual for me, a ton of bricks fell on me.

Air Force: How did you deal with this?

Diana: It is clear that there were a lot of tears, a descent into bulimia, and escape.

Air Force: Some people find that you were so lonely that you could not cope with your responsibilities, and the descriptions suggest that your relationship with your husband was not very good to begin with?

Diana: We were under special pressure, we tried to take cover, but nothing worked out for us.

Air Force: Around 1986, again going back to Jonathan Dimbleby's biography of your husband, he says that your husband resumed his relationship with Camilla Parker. Did you know about this?

Diana: Yes, I knew, but I couldn't do anything about it.

Air Force: What evidence did you have that his relationship with Camilla continued even after your marriage?

Diana: Female instinct is a good thing.

Air Force: That's all?

Diana: I just knew.

Air Force: From the staff?

Diana: From people who cared about our marriage.

Air Force: What impression did this make on you?

Diana: Devastation. The most violent bulimia imaginable, the feeling that everything is hopeless, worthless and a failure.

Air Force: And with a husband who was having a relationship with someone else?

Diana: Yes , and with a husband who loved another woman.

Air Force: Did you really think so?

Diana: I didn't think so, I knew it.

Air Force: How could you know?

Diana: My husband's behavior has changed. I relied more on instinct. It was terrible and getting more and more terrible.

Air Force: How was this reflected in practice?

Diana: People, I mean my husband's friends, presented me as unstable, sad and wanted to put me in a mental hospital so that I would feel better. I was completely confused.

Air Force: Do you think he really thought that way?

Diana: No better way to deprive personality rather than isolate it.

Air Force: Were you isolated?

Diana: Yes. Very much.

Air Force: Do you think that Miss Parker was the reason for the breakdown of your marriage?

Diana: There were three of us in our marriage, and that was too many.

Air Force: You actually lived separately, although materials about the happiness of the royal couple still appeared in the press. What were the relationships like in the royal family?

Diana: I think everyone was concerned about what was happening because they could see all the difficulties, but no one wanted to interfere.

Air Force: Do you allow the possible coexistence of two lives - public and personal?

Diana: No, because the media was very interested in our couple. When we traveled abroad, we took separate rooms, although on the same floor. But there was a leak, and this caused various complications. Charles and I had responsibilities, that was paramount to us.

Air Force: But do you feel like you have coped with these two lives?

Diana: We were a good team for the public. Despite the fact that this all affected our personal lives, we were a good team.

Air Force: Some people think that making peace would be quite difficult?

Diana: These are their problems. I know it's possible.

Air Force: The Queen described 1992 as a "low point" in her life, and Andrew Morton's book about You was published that year. Did you meet the author or personally help him write the book?

Diana: I've never met him.

Air Force: Did you contribute in any way to the writing of the book?

Diana: Many people saw how broken I was at that moment. And they understood that this would somehow help them achieve what they were striving for.

Air Force: Did you allow friends, your close friends, to communicate with Andrew Morton?

Diana: Yes, sure. Yes.

Air Force: Why?

Diana: I was at my limit. I was in despair. I strong personality and I know that the reasons for the difficulties lie in the world where I live.

Air Force: Could this book change anything?

Diana: I don't know. Perhaps people would understand better, perhaps it would help women suffering in a similar situation, who are unable to rise up because their self-esteem is broken in two. I don't know.

Air Force. What effect did this book have on your husband and the royal family?

Diana: I think they were shocked and very disappointed.

Air Force: Do you understand why?

Diana: I think this book was a shock and a disappointment to a lot of people.

Air Force: What impact did the book have on your relationship with the Prince of Wales?

Diana: It was hidden, or what we thought was hidden. Then it came out, discussions and pressure began. Are you staying together or are you going to break up? And words like separation and divorce were raised in the media every day.

Diana: We fought together. We fulfilled our obligations together. And in our personal lives, this caused obvious concerns.

Air Force: Did different thoughts come into your head?

Diana: Yes, slowly. My husband and I discussed this very calmly. We understood that society needed clarification of a situation that was becoming unbearable.

Air Force: So what happened?

Diana: We went to the lawyers together. We discussed breaking up. Obviously a lot of people have discussed this with us: the Prime Minister, Her Majesty. And then it went by itself, so they started talking about it.

Air Force: In December of that year, as you said, you were ready for a legal divorce. How did you feel?

Diana: Deep, deep sadness. Because we fought, but we both ran out of steam. I suppose the consolation was that in the end we both came to terms with the idea. My husband started talking about separation, and I supported him.

Air Force: Wasn't this your idea?

Diana: No, not at all. I grew up in a divorced family, and I wouldn't want to be in that situation again.

Air Force: What happened next?

Diana: I asked my husband that we tell the children about this before they returned from Christmas break. Being in school, they are protected from press harassment.

Air Force: Have you told your children that you are going to separate?

Diana: Yes , I explained to them what was happening. They, like all children, began to ask a lot of questions. I hoped that I could calm them down. But who could know about this?

Air Force: How did this message affect them?

Diana: It had a huge impact on the Prince and me, but it had an even greater impact on the children.

Air Force: The disagreement happened in 1993. What happened during this period?

Diana: The topic of discussion suddenly changed. I was then the estranged wife of a prince. I was a problem, a burden. Everyone was wondering: “What to do with her?” This hasn't happened before.

Air Force: Who asked these questions?

Diana: The people around me, my environment and...

Air Force: The Royal Family?

Diana: Yes. People from my circle.

Air Force: And did you start to feel like you were the problem?

Diana: Yes, and very strongly.

Air Force: How was this expressed?

Diana: My trips abroad were suspended, many things were prohibited, letters disappeared and the like.

Air Force: Despite the fact that you were interested in business, you were excluded from many things?

Diana: Yes . A lot changed when I became a estranged wife and life became difficult for me.

Air Force: Who was hiding behind these changes?

Diana: My husband's side.

Air Force: What was your reaction to the fact that there was a recording of telephone conversations between you and Mr. James Gilbey?

Diana: I felt protected by James because he was a good friend. I couldn't bear to see his life go wrong because there was a connection between us. This bothered me. I'm used to protecting my friends.

Air Force: You referred to telephone conversations?

Diana: Yes, sure.

Air Force: From the recording, Mr. Gilbey expresses his affection for you. How can you explain this?

Diana: In my opinion, he is very gentle man. But it would be wrong to read the subtext of the conversation as a close relationship between two adults.

Air Force: Do you have any idea how the conversation ended up in the national newspapers?

Diana: No. But it was done to harm me.

Air Force: What is the purpose of such actions?

Diana: So that society changes its attitude towards me. After the separation, my husband had in his arms more cards than me - there was great poker or chess.

Air Force: There was also a series of telephone conversations you made in relation to Mr Oliver Hoare. Could you tell us the nuances of these conversations?

Diana: I believe three hundred phone calls were made, I remember my lifestyle: I was a very busy lady at that time. So I can't answer, I can't. This was a powerful action to discredit me in the eyes of the public. They almost succeeded. I conducted my own investigation and found out who the young man was who was calling me so many times. It was Mr Hoare.

Air Force: Have there been several such calls?

Diana: Yes.

Air Force: Once, twice, three times?

Diana: I don't know. Over a period of six to nine months, but, of course, this happened in an unobtrusive manner.

Air Force: Do you really believe that the campaign was carried out against you?

Diana: Yes, I'm absolutely sure of that.

Air Force: Why?

Diana: I I wasn't the prince's woman, I was the problem. It was necessary to put an end to me. But how can I do this if there was no compromising evidence on me before?

Air Force: Wouldn't it have been better for them to quietly send you away, rather than create a whole campaign?

Diana: I I couldn’t leave quietly, that was the problem. I knew that I would fight to the end because I believed that I would play my part and raise two children.

Air Force: Towards the end of 1993 you suffered from persistent harassment from the press - your telephone conversations were published - and you decided to give up public life. Why did you decide to do this?

Diana: The pressure was unbearable. My work, all my activities were affected. I wanted to give 100% to my work. But she could only do it by 50%. I was constantly exhausted and tired because there was pressure. It was cruel. I made the decision that I needed to make a speech and leave before I started to get frustrated with everything and not do my job. It was my decision to give a speech because I had to publicly say so that everyone would know, “Thank you. I'll be gone for a while, but I'll be back."

Air Force: Soon you returned.

Diana: I Don't know. I did a lot of work in the shadows, without media scrutiny, I never stopped. And my return came as a surprise to those who caused my grief. They didn't expect this. I believe that you can always confuse your enemies.

Air Force: Who are these enemies?

Diana: My husband's circle because I was more famous more work performed, was more discussed than he. Everything follows from this. I did good things, I wanted to do good. I never hated anyone, I never let anyone fall.

Air Force: Do you really think that jealousy has undermined you?

Diana: More like fear when Strong woman does its job, where does its power end?

Air Force: What was your reaction to your husband's revelation to Jonathan Dimbleb that he was essentially cheating?

Diana: I I had absolutely no idea about the contents of the book. When I found out, my first reaction was to worry about the children, because they were able to understand what was happening. And I wanted to protect them. I was devastated, but then I admired the honesty because it means a lot.

Air Force: In terms of?

Diana: Honesty about being in a relationship with someone else.

Air Force: How did you resolve this situation with the children?

Diana: I I went to school to pick up William. At that moment I realized how important it is that if you find someone who loves you, you must hold on to him tightly. To be happy, it is enough to find a person and then protect him. William started asking questions that I expected. He asked about the reason for our separation. I said that there were three of us in the marriage, and pressure from the press was another factor. Together they formed powerful force.

Air Force: What effect did this message have on Prince William?

Diana: He is a child who thinks deeply, he worried. I tried to give him all my affection without feelings of resentment or anger.

Air Force: Look back. Do you take full responsibility for the difficulties of your family life?

Diana: Mmm. I can not take full responsibility. I take only half, regardless of whether I would like more or not, because in family life everything is done by two people.

Air Force: But do you bear some of the responsibility?

Diana: Certainly. We both made mistakes.

Air Force: Another book, recently published, by Mr. James Hewitt in which he stated a very close relationship with you, starting in 1989. What is the nature of this relationship?

Diana: We were good friends V Hard times. He always supported me. And I'm absolutely devastated after this book came out, because I believed him and because I was again worried about my children's reaction. And most of the evidence in this book came from some other world, this could not happen in reality.

Air Force: What do you have in mind?

Diana: A lot of fantasy, and it really upset me as his friend; the one I trusted made money from me. And ten days before the books appeared on the shelves, he called me and said that there would be no lies there. Stupid me, I believed him. After leaving, the first thing I wanted to do was talk to the children. William said to me, “Mom, I think this has hurt you so much. But you still smile." So...

Air Force: Did your close relationship go beyond close friendship?

Diana: Yes. Certainly.

Air Force: Were you a devotee?

Diana: Yes, I adored him. I loved him, but I was deceived.

Air Force: How would you describe your current life? You rely only on yourself, don't you?

Diana: Yes, surprisingly. People believe that a man should always be next to a woman. In fact, completed work brings me more satisfaction. (Laughs.)

Air Force: What do you have in mind?

Diana: If I had a man, we would immediately be discussed in the press. And life would turn into hell.

Air Force: Do you feel that you need to be alone with yourself to relax?

Diana: No, not necessarily. I have wonderful friends, my boys, my work. Basically, living in Kensington Palace, you are already a little isolated.

Air Force: What can you say about the attitude of the press towards you now?!

Diana: To date, the interest of the press has been discouraging, phenomenal for me, since I do not like to be in the spotlight. When I go to public Works, I understand that by taking the car, I will be caught by photographers. But now I get photographed just walking out the front door. I never know where the lenses might end up. It’s already the norm for me that four cars follow me, and when I return to the car, photographers are jumping around me. The journalists decided that I was a product and that I was selling well. They call out to me: “Oh, Diana, look here. If you allow me to take a photo, I can send my children to good school" You might laugh it off. But when this happens all the time, it is quite difficult.

Air Force: Some people tend to think that you initially enjoyed the interest from the press: You danced with people like Wayne Sleep, you looked joyful and had a good and warm relationship. Do you think that you owe something to the press?

Diana: I never approved of the mass media. It was a relationship that used to work, but now I can't afford it because it becomes cruel and abusive. I wouldn't want to make you feel sorry for yourself. I am not like that. I understand it's their job. You will still have to pay for all situations, because you will be criticized. I am a free person, unfortunately for many.

BBC: A. Are you isolated here at Kensington Palace?

Diana: In general, I am in an environment according to my position. And I don't regret anything. I do the job I chose, I have children, I have plans for the future - I want to visit Argentina and continue its partnership with our country.

Air Force: What role do you see yourself in in the future?

Diana: I want to be an ambassador and represent my country abroad. As for media interest, I don’t want to sit in the country and be showered with them.

Air Force: You said that you see your future as an ambassador. Is this someone else's wish or just your personal decision?

Diana: I borrowed privileged position for fifteen years. This allowed me to learn a lot about people and how to get ahead. I studied it, I understood it and I want to apply it. I observed people's lives and realized that the most serious illnesses in our society lie in the lack of love. And I know that I can give love every minute, half an hour, throughout the day, throughout the month. I can, and I'm happy that I do this, and I want to do this.

Air Force: Do you think that the British are satisfied with your fulfillment of your mission?

Diana: I think the British need a statesman with whom they have a sense of intimacy, who feels they are important, who supports them, who helps them find light in a dark tunnel. I see this as the only possible role.

Air Force: Do you think you can do it?

Diana: I know it is.

BBC: Before When you joined the royal family, the monarchy was at the heart of British life. Don't you think that you are to blame for starting to talk about the monarchy as a relic?

Diana: I don't feel guilty. A couple of times I heard people say: “Diana is destroying the monarchy.” These words confused me: why should I destroy what will provide later life to my children. But I don't want to talk about how people discuss the monarchy.

Air Force: In terms of?

Diana: People don't care about that. They have enough family problems and other sundry stuff.

Air Force: Do you think the monarchy needs to change and is it capable of surviving?

Diana: I understand that any change scares people, especially if they don't understand much about it. They prefer to stay where they are now. I understand it. But I think there are some things that have complicated the relationship between the monarchy and the people that can be changed. I think they can go hand in hand and overcome their silos.

Air Force: Have you tried to do anything for this kind of change?

Diana: With William and Harry, for example, I developed projects for the homeless. I took my children to people with AIDS, although I told them that it was a problem, I wanted my children to visit areas where no one from our circle had been before. They have knowledge that they may never use, but they have acquired it. I hope they will grow because knowledge is power.

Air Force: How might all this affect your children?

Diana: I I want them to understand human unrest, vulnerability, need, hopes and dreams of people.

Air Force: What type of monarchy can you name?

Diana: I want to see a monarchy that is in touch with the people. But I would not like to criticize the existing device, I simply want to say what I see, hear and feel every day in the performance of my duty, and which correlates with my personal choice.

Air Force: Quite a lot is said now about the relationship between you and Prince Charles. Would you support divorce? What are your thoughts on this matter?

Diana: I don't want to get a divorce. We need clarification of a situation that has been the subject of heated debate for three years. recent years.

Air Force: If he decides to divorce, will you agree?

Diana: We would discuss this with him; until now, none of us have discussed this issue.

Air Force: Wouldn't that be your decision?

Diana: No, not mine.

Air Force: Why? Wouldn't that solve your problems?

Diana: Why should this solve my problems?

Air Force: Would this solve the problems discussed by the public, something that directly affected you?

Diana: Yes, but what about the children? Our boys are the most important thing, aren't they?

Air Force: Have you ever thought about becoming a queen?

Diana: No, I didn't think so.

Air Force: Why?

Diana: I would like to be the queen of people's hearts, in people's hearts. But I don't see myself as the queen of my country. I don't think many people would like to see me in this position. In reality, when I say “many people,” I mean the ruling society that I entered into because they consider me a failure.

Air Force: Why did you decide so?

Diana: Because I do different things, I don’t follow what is written, because I think with my heart and not with my head, because of this, troubles arise at work. I understand it. But someone has to love people and help them.

Air Force: Do you really think that your actions would prevent you from becoming queen?

Diana: I I wouldn't say that. I had no idea that I had so many supporters in this environment.

Air Force: Do you mean within the royal family?

Diana: They look at me as some kind of threat. I am here to do good: I am not a destroyer.

Air Force: Why do they look at you as a threat?

Diana: I think every strong woman in history has gone through something like this. The reason is confusion and fear. What is her strength? Where does she get it from? Why do people support her?

Air Force: Do you think that the prince will be king?

Diana: I don't think anyone could answer this question. But obviously this question is on everyone’s mind. But who knows, who knows what fate will do, who knows how circumstances will turn out.

Air Force: But you know him better than anyone. Do you think he dreams of becoming a king?

Diana: This is always a very thorny issue when we discuss it. This is a very responsible role - to be a prince, but equally more to be a king. When you are a prince you have more freedom, when you are a king you are a little stifled. And knowing him, knowing what restrictions he will be subject to, I’m not sure whether he will be able to get used to this role.

Air Force: Do you think that in light of your family problems, the throne will pass directly into the hands of Prince William?

Diana: As you can see, William is still very young at this moment. Is it worth burdening him with this? So I can't answer this question.

Air Force: Would you rather see Prince William than Prince Charles at royal throne?

Diana: My dream is for my husband to come to his senses, and everything else will follow from this, yes.

Air Force: Why did you decide to give an interview now? Why did you decide to speak up?

Diana: Because this December it will be three years since we broke up. These last three years have confused and worried me, and I'm sure many, many people don't trust me. I want to reassure all those people who have loved and supported me over the past fifteen years that I will never let them die. This is the main thing for me, along with my children.

Air Force: And do you think that you can convince people?

Diana: What matters to me is just the person on the street, the middle class. He is the most important.

Air Force: Some people will interpret your speech simply as a convenient opportunity to get your husband back.

Diana: I don't feel resentment as I sit here; I sit here with sadness that my marriage didn't work. I am here because I hope for the future, for the future for my husband, for myself, for the entire monarchy.

Air Force: Thank you, Your Highness.

Translation Irina Bagaeva

Task 4

Read Rich and Powerful Dodie was a Perfect Fit for Diana by Mark Townsend and Peter Allen, The United States Secret Service Witapped Diana on the Night of the Car Crash, Messages of Condolence Flooded Websites, The Death of the Beautiful, recounting the events, related to the death of Princess Diana, please comment on them.

Friday, November 24, 1995
BBC: Your Royal Highness, were you prepared for the pressure of joining the Royal Family?
Diana: When you are 19 years old, it always seems that you are ready for anything and imagine your future. At first I felt out of place, but I always felt the support of my husband.
BBC: What did you expect from family life?
Diana: I believe that everyone in a marriage, especially if you have divorced parents, wants to achieve success. And don’t fit the mold of what you saw in your family. I was desperate for this, I desperately loved my husband and wanted us to share everything together, I thought we were a great team.
BBC: How did you feel about everything that was happening to you? After you have become a princess with the prospect of taking the queen's throne.
Diana: I was not discouraged by this, I was never scared off by responsibility. Naturally, it was and remains a difficult task to hold such a post. As for becoming a queen, for me it was not an end in itself when I got married.
The most unexpected thing that happened to me was the attention from the media. We were warned that the engagement would cause a stir among journalists who might sneak up unnoticed, and this happened. Then they focused their attention on me, and I began to appear alone on the front pages of newspapers every day.
BBC: How do you explain that Lady Diana Spencer has become the most photographed, most talked about woman in the world?
Diana: I had to track for a long time what caused people’s interest in my personality. I assumed that this could be because my husband had done a lot of work preparing for the wedding and the relationship. But over time, you realize that you yourself become a product and people make good money from you.
BBC: According to the press, it was very difficult for you to cope with your responsibilities. Were you worried?
Diana: Yes, of course. Then there was a situation that could not have happened before, it felt like the media was everywhere. It was something like a circus in which everyone wanted to take part. It was a situation where you can't feel sorry for yourself: you either sink or swim. You learn this very quickly.
BBC: So what did you do?
Diana: I swam. We went to Alice Springs in Australia. And when we arrived, we went for a walk, and I asked my husband a question: “What should I do now?” He replied: “Go to the other side and talk to them.” I said, "I can't, I can't." He said, “You must do this,” and went off to do his duty. I followed and also fulfilled my duty. I began to understand everything. We did a six-week tour: four weeks in Australia and two in New Zealand. At the end, when we returned, I became a completely different person. A sense of duty and interest appeared in me, and I understood my role, which I still perform.
BBC: Were you repressed by people in the beginning?
Diana: Yes. I was very much intimidated by such interest, I was a plump, round-faced 20-21 year old girl, and I could not understand what caused such interest.
BBC: Would you say that in the early stages you were happily married?
Diana: Very happy. But the pressure from journalists was phenomenal. For example, when we were traveling around Australia, everyone could hear: oh, they didn't bypass it. If you were a proud man like my husband, how would you feel hearing this every day for four weeks? You would feel depressed instead of happy.
BBC: When you say “didn't bypass it,” what do you mean?
Diana: They didn't let me pass.
BBC: So they preferred you over your husband?
Diana: Yes. I felt uncomfortable about this, it seemed dishonest to me, because I wanted to share everything equally in our lives.
BBC: Aren't you flattered that the media pays increased attention to you?
Diana: The increased attention was not flattering, because with this attention came envy and various difficult situations arose.
BBC: What did you initially see as Princess Diana's role? Did you have any ideas about what she should do?
Diana: No, I was very embarrassed to appear on this stage. But over time, I began to immerse myself more and more in the problems of people rejected by society - drug addicts, alcoholics, the oppressed. And in them I found something close to me. I was amazed by their sincerity during our communication. In hospices, for example, people are more open and vulnerable, they are more natural than others. I really appreciated it.
BBC: Did the Palace help you understand what your role was?
Diana: No. No one sat me down and gave me a piece of paper and said, “This is what is expected of you in the future.” But I was happy that I managed to find my place, I felt it and loved being with people.
BBC: Did you create the role you wanted to create? What did you do for this?
Diana: I remember sitting on hospital beds and holding people's hands. And people were in some shock because they had not seen this before. Although for me it was a completely normal thing. I noticed that people found comfort in these actions, and I decided to always do it.
BBC: You became pregnant shortly after your wedding. What was your reaction when you found out you were expecting a boy?
Diana: A huge relief. I felt that he would work with me. A huge relief. When I was pregnant, the scanner showed it was going to be a boy.
BBC: Have you always wanted to have a family?
Diana: I came from a family where there were four of us. We were incredibly happy. And now William and Harry are just happiness for me, although it is harder than having two girls, because a special approach to raising them is required. But I decided: let their future be what it will be.
BBC: How did the royal family react when they found out it was going to be a boy?
Diana: Everyone felt awe to some extent. For me, the pregnancy was quite difficult, but when William was born, it was a huge relief, peace reigned. I was healthy and happy. But then came postpartum depression, which was discussed many times. It was a difficult time. You wake up in the morning and realize that you don’t want to get up, you don’t feel understood, you cry to yourself.
BBC: Wasn't that in your character?
Diana: Yes, of course. I have never been depressed in my life. When I then analyzed what changes had occurred in the last year, this picture stood before my eyes, and my body said: “We want rest.”
BBC: What did you want?
Diana: I wanted a lot, I understood that I needed space and time to adapt to the new conditions that arose on my way. I knew I could cope, if only people would be more tolerant of me and give me time.
BBC: When you talk about new conditions that have come your way, what do you mean?
Diana: It was a short period of time. The time in which my life completely changed, when everything turned upside down, it is a beautiful moment, but also a moment of change. And I saw where there were rough edges and how to smooth them out.
BBC: How did your family react to your postpartum depression?
Diana: I may have been the first member of this family to be depressed and cry openly. And it was obviously discouraging, because if you haven't seen it before, how can you react to it?
BBC: How has depression affected your life together?
Diana: It allowed everyone to talk about me as an unstable and unbalanced person. Unfortunately, this has been discussed off and on for several years.
BBC: According to reporters' statements, it is believed that life became so difficult that you injured yourself?
Diana: When no one listens to you or you feel like no one is listening to you, anything can happen. You hurt yourself on the outside because you want help, but you realize you're not getting what you need. People greedily devour all this and believe that if you appear in the press, it means you have enough attention. But I cried out for help because I wanted to be better, to move forward, to fulfill my responsibilities as a wife, mother and princess of Great Britain. So I was stabbing myself. I didn't like myself, I was ashamed because I couldn't handle the pressure.
BBC: What did you usually do?
Diana: I injured my arms and legs. Now I work in an environment where I see women with similar problems and understand what is causing them.
BBC: What was your husband's reaction to your actions?
Diana: I never did this in front of him. But it is obvious that the one who loves wants to care.
BBC: Do you think he understood what was behind it?
Diana: No. Not all people had time to see it.
BBC: Would you say you were unwell, or is that natural for a princess?
Diana: I was in my role. I was obliged to get out of this state and fulfill my obligations - not to leave people in trouble, to support and love them. And people supported me in return, although they did not realize how much they were helping me.
BBC: Did you feel that you were maintaining the image of the successful Princess of Wales?
Diana: Yes, of course.
BBC: The depression was severe, judging by your words. Later it became known about your illness – bulimia nervosa. This is true?
Diana: Yes, I suffered from bulimia for several years. It was a hidden disease. You hit yourself because your self-esteem is low and you don't feel valued or loved. You get indigestion four or five times a day, sometimes more, and it makes you feel uncomfortable. Then you get annoyed by your bloated belly, and everything continues in a vicious circle. This all really destroys you.
BBC: How often did this happen?
Diana: Depends on the pressure. Coming home, you feel empty, because at that time you had to be with the dying, the sick, and those experiencing family troubles. And you realize that you can feel comfort when other people feel it. You come home and, out of habit, jump into the refrigerator. This is a symptom that accompanied me during my marriage. I asked for help, but gave the wrong signals. People thought bulimia was just a cover. They concluded: Diana is unbalanced.
BBC: Instead of getting to the bottom of the reason.
Diana: Well, yes.
BBC: What was the reason?
Diana: The reason was the situation that my husband and I did everything together, we did not want to disappoint the public, a lot of anxiety remained inside our house.
BBC: Did you seek support from the royal family?
Diana: No. You know, when you have bulimia, you are very ashamed and hate yourself. People think you're trash. So you can't discuss it with people.
With bulimia your weight remains stable, while with anorexia you lose a lot of weight, so there was no evidence.
BBC: When people assumed you were a waste, did anyone support you?
Diana: Yes, people. Many times.
BBC: What did he say?
Diana: Something like, “I hope you become trash later.” This also had its own pressure. Of course, I would like to hold out.
BBC: How long were you sick?
Diana: For a long time. Now I'm free from this.
BBC: Two or three years?
Diana: Mmm. I think a little more.
BBC: According to newspaper reports, during this period you experienced difficulties in your personal life?
Diana: We were a newlywed couple, we were under pressure from the media, who were fascinated by everything we did. No matter what clothes I wore, no matter what I said, no matter how my hair lay, the way we behaved became our work - all these little things tired us after a few years.
BBC: How has public interest affected your marriage?
Diana: It was difficult, especially for a couple who do the same job: we drive the same car, shake hands. It's hard for a couple, especially if all the attention is on you. We tried to fight it, but it was unbearable. My husband decided that we needed to share our responsibilities. It was very sad because I loved the company enough.
BBC: So it wasn't your request to do everything yourself?
Diana: Not at all.
BBC: Jonathan Dimbleby's biography of the Prince of Wales, which, as you know, was published last year, suggested that you and your husband had very different worldviews, different interests. Do you agree with this?
Diana: No. I believe that we had a lot in common: we both loved people, our country, children, worked in a cancer clinic, in hospices. But I was portrayed by the media, if I remember correctly, as stupid. I once made the mistake of telling my child that I was dumb as a log. And all the headlines of newspapers around the globe were full of this phrase. I regret that I said that.
BBC: The prince is described in the biography as a great thinker, a man of varied interests. What does he think about your interests?
Diana: I don't think I was allowed to have them. I was always the 18 year old girl he got engaged to, I had no growth spurts. But, fortunately, I grew up.
BBC: Explain what you mean when you say that.
Diana: Well...
BBC: When do you say you've never had tremors?
Diana: When I succeeded in something, no one said: “well done” or “everything is fine?” But when there was a stumble, and this happened because these conditions were unusual for me, a ton of bricks fell on me.
BBC: How did you deal with this?
Diana: It’s clear that there were a lot of tears, a descent into bulimia, and escape.
BBC: Some people find that you were so lonely that you couldn't cope with your responsibilities, and the descriptions suggest that your relationship with your husband was not very good to begin with?
Diana: We were under special pressure, we tried to hide, but nothing worked out for us.
BBC: Around 1986, going back to Jonathan Dimbleby's biography of your husband, he says your husband rekindled his relationship with Camilla Parker. Did you know about this?
Diana: Yes, I knew, but I couldn’t do anything about it.
BBC: What evidence did you have that his relationship with Camilla continued even after your marriage?
Diana: Female instinct is a good thing.
BBC: That's all?
Diana: I just knew.
BBC: From staff?
Diana: From people who cared about our marriage.
BBC: What impression did this make on you?
Diana: Devastation. The most violent bulimia imaginable, the feeling that everything is hopeless, worthless and a failure.
BBC: And with a husband who was having a relationship with someone else?
Diana: Yes, and with a husband who loved another woman.
BBC: Did you really think so?
Diana: I didn't think so, I knew it.
BBC: How could you know?
Diana: My husband’s behavior has changed. I relied more on instinct. It was terrible and getting more and more terrible.
BBC: How did this translate in practice?
Diana: People, I mean my husband’s friends, presented me as unstable, sad and wanted to put me in a mental hospital so that I would feel better. I was completely confused.
BBC: Do you think he really thought that?
Diana: There is no better way to deprive an individual than to isolate it.
BBC: Were you isolated?
Diana: Yes. Very much.
BBC: Do you think Miss Parker was the reason for the breakdown of your marriage?
Diana: There were three of us in our marriage, and that’s already too many.
BBC: You actually lived separately, although materials still appeared in the press about the happiness of the royal couple. What were the relationships like in the royal family?
Diana: I think everyone was concerned about what was happening because they could see all the difficulties, but no one wanted to interfere.
BSC: Do you allow for the possible coexistence of two lives – public and personal?
Diana: No, because the media were very interested in our couple. When we traveled abroad, we took separate rooms, although on the same floor. But there was a leak, and this caused various complications. Charles and I had responsibilities, that was paramount to us.
BBC: But it feels like it. Have you managed these two lives?
Diana: We were a good team for the public. Despite the fact that this all affected our personal lives, we were a good team.
BBC: Some people think it would be quite difficult to make peace?
Diana: That's their problem. I know it's possible.
BBC: The Queen described 1992 as a "low point" in her life, and Andrew Morton's book about you was published that year. Did you meet the author or personally help him write the book?
Diana: I've never met him.
BBC: Did you contribute in any way to the writing of the book?
Diana: Many people saw how broken I was at that moment. And they understood that this would somehow help them achieve what they were striving for.
BBC: Did you allow friends, your close friends, to communicate with Andrew Morton?
Diana: Yes, of course. Yes.
BBC: Why?
Diana: I was at my limit. I was in despair. I am a strong person and I know that the reasons for difficulties lie in the world where I live.
BBC: Could this book change anything?
Diana: I don't know. Perhaps people would understand better, perhaps it would help women suffering in a similar situation, who are unable to rise up because their self-esteem is broken in two. I don't know.
BBC: What effect did this book have on your husband and the royal family?
Diana: I think they were shocked and very disappointed.
BBC: Do you understand why?
Diana: I think this book was a shock and a disappointment to a lot of people.
BBC: What impact did the book have on your relationship with the Prince of Wales?
Diana: It was hidden, or what we thought was hidden. Then it came out, discussions and pressure began. Are you staying together or are you going to break up? And words like separation and divorce were raised in the media every day.
BBC: What happened after the book was published?
Diana: We fought together. We fulfilled our obligations together. And in our personal lives, this caused obvious concerns.
BBC: Did different thoughts come into your head?
Diana: Yes, slowly. My husband and I discussed this very calmly. We understood that society needed clarification of a situation that was becoming unbearable.
BBC: So what happened?
Diana: We went to the lawyers together. We discussed breaking up. Obviously a lot of people have discussed this with us: the Prime Minister, Her Majesty. And then it went by itself, so they started talking about it.
BBC: In December of that year, as you said. You were ready for a legal divorce. How did you feel?
Diana: Deep, deep sadness. Because we fought, but we both ran out of steam. I suppose the consolation was that in the end we both came to terms with the idea. My husband started talking about separation, and I supported him.
BBC: It wasn't your idea?
Diana: No, not at all. I grew up in a divorced family, and I wouldn't want to be in that situation again.
BBC: What happened next?
Diana: I asked my husband that we tell the children about this before they returned from Christmas holidays. Being in school, they are protected from press harassment.
BBC: Have you told your children that you are going to separate?
Diana: Yes, I explained to them what was happening. They, like all children, began to ask a lot of questions. I hoped that I could calm them down. But who could know about this?
BBC: How did this message affect them?
Diana: It had a huge impact on the Prince and me, but it had an even greater impact on the children.
BBC: The spat happened in 1993. What happened during this period?
Diana: The topic of discussion suddenly changed. I was then the estranged wife of a prince. I was a problem, a burden. Everyone was wondering: “What to do with her?” This hasn't happened before.
BBC: Who asked these questions?
Diana: People around me, my environment and...
BBC: Royal family?
Diana: Yes. People from my circle.
BBC: And you started to feel like you were a problem?
Diana: Yes, and very much so.
BBC: How did you put it?
Diana: My trips abroad were suspended, many things were prohibited, letters disappeared and the like.
BBC: Despite the fact that you were interested in business, you were excluded from many things?
Diana: Yes. A lot changed when I became a estranged wife and life became difficult for me.
BBC: Who was behind these changes?
Diana: My husband's side.
BBC: What was your reaction to the fact that there was a recording of telephone conversations between you and Mr James Gilbey?
Diana: I felt protected by James because he was a good friend of mine. I couldn't bear to see his life go wrong because there was a connection between us. This bothered me. I'm used to protecting my friends.
BBC: Did you refer to telephone conversations?
Diana: Yes, of course.
BBC: From the recording, Mr Gilbey expresses his affection for you. How can you explain this?
Diana: In my opinion, he is a very gentle man. But it would be wrong to read the subtext of the conversation as a close relationship between two adults.
BBC: Do you have any idea how the conversation ended up in the national newspapers?
Diana: No. But it was done to harm me.
BBC: What is the purpose of such actions?
Diana: So that society changes its attitude towards me. After the separation, my husband had more cards in his hands than I did - it was big poker or chess.
BBC: There was also a series of telephone conversations you made in relation to Mr Oliver Hoare. Could you tell us the nuances of these conversations?
Diana: I believe three hundred phone calls were made, I remember my lifestyle: I was a very busy lady at that time. So I can't answer, I can't. This was a powerful action to discredit me in the eyes of the public. They almost succeeded. I conducted my own investigation and found out who the young man was who was calling me so many times. It was Mr Hoare.
BBC: Have there been several calls like this?
Diana: Yes.
BBC: Once, twice, three times?
Diana: I don't know. Over a period of six to nine months, but, of course, this happened in an unobtrusive manner.
BBC: Do you really believe that the campaign was against you?
Diana: Yes, I'm absolutely sure of that.
BBC: Why?
Diana: I was not the prince's woman, I was the problem. It was necessary to put an end to me. But how can I do this if there was no compromising evidence on me before?
BBC: Wouldn't it have been better for them to send you out quietly rather than create a whole campaign?
Diana: I couldn’t leave quietly, that was the problem. I knew that I would fight to the end because I believed that I would play my part and raise two children.
BBC: Towards the end of 1993 you suffered from persistent harassment from the press - your telephone conversations were published - and you decided to withdraw from public life. Why did you decide to do this?
Diana: The pressure was unbearable. My work, all my activities were affected. I wanted to give 100% to my work. But she could only do it by 50%. I was constantly exhausted and tired because there was pressure. It was cruel. I made the decision that I needed to make a speech and leave before I started to get frustrated with everything and not do my job. It was my decision to give a speech because I had to publicly say so that everyone would know, “Thank you. I'll be gone for a while, but I'll be back."
BBC: You returned soon.
Diana: I don't know. I did a lot of work in the shadows, without media scrutiny, I never stopped. And my return came as a surprise to those who caused my grief. They didn't expect this. I believe that you can always confuse your enemies.
BBC: Who are these enemies?
Diana: My husband's circle, because I was more famous, did more work, was more discussed than him. Everything follows from this. I did good things, I wanted to do good. I never hated anyone, I never let anyone fall.
BBC: Do you really think that jealousy undermined you?
Diana: More like fear, when a strong woman does her job, where will her strength end?
BBC: What was your reaction to your husband's revelation to Jonathan Dimbleb that he was essentially cheating?
Diana: I had absolutely no idea about the contents of the book. When I found out, my first reaction was to worry about the children, because they were able to understand what was happening. And I wanted to protect them. I was devastated, but then I admired the honesty because it means a lot.
BBC: What do you mean?
Diana: Honesty about dating someone else.
BBC: How did you resolve this situation with the children?
Diana: I went to school to pick up William. At that moment I realized how important it is that if you find someone who loves you, you must hold on to him tightly. To be happy, it is enough to find a person and then protect him. William started asking questions that I expected. He asked about the reason for our separation. I said that there were three of us in the marriage, and pressure from the press was another factor. Together they formed a powerful force.
BBC: What effect did this message have on Prince William?
Diana: He is a child who thinks deeply, he worried. I tried to give him all my affection without feelings of resentment or anger.
BBC: Look back. Do you take full responsibility for the difficulties of your family life?
Diana: Mmm. I can't take full responsibility. I take only half, regardless of whether I would like more or not, because in family life everything is done by two people.
BBC: But do you bear some of the responsibility?
Diana: Of course. We both made mistakes.
BBC: Another book, recently published, by Mr James Hewitt, in which he stated a very close relationship with you, dating back to 1989. What is the nature of this relationship?
Diana: We were good friends during difficult times. He always supported me. And I'm absolutely devastated after this book came out, because I believed him and because I was again worried about my children's reaction. And most of the evidence in this book came from some other world, this could not happen in reality.
BBC: What do you mean?
Diana: A lot of fantasy, and it really upset me as his friend; the one I trusted made money from me. And ten days before the books appeared on the shelves, he called me and said that there would be no lies there. Stupid me, I believed him. After leaving, the first thing I wanted to do was talk to the children. William said to me, “Mom, I think this has hurt you so much. But you still smile." So...
BBC: Was your close relationship more than a close friendship?
Diana: Yes. Certainly.
BBC: Were you devoted?
Diana: Yes, I adored him. I loved him, but I was deceived.
BBC: How would you describe your life now? You rely only on yourself, don't you?
Diana: Yes, surprisingly. People believe that a man should always be next to a woman. In fact, completed work brings me more satisfaction. (Laughs.)
BBC: What do you mean?
Diana: If I had a man, we would be immediately discussed in the press. And life would turn into hell.
BBC: Do you feel that you need to be alone with yourself to relax?
Diana: No, not necessarily. I have wonderful friends, my boys, my job. Basically, living in Kensington Palace, you are already a little isolated.
BBC: What can you say about the attitude of the press towards you now?
Diana: Today, the interest of the press is discouraging, phenomenal for me, since I do not like to be in the spotlight. When I go out for public works, I understand that if I take a car, I will be caught by photographers. But now I get photographed just walking out the front door. I never know where the lenses might end up. It is already the norm for me that four cars follow me, and when I return to the car, photographers are jumping around me. The journalists decided that I was a product and that I was selling well. They call out to me: “Oh, Diana, look here. If you allow me to take a photo, I can send my children to a good school.” You might laugh it off. But when this happens all the time, it is quite difficult.
BBC: Some people tend to think that you initially enjoyed the interest from the press: You danced with people like Wayne Sleep, you looked joyful and had a good, warm relationship. Do you think that you owe something to the press?
Diana: I never approved of the mass media. It was a relationship that used to work, but now I can't afford it because it becomes cruel and abusive. I wouldn't want to make you feel sorry for yourself. I am not like that. I understand it's their job. You will still have to pay for all situations, because you will be criticized. I am a free person, unfortunately for many.
BBC: Are you isolated here at Kensington Palace?
Diana: In general, I am in an environment according to my position. And I don't regret anything. I am doing the job I chose, I have children, I have plans for the future - I want to visit Argentina and continue it partnerships with our country.
BBC: What role do you see yourself in in the future?
Diana: I want to be an ambassador and represent my country abroad. As for media interest, I don’t want to sit in the country and be beaten by them.
BBC: You said you see your future as an ambassador. Is this someone’s wish or just your personal decision?
Diana: I held a privileged position for fifteen years. This allowed me to learn a lot about people and how to communicate. I studied it, I understood it and I want to apply it. I observed people's lives and realized that the most serious illnesses in our society lie in the lack of love. And I know that I can give love every minute, half an hour, throughout the day, throughout the month. I can, and I'm happy that I do this, and I want to do this.
BBC: Do you think the British are satisfied with your accomplishment of your mission?
Diana: I think the British need a statesman with whom they have a sense of intimacy, who feels important, who supports them, who helps them find light in a dark tunnel. I see this as the only possible role.
BBC: Do you think you're succeeding?
Diana: I know yes.
BBC: Before you joined the royal family, the monarchy was at the heart of British life. Don't you think that you are to blame for starting to talk about the monarchy as a relic?
Diana: I don't feel guilty. A couple of times I heard people say: “Diana is destroying the monarchy.” These words confused me: why should I destroy something that will ensure the future life of my children. But I don't want to talk about how people discuss the monarchy.
BBC: What do you mean?
Diana: People don't care. They have enough family problems and other stuff.
BBC: Do you think the monarchy needs to change and can it survive?
Diana: I understand that any change scares people, especially if they don’t understand much about it. They prefer to stay where they are now. I understand it. But I think there are some things that have complicated the relationship between the monarchy and the people that can be changed. I think they can go hand in hand and overcome their silos.
BBC: Have you tried to do anything about this kind of change?
Diana: With William and Harry, for example, I developed projects for the homeless. I took my children to people with AIDS, although I told them that it was a problem, I wanted my children to visit areas where no one from our circle had been before. They have knowledge that they may never use, but they have acquired it. I hope they will grow because knowledge is power.
BBC: How might all this affect your children?
Diana: I want them to understand people's anxiety, vulnerability, need, people's hopes and dreams.
BBC: What type of monarchy can you name?
Diana: I want to see a monarchy that is in touch with the people. But I would not like to criticize the existing device.
I simply want to say what I see, hear and feel every day in the course of my duty, and which is consistent with my personal choices.
BBC: Quite a lot is said now about the relationship between you and Prince Charles. Would you support divorce? What are your thoughts on this matter?
Diana: I don't want to get a divorce. We need clarification of a situation that has been the subject of heated debate for the past three years.
BBC: If he decides to divorce, will you agree?
Diana: We would discuss this with him, until now none of us have discussed this issue.
BBC: That wouldn't be your decision?
Diana: No, not mine.
BBC: Why? Wouldn't that solve your problems?
Diana: Why should this solve my problems?
BBC: Would this solve the problems discussed by the public, something that directly affected you?
Diana: Yes, but what about the children? Our boys are the most important thing, aren't they?
BBC: Have you ever thought about becoming queen?
Diana: No, I didn’t think so.
BBC: Why?
Diana: I would like to be the queen of people's hearts, in people's hearts. But I don't see myself as the queen of my country. I don't think many people would like to see me in this position. In reality, when I say "many people", I mean the ruling society that I entered into because they consider me a failure.
BBC: Why did you decide this?
Diana: Because I do different things, I don’t follow what is written, because I think with my heart and not with my head, this causes troubles at work. I understand it. But someone has to love people and help them.
BBC: Do you really think that your actions would prevent you from becoming queen?
Diana: I wouldn't say that. I had no idea that I had so many supporters in this environment.
BBC: You mean within the royal family?
Diana: They look at me as some kind of threat. I'm here to do good; I'm not a destroyer.
BBC: Why do they look at you as a threat?
Diana: I think every strong woman in history has gone through something like this. The reason is confusion and fear. What is her strength? Where does she get it from? Why do people support her?
BBC: Do you think the prince will be king?
Diana: I don't think anyone could answer this question. But obviously this question is on everyone’s mind. But who knows, who knows what fate will do, who knows how circumstances will turn out.
BBC: But you know him better than anyone. Do you think he dreams of becoming a king?
Diana: This is always a very thorny issue when we discuss it. This is a very responsible role - to be a prince, but equally more to be a king. When you are a prince you have more freedom, when you are a king you are a little stifled. And knowing him, knowing what restrictions he will be subject to, I’m not sure whether he will be able to get used to this role.
BBC: Do you think that, in light of your family problems, the throne will pass directly into the hands of Prince William?
Diana: As you can see, William is still very young at the moment. Is it worth burdening him with this? So I can't answer this question.
BBC: Would you rather see Prince William than Prince Charles on the royal throne?
Diana: My dream is for my husband to come to his senses, and everything else will follow from this, yes.
BBC: Why did you decide to give the interview now? Why did you decide to speak up?
Diana: Because this December it will be three years since we broke up. These last three years have confused and worried me, and I am sure that many many people do not trust me. I want to reassure all those people who have loved and supported me over the past fifteen years that I will never let them die. This is the main thing for me, along with my children.
BBC: And you think you can convince people?
Diana: What matters to me is just the person on the street, the middle class. He is the most important.
BBC: Some people will interpret your speech as simply an opportunity to get your husband back.
Diana: Sitting here, I don't feel resentment: I sit here with sadness that my marriage didn't work. I am here because I hope for the future, for the future for my husband, for myself, for the entire monarchy.
BBC: Thank you, Your Highness.
Translation by Irina Bagaeva

In an interview with the BBC, Princes William and Harry said that they adhere to one of the main versions of the tragedy, according to which it was journalists who provoked the fatal accident in Paris, and each of them should bear collective responsibility for the death of their mother.

Prince William: “Like a pack of dogs, they followed her everywhere. They tracked her down, spat at her, screamed, tried to provoke her into responding with anger, an emotion that would look good on camera.”

Prince Harry: “One of the worst: my mother and I were driving to the tennis club, and my mother was so tortured by guys on a motorcycle that she parked the car and chased after them. Then she came back to us and cried and couldn’t stop. It was terrible to see my mother so unhappy.”

A car with a drunk driver at the wheel, a security guard from the Ritz Hotel, Diana herself, who always, except for this one time, wore a seat belt, and her boyfriend Dodi al-Fayed walked away from the paparazzi at a speed of 195 kilometers per hour through a Paris tunnel. The driver lost control and their Mercedes crashed into a guardrail. Dodi and the driver died on the spot, the guard survived, Diana died in the hospital on the operating table that same night.

Prince Harry: “Those people who caused the car accident, the paparazzi, took pictures of her while she was sitting in the back seat broken car. She had horrific head injuries, but she was still alive, still breathing, and could see the same faces of her photographer tormentors who had beaten her to death. And now they were doing it latest pictures. And then they sold them to agencies for a lot of money.”

The press tried to shift responsibility for Diana's death onto Elizabeth II and Prince Charles. The queen herself was accused of organizing the car accident. More respectable publications scolded her for not publicly throwing ashes on her head enough.

Subjects reproached the queen for remaining in quiet Scotland when London was struggling and choking in hysterics. People wanted to see Buckingham Palace a grieving monarch in mourning, but she was not there. She was in Scotland, seven hundred kilometers from London. These days, Elizabeth decided to be a grandmother, not a queen: she believed that it was more important to be with the little princes than with her nation, and she did not want to take them to London before the funeral and left them to mourn in peace and quiet.

Diana died on the night of August 31st. Charles, who was with the children at Balmoral Castle, wanted to wake up his sons and immediately tell them the news. But Elizabeth II forbade disturbing the last happy dream of their childhood.

Prince William: “All newspapers were removed from our sight, all televisions were turned off. We didn’t know there was such a huge reaction in the world to her death.”

Details in the story NTV correspondent Lisa Gerson.

In 2017, something happened that should have happened a long time ago: Camilla Parker Bowles spoke. The famous English patience was enough for 25 years of silence, but, obviously, there is a limit to everything. In the year of the “anniversary” of the death of Princess Diana, her ghost again haunted Great Britain - she was about to be released new edition books "Diana. Her true story“, in which the already crushing truth about her fabulous life with the Prince of Wales was supplemented with revealing transcripts of Lady Di’s personal audio recordings. 25 years after the first publication of these revelations, her “rival” decided to make her part of the story public. In 2018, the book “The Duchess. The Untold Story, authored by the famous royal biographer Penny Junor. After spending many hours with Camilla, Charles, their friends and loved ones, interviewing their former secretaries, butlers and assistants, Junor wrote what the British Daily Mail rightly called "an explosive biography of Camilla."

Lying Princess

Princess Diana during an interview with the BBC, 1995.

“There have always been three of us in this marriage, and this, you know, is too much,” Diana said, wiping away a sudden tear. scandalous interview for the BBC in 1995. The one in question was sitting at the TV at home at that moment and could not hold back a sarcastic smile: those who knew Diana as well as Charles’s friends understood perfectly well that this was a one-man show. But the problem was that few knew the true Diana. For others, that day Camilla finally turned into absolute evil, a dissolute creature who destroyed the family of a beautiful and generous princess. By the time Diana gave this strange interview in every sense, the “halo effect” in relation to her was so powerful that few, in principle, could critically evaluate everything that she said.

For example, Diana said that when her book was published ex-lover James Hewitt, the first thing she did was rush to the children, terrified of what would happen to them when they found out about everything. But how is this concern related to the fact that a year later she herself gave an interview in which she told an audience of 20 million much more terrible things about her marriage?

Biographer Andrew Morton, author of the scandalous book about Princess Diana, for which she secretly recorded audiotapes with revelations.

Another lie was to deny, sitting in front of a television camera, his personal participation in writing the book “Diana. Her true story." The truth emerged only after her death - Diana did not just allow her friends to tell Morton about her suffering. She herself was the main storyteller. For weeks on end she dated her friend, psychotherapist James Colthurst: they were leaving Kensington Palace on walks, armed with a voice recorder, he asked her questions based on Morton’s list, and she answered them in a detailed form. Sometimes, when the situation permitted, they communicated by telephone, and Diana dictated answers into the writing device at the other end of the line. So did she care what would happen to her sons when all this dirt reached them?

“I always thought that Andrew Morton's book should be taken with great caution,” recalls Penny Junor, author of the book about Camilla. “At that time, Diana had been in a marriage with Charles for more than 10 years, which was unhappy for both. She was angry, offended and wanted revenge. It is with this understanding of the situation that one must perceive its recordings. What was “true” for Diana was not necessarily true for others.”

Exploring the history of the most famous love triangle, Junor did a really great job. “Diana, in her revelations, often took facts and distorted them - as many of the participants in those events said. And that discouraged people." For example, this was the entire history of the relationship between Charles and Camilla - from the very moment of the prince’s engagement to Diana.

One of the engagement photos of Diana and Charles, February 1981.

Someone else's bride

“There were always three of us in our marriage,” Princess Diana said, but this was not true, the biographer assures. Married Camilla was indeed Charles' mistress, but when the prince proposed to Diana, they ended the relationship. It was a conscious choice of both. At that time, Camilla knew firsthand what it was like to be the wife of an unfaithful husband: Andrew cheated on her throughout the years, his adventures were no secret to their friends (after all, he often chose his mistresses from their own circle). Charles believed that they could remain just friends, because they had a lot in common, not just sex. At the same time, he was determined to try to love the sweet girl whom he had chosen as his wife. He believed that this was possible (after all, there are many similar examples in history). The fact that the marriage was committed was beyond any doubt. Charles and Diana barely knew each other. They had few opportunities to meet where they could get to know each other better. They write that Diana behaved nicely, and, surprisingly, at first, most of Charles’s friends with whom he managed to introduce her liked her. Even Camilla considered her a worthy match for the prince, in fact, approving the choice of a wife for her, as it seemed to her, already former lover.

Diana Spencer, still the fiancée of Prince Charles, near her brand new car, received as a gift. 1981

According to a royal biographer, a month before her death (in 1993), Diana's grandmother, Lady Ruth Fermoy (companion of the Queen Mother), asked for forgiveness from Elizabeth, the Queen Mother and Charles because family ambitions did not allow her to warn them about psychological my granddaughter's disorders from the very beginning. According to Lady Fermoy, Diana was already a demonstrative, unbalanced girl prone to pathological lies, but she knew how to play to the public when necessary. But all Lady Ruth did back in 1981 was tell Diana that the royal family lifestyle was not for her, that she could not fit into this family. And the “shy” granddaughter decisively crossed her grandmother off the guest list at her wedding.

Pregnant Diana with her grandmother, Lady Fermat, and Prince Charles, 1982.

Passion for Camilla

Dramatic changes in Diana's behavior began just a few weeks after the official announcement of the engagement. As Penny Junor writes, Diana suddenly became suspicious, capricious, and irritable. It seemed to her that everyone around her was just talking about her. It seemed to her that Prince Charles was constantly talking about her with his friends and with the Queen. She was sure that all the servants in the Queen Mother's palace (where she had moved from her London apartment in order to protect herself from annoying paparazzi) were whispering about her and considered her unworthy of respect. It is curious that Diana said almost the same thing, only her voice sounded with conviction. She did not use the phrase “it seemed to me,” she stated that it was so. And no one could convince her otherwise. Exactly at that time, Diana’s attacks of bulimia returned - this eating disorder had visited her before, but not in such a pronounced form. She secretly filled her stomach with whatever she could find in the refrigerator and then vomited. Charles learned about this feature of Diana already during the honeymoon.

Charles and Camilla playing polo, mid-70s

Diana, Prince Charles' fiancée, at a polo match, summer 1981

As Junor writes, Diana began to be jealous of Charles for all his friends, she did not like that he continued to spend time with them, it seemed to her that he should devote more time to her. The same applied to the communication between the Prince and the Queen. Charles, and others too, were sure that the sudden changes in Diana were the result of stress due to the falling attention to her person, and that after the wedding she would come to her senses. Therefore, in order not to irritate the bride, Charles, in fact, limited his contacts with friends, transferring most of his communication to telephone format. He also communicated with Camilla on the phone. She was his only close female friend, so it was from her that he sought advice on how to deal with his depressed fiancée.

At this time, something terrible happened - someone reported to Diana about the nature of the relationship between Charles and Camilla. It was a grave mistake on the part of the prince not to ensure that the bride learned about this from him and, as they say, “on the shore.” A terrible scene occurred between them, Diana destroyed furniture and screamed, and the prince could only say that from the moment of their engagement he had not had and would never have any other woman except his wife. Of course, Diana didn't believe him.

Diana and Camilla managed to become friends at first and got along well. March 1981.

From that moment on, Camilla became her obsession. Diana spied on her fiancé, looking for evidence of his infidelity, and he, like a fool, secretly called Camilla and asked what he should do about all this. When your mother is the Queen, you have little chance of just going to her and having a heart-to-heart talk. So Camilla stayed for Charles the only woman, with whom he could honestly and without guile discuss the problems that arose.

Camilla didn't like her role. Charles's stories embarrassed her; it seemed right to her to withdraw, at least for a while. In the end, they could no longer be lovers, and, judging by Diana’s behavior, friends too. But Charles needed a friend. And he couldn’t completely let Camille go at such a moment, even if they didn’t see each other like before. Diana later said that she was very hurt when Charles sent Camilla a bouquet of flowers who had meningitis. But the most disgusting scandal over Camilla occurred a couple of weeks before the wedding (