Private letters reveal what Prince Philip thought of Princess Diana
The news of Princess Diana and Prince Charles filing for divorce shocked the world, and now, what Prince Philip thought of the matter has been revealed.
Following the controversial interview of Princess Diana with Martin Bashir in 1995, in which she said there were “three people” in her marriage, the Queen advised the couple to divorce.
According to The Sun, Diana admitted to the late singer George Michael that the breakup was “grim” and the royal family was “not very loving".
But years after those events transpired, unreleased letters between Princess Diana and Prince Philip show that the Duke of Edinburgh took his daughter-in-law’s side when things “got messy” between the couple.
In a letter dating back to 1992, after her separation from Prince Charles, Philip told Diana that he and his wife, the Queen, disapprove of their son’s love life.
He allegedly wrote: “Charles was silly to risk everything with Camilla for a man in his position.
“We never dreamt he might feel like leaving you for her. I cannot imagine anyone in their right mind leaving you for Camilla. Such a prospect never even entered our heads.”
The letter was signed off, “with fondest love, Pa.”
He also allegedly expressed his support for his daughter-in-law and offered to act as a mediator between her and Charles while they fought through the bitter divorce.
“I can only repeat what I’ve said before if invited, I will always do my utmost to help you and Charles to the best of my ability,” he reportedly wrote.
“But I am quite ready to concede that I have no talent as a marriage counsellor.”
But despite all of this, Prince Philip made it clear that he would not support Diana being a part of new relationships of her own, writing: “We do not approve of either of you having lovers.”
According to reports, it is also claimed that he asked the Princess to look “honestly” into her heart and ask whether “Charles’s relationship with Camilla had nothing to do with your behaviour towards him in your marriage?”
According to Princess Diana’s former private secretary, Patrick Jephson, her in-law’s support meant a lot to her.
“Here at last was written proof that this was acknowledged, recognised, and there was sympathy for her,” he said.