Scandalous interview with Princess Diana in Russian. Seven fatal mistakes of the Princess of Wales
Television journalist Martin Bashir, during the famous scandalous interview, reminded Diana that she was often accused of artificially inflating interest in her person and engaging in outright shocking behavior. For example, many people remember her scandalous performance practically in a negligee on the stage of Covent Garden, paired with the famous ballet dancer Wayne Sleep. Diana gave this number to her husband for his birthday.
Princess Diana on stage at Covent Garden with famous dancer Wayne Sleep
The press was no less shocked by Diana's performance than her royal family.
The second time this happened at a reception at the White House, where she had fiery dances with actor John Travolta. This improvisation caused real hysteria among representatives of the press and ordinary people, and Diana again managed to outshine both her husband and the Reagan couple who received them. Before her appearance in the royal family, its other members, including young people, had never caused such a stir, but, however, they were not so emotional. Even with the rebellious Princess Margaret, it seems there was less problems. Diana always denied the fact that she was playing for the public, but in reality she was flattered that she could become the first “celebrity” in the royal family. A previously inconspicuous girl with very modest tastes suddenly turned into a wife crown prince and received unlimited access to the fashion collections of the best fashion designers in the world, and at the same time to boxes with family jewelry of Elizabeth II. Fashion became another passion of hers. Before her, no one could afford to wear such catchy and youthful things to various official events.
Diana rocks up with John Travolta at the White House in 1985
The unhealthy interest of journalists arose after an interview with the princess’s talkative friends, whom (and this is most important) the princess herself allowed to talk about her difficult life in Kensington Palace. In the same 1995 interview, Lady Di admitted that she had given friends the go-ahead to communicate with biographer Andrew Morton. The result was not long in coming, and was soon marked by the release of the scandalous, famous book “Diana. Her true story", which was published in 1992. Just as provocative and exciting for all hunters of “fried” food was frank interview Diana for the BBC TV channel.
Scandalous interview
The television scandal occurred on November 24, 1995. Diana decided to give an interview to the BBC. After an hour-long conversation with Panorama presenter Martin Bashir, it was as if an information bomb had exploded in Britain. Diana decided to tell the public about all the problems that arose during the entire 15 years of her marriage with Charles; she admitted to bulimia, several suicide attempts, and even her own infidelities, which, according to her, were a consequence of Charles’s infidelities. Diana was convinced that since she and Charles separated, she had become a “problem” for his circle, and then even called them “enemies” who set out to complicate her life, denigrate her and give trump cards to the Prince of Wales in the event divorce.
"Do you think you can become Queen?"
"No. I don’t think so... I would prefer to become the queen of people’s hearts..."
In 1981, the whole world rejoiced when the heir to the British throne, Prince Charles, finally found the lady of his heart and married her. It seemed that Diana Spencer, a representative of a noble family, was perfect couple for the future king.
But was everything really as smooth as it seemed to the average person? Ten years later, the Princess of Wales decided to tell the whole truth about the terrible marriage she was in. The tragedy was that she was deeply unhappy from the first days of her marriage.
In 1991, when trust between the spouses could no longer be restored, Diana decided to give a frank interview to her close friend and famous journalist Andrew Morton. The recordings of the conversation with the princess formed the basis scandalous biography"Diana. Her true story."
Morton kept his word to Diana by not releasing the tapes. They remained untouched until the death of the princess in 1997. Then horrific details The life of a representative of the royal family became public knowledge and a nightmare for the residents of Buckingham Palace.
Difficulties in family life began from the first days of the newlyweds' honeymoon. At Prince Charles's discretion, the couple traveled to the family estate of Lord Mountbatten, Prince Philip's late uncle, Broadlands. The gloomy building became home to the once vivacious Diana in her early days as a wife.
“You know, it was terrible. All my hopes for a happy family life collapsed in just a couple of days. When we arrived at Broadlands, Charles had been sent seven new books by Laurens van der Post (the South African philosopher and explorer) that he had not yet read. Every single day he read them out loud and forced me to analyze what I heard,” Diana recalled.
After painful days spent imprisoned in an ancient estate, the couple set off on a journey on the royal yacht. The second part of the honeymoon promised to be at least a little better, but that was not the case.
This is where most of the photos that described were taken. Honeymoon the royal couple as a kind of fairy tale. These days became the worst in her life for Diana: she experienced severe nervous breakdowns four times a day, which almost undermined her health.
“There were a huge number of guests from high society on the yacht. 21 officers and 256 nobles. It was necessary to comply with the dress code: evening dresses and tailcoats. Every evening a military band played, and at every dinner I had to accompany my husband and entertain the guests. I didn’t have a moment of peace, I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to cope with all this.
In those days, I could no longer control myself. Attacks of uncontrollable aggression overtook me 4 times a day. After them I was terribly hungry, and as soon as I tried to have a snack, I felt sick. I cried my eyes out during this honeymoon. Everything was going wrong, and I was terribly tired of it.
From the yacht we went to Balmoral, where I was tormented by nightmares every day. Besides this, I saw Camila everywhere, I constantly thought that Charles was calling her every 5 minutes and discussing me. I was getting worse and worse.
Charles wanted to go for walks all the time; he loved walking in the vicinity of the palace. For him, his greatest pleasure was viewing the surroundings from the top of the highest hill in Balmoral and reading the books of Laurens van der Post or Carl Jung. I had to do this too, but such a rest only tired me psychologically.
Despite this, we climbed the hill, where I longingly embroidered my tapestry. Charles, on the contrary, was simply happy - our communication seemed so wonderful to him.
For Charles, I was always in third place. He adored his mother and grandmother. When we were in the same room, he always immediately turned to the queen: “Mom, would you like a drink?” - then: “Grandma, what about you?” - and only then he turned to me: “Darling, will you be there?”
My grandmother, Lady Fermoy, told me before the wedding: “Darling, the way of life and humor of these people is completely different. I don’t think this kind of life suits you.” It was a blow to her that I didn’t invite her to the wedding.
We had to stay at Balmoral from August to October. I constantly had thoughts of suicide, I even tried to open my veins with a blade. It was raining continuously all the time, and it only made me feel worse. In the end they even told me: “You look very bad. Your bones are sticking out."
It often happens that a fairy tale turns out to be a lie. How many girls on the planet dream of marrying a prince? Only none of them even realizes how difficult it is mentally and physically to be a princess.
Some idolize her, others consider her a skilled manipulator who made a name by opposing herself to the not very popular royal family. The truth, as usual, is somewhere nearby. But what Princess Diana did a lot in her life serious mistakes, which eventually had tragic consequences for herself, this is an indisputable fact.
Accepted Prince Charles's proposal
Now it seems incredible: if Diana had not married Charles in 1981, the world would never have known about her existence. It is unlikely that a shy, ordinary girl who failed her final exams at school twice and barely made it through one semester in college would have been able to achieve the sky-high popularity and adoration that she had as the wife of the crown prince. Contrary to popular belief, Diana was not rich before her wedding. According to British law, peerage titles (including the title of Earl Spencer), together with all movable and immovable property, are transmitted exclusively through the male line. Diana had younger brother Charles and two older sisters. The boy inherited everything, the sisters married quite successfully. As for the future princess, her fate could turn out to be very modest.
The year she became official girlfriend Prince of Wales, Lady Di had already lived in London for a couple of years, first with her mother, and then in the apartment that was given to her for her 18th birthday. And since the girl did not have any special education, she took on any job, however, without staying long anywhere: she cleaned for money older sister and some of her friends, helped organize parties, worked as a dance instructor for teenagers, as a nanny for US expats named Robertson, as a teacher's assistant at Young England School and as a kindergarten teacher's assistant. This is the track record that Lady Diana Spencer had by the time they began to actively push her towards the Prince of Wales.
The situation developed almost like in a classic Jane Austen novel: the girl found herself in the right place over and over again. right time. All she had to do was catch the eye of Prince Charles (whom the Court was actively looking for a bride) and at least say something. Given the closeness of Diana's grandmother to the Queen Mother, as well as the proximity family estate Spencer and the royal residence in Norfolk, it was easy to organize. Charles paid tribute to Diana's modesty and sensitivity, but, of course, did not plan to develop a relationship, much less marry her. However, the information that the prince allegedly found himself new girl, with someone's light hand it turned out to be the property of journalists. The relationship between Diana and Charles became the subject of speculation in the press.
Prince Consort Philip decided to put an end to this issue. Since live human communication between father and son was not in honor of the Duke of Edinburgh, he wrote a stern letter to the eldest heir, in which he demanded to protect the good name of the girl, as befits a man. Prince Charles, according to his aunt, Philip's cousin, Pamella Hicks, took this as an order: he proposed to Diana, which Lady Spencer, who had known the prince for only a few months and had nothing in common with him, accepted without hesitation. In an interview on the occasion of the official announcement of the engagement, Charles said that he was truly amazed that “Diana was ready to rely on him.” But the sarcasm of these words became obvious and understandable only many years later.
Overestimated herself and underestimated Camilla
It is not customary for the Windsor family to cry, even at the funerals of those closest to them. And even more so at a wedding. Even if this wedding means the collapse of all your dreams of happy life with the one you really love. Charles cried his tears for Camilla Parker Bowles ahead of the 'Wedding of the Century'. By that time, their love affair with obstacles had already lasted 9 years. This, of course, was also known to Diana, who for the last two years had lived not in a remote village, but in London, where this kind of information always made it to the front pages of newspapers. What did the 19-year-old precocious bride, whose total experience of acquaintance with her future spouse was less than a year, and communication with even less, expect? How was she going to outshine Camilla? (read: Princess Diana: “On the eve of the wedding, I said I couldn’t marry Charles”)
“The honeymoon turned out to be an excellent opportunity to get some sleep,” a phrase from Diana’s letter written to her maid of honor on August 15, 1981, 2 weeks after the magnificent royal wedding (read: Princess Diana: “I cut my wrists already during the honeymoon”). That is, having barely become the legal wife of a 33-year-old man who had a love affair for 9 years with a temperamental and experienced love affairs rival, Diana found nothing better than to sleep through her honeymoon with a feeling of deep satisfaction. One can easily imagine how Charles missed Camilla at this time.
There was an intellectual and spiritual chasm between Charles and Diana. The almost 13-year age difference had to be compensated for by at least something, but she decided that it was he, Charles, who should take the trouble to “descend” to her level of development, and not she to “rise” to the level of her husband. She was not interested in the Prince of Wales's hobbies, did not try to make friends with his friends, criticized his habits and mocked his piety. They literally had nothing to talk about with each other, and Diana couldn’t listen to Charles the way Camilla did.
Remarkable fact: Lady Di's favorite books were romance novels by Barbara Cartland. Even before her marriage, she read the book “The King’s Bride,” admitting that all her girlish dreams were embodied in it. In 1993, the writer herself would say: “Diana read only the books I wrote. Whatever you say, this is not the best choice.” American Mary Robertson, for whom Diana Spencer worked as a nanny shortly before the engagement, also recalled that she was extremely surprised by the girl’s limited literary tastes and even advised her to start reading The Times and the Daily Telegraph in order to be able to carry on conversations with Charles.
After it became obvious that Charles was bored in her presence, Diana made another strategic mistake (which is forgivable for a girl her age, but, alas, does not change the ending): she began to be jealous of her husband for his ex-lover. This greatly grounded Diana in Charles' eyes. And she, without understanding this, came up with new reasons for jealousy and new offensive nicknames for Camilla. One of them even remained in history - the Rottweiler. According to Diana, Camilla had a death grip on Charles, just like a dog of this guard breed does. It seems that the “Queen of Hearts” was never able to understand until the end of her life why she was always losing to her “older” and less attractive rival.
Allowed myself to be hysterical
Numerous memories of Diana and her own confessions made in BBC interview in 1995, clearly indicate that Lady Di had a hysterical personality type. For the first time, this manifested itself in all its glory when, being in the 3rd month of pregnancy (and Diana became pregnant almost immediately after the wedding), she faked a fall from the stairs. Of course, everything ended well, and the scared to death Charles spent the rest of Diana’s pregnancy blowing away specks of dust from her.
After giving birth, according to the princess herself, she again began to suffer from lack of attention, fell into postpartum depression, and then began to demonstratively inflict bodily harm on herself. True, they were just “demonstrative” ones, and not ones that could actually somehow harm her appearance. In an interview with the BBC, the Princess of Wales said she was perhaps "the first in the Royal Family to ever experience depression, or at least the first to allow herself to express it openly." Such regular “openness” repelled Charles and his family from her.
In addition to depression, Diana suffered from periodic eating disorders. She herself admitted that at the beginning of her marriage she suffered from bulimia for more than four years, which was associated with dissatisfaction with her figure and with nervous overstrain due to the pressures that had befallen her. life changes. Uncontrolled overeating, after which the princess went to the restroom to induce vomiting, also did not add romance to the marital relationship. Diana was sent for treatment more than once, however, as we know, this did not lead to anything, since the real problem lay in the self-centered nature of the young woman, in her insatiable thirst for the attention of others to her person and, most importantly, in her unwillingness to work on herself. In a country where the system of private psychotherapists and psychoanalysts was already well developed, Diana chose to reflect, feel sorry for herself and blackmail others with her antics. At first this frightened and upset Charles and Elizabeth, then the shock gave way to irritation and alienation. By 1985, the princess managed to completely distance herself from her husband. Charles remembered Camilla, and Diana remembered the red-haired riding instructor.
Cheated on the future King
England, which is proud of its history, still remembers the times when betrayal of one’s husband, the king, was equated with high treason. Of course, modern Windsors have come a long way from chopping off heads for the adultery of their spouses, and Charles is not yet a monarch. But in the royal family there is a taboo female infidelity written at the DNA level. Even if the husband himself goes to great lengths, the wife must remain a saint. Diana could not help but know how her affairs would turn out, given her status as the wife and mother of the heirs of the British monarchy. But she, apparently, preferred not to think about it. As well as the fact that the status of her lovers (grooms, drivers, officers) further humiliates both Charles and herself.
Biographers of the Princess of Wales counted 5 official and 6-8 unofficial lovers with whom Diana had relationships before and after her divorce from Charles. Prince Harry suffered the most for these novels, whom journalists declared to be a by-product of his mother’s love as soon as it became known about her long-term adultery with the red-haired officer and riding instructor James Hewitt. And after the memoirs of Diana’s former butler Paul Burrell, who claimed that Diana preferred not to use protection during her secret meetings with men, these rumors became completely unbearable. A simple DNA test could stop them, but the royal court will never agree to such a procedure. Perhaps, not least because the DNA of Charles and Harry may indeed not match, and no one knows what to do next in this case. Fortunately for Prince Harry, thanks to his older brother William and his wife Kate, he has already moved away enough from the throne for his true origins to concern only historians and those who like to delve into other people's dirty laundry. One more unofficial version, the DNA test has long been done secretly, and the relationship between Harry and Charles has been proven.
Stirred up the interest of the press
Television journalist Martin Bashir, during the famous scandalous interview, reminded Diana that she was often accused of artificially inflating interest in her person, shocking the press in the first years of her marriage to Charles. For example, she performed almost in a negligee on the stage of Covent Garden, paired with the famous ballet dancer Wayne Sleep. The number was a "gift" to Prince Charles for his birthday. However, in fact, Diana stole all the attention that the birthday boy should have enjoyed.
The second time this happened at a reception in the White House, where she danced rock and roll with John Travolta - the improvisation caused real hysteria among journalists and ordinary people, and Diana again eclipsed both her husband and the Reagan couple who hosted them. Before her appearance in the royal family, its other members, including young people, never caused such a stir, but, however, behaved much less emotionally. Even the rebellious Princess Margaret seemed to have fewer problems. Diana always denied the fact that she was playing for the public, but in reality she was flattered that she could become the first “celebrity” in the royal family. A previously inconspicuous girl with very modest tastes overnight turned into the wife of the crown prince and received unlimited access to the fashion collections of the best fashion designers in the world, and at the same time to the boxes with the family jewelry of Elizabeth II. Fashion became another passion of hers. Who else from royalty could you afford to wear red tights to an official event? Diana could. And this also made the front pages of newspapers.
The unhealthy interest of the press was also fueled by Diana’s talkative friends, whom (and this is most important) the princess herself allowed to talk about her difficult life in Kensington Palace. In the same 1995 interview, Lady Di admitted that her friends communicated with biographer Andrew Morton with her personal permission. The result of that communication was scandalous famous book"Diana. Her True Story,” published in 1992. Diana’s frank interview for the BBC television channel was just as provocative and exciting for all the “fried” hunters.
Gave a scandalous interview
On November 24, 1995, Diana gave an interview to the BBC. An hour-long conversation with Panorama presenter Martin Bashir had the effect of a bomb exploding. Diana honestly spoke about the problems that accompanied all 15 years of her marriage with Charles, admitted to bulimia, and several suicide attempts, and even to her own infidelities, which (and this showed between the lines) were a consequence of Charles’s infidelities. Diana was convinced that since she and Charles separated, she had become a “problem” for his circle, and then even called them “enemies” who set out to complicate her life, denigrate her and give trump cards to the Prince of Wales in the event divorce. "Do you think you will ever become Queen?" - "No. I don’t think so... I would prefer to become the queen of people’s hearts... I can’t imagine myself as the queen of this country. I don't think many people in this country would want me to become Queen. When I say “many,” I mean the establishment to which I belong...”
Against the backdrop of everything that was said about her husband and the royal family, it was strange to hear at the end of the program that Diana did not want to divorce Charles. However, after the program ended, it was no longer in her power. After such a public washing of dirty linen in public, there was no point in keeping the broken family boat afloat, at least the Queen did not see it. After a short time, Diana was called to Elizabeth II for a reception and the issue of divorce was resolved. By the way, this is how Diana received her fortune - 17 million British pounds at a time and another 700 thousand pounds of annual allowance for the maintenance of servants and that part of Kensington Palace in which she was allowed to stay as the mother of the heirs of the Crown.
According to the recollections of Diana's butler, Paul Burrell, until the last moment she doubted that she had done the right thing by agreeing to this interview. True, there is another theory. Diana could not help but understand that divorce would sooner or later become inevitable, and she wanted to tell people her version of why their marriage was destroyed. This was the revenge of a tired woman on her husband and his family. But the consequences of these revelations were more serious than she expected. Her sister and brother, who were close to members of the royal family, turned away from Diana, she was sharply condemned by her own grandmother and mother, and, finally, many doors that she had recently entered without problems no longer opened for her. Few were ready to lose the favor of the real Queen for the sake of love for the “queen of hearts.” And if Diana thought that her life became more complicated after she and Charles separated, then after the ill-fated broadcast this became her objective reality.
Was going to marry a Muslim
Even before the official divorce, Diana had an affair with Pakistani-born surgeon Hasnat Khan. According to friends and butler Paul Burrell, who organized their love affairs at Kensington Palace, Diana was so passionate that she seriously talked about the possibility of her changing her faith for the sake of a successful marriage. However, Hasnat believed that the princess was too in love with her star status and social life. The proposal never came, but when Diana's next Muslim lover appeared on the personal front, the Royal House became tense.
It was obvious that after the official divorce, Diana was nervous about her status and was actively searching. Dodi al-Fayed was not the man of her dreams, but he had his father’s billions behind him and the opportunity to continue to lead the “celebrity” lifestyle to which she was accustomed and which she lost through the efforts of the Queen. Her friends also say that Diana was not in love, but considered Dodi as a possible candidate for her next husband. In the summer of 1997, Diana took both sons with her to spend a vacation with them on the Cote d'Azur. And then photographs of the heirs of the British Crown in the company of Diana and her Muslim lover appeared in the press. Diana not only introduced the children to the potential “new dad”, but allowed them to communicate closely. Diana obviously did not even think about the fact that such contacts could compromise the boys. She was aimed at organizing her personal life and, it seems, once again forgot that she ceased to be an “ordinary woman” the moment she became the mother of the heirs of the Crown, and even a divorce from Charles could not change anything here.
Elizabeth and the Court were in a panic: given the influence that the unbalanced, shocking mother had on her sons, what would happen if Diana accepted the Muslim faith (which she herself accepted as a sacrifice for the sake of a successful marriage)? What would happen if William and Harry had Muslim half-siblings? And this is not a question of tolerance towards people of other religions, it is a matter of life and death for the monarchy, one of the pillars of which is Protestantism. In the summer of 1997, it became clear that Diana, in pursuit of arranging her personal life, was becoming dangerous for her own children. Princes William and Harry were destined for a different fate, and there was no way they could become the stepsons of a Muslim billionaire.
Whether Diana's death was a planned act or a tragic coincidence, her death certainly came as a great relief to the Royal Court. An eccentric, unstable, throwing herself from one extreme to another, playing to the public, the princess turned out to be a black sheep in their herd. And it is unknown how else her story could have ended if it had not ended in that Parisian tunnel.
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 devastating 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 in a scandalous interview with the BBC in 1995. The one in question was sitting at the TV at home at that moment and could not help but smile sarcasticly: 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?
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 met with a friend, psychotherapist James Colthurst: they left Kensington Palace for walks, armed with a voice recorder, he asked her questions on the Morton list, and she answered them in a detailed form. Sometimes, when the situation allowed, they communicated by phone, 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.”
In exploring the story of the most famous love triangle, Junor has done a truly magnificent 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 remained for Charles the only woman with whom he could honestly and without guile discuss the problems that had arisen.
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 (
Friday, November 24, 1995
BBC: Your Royal Highness, were you prepared for the pressure when you entered 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 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.
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: Can you say that initial stages Were you 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: Increased attention was not flattering, because with this attention came envy and various difficult situations.
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 did depression affect you? 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 newspaper headlines 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: You referred 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 in his arms more cards than mine - it was great 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 did my own research 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 entourage, 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.
BBC: Do you really think that jealousy undermined you?
Diana: More like fear when Strong woman does its job, where does its power 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 concern for 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 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 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.
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 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.
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 work. 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 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.
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 borrowed 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 what will provide later life to 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 sundry 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 three years. recent 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, the ones 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 this 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
