It's 25 years on from the tragic event that cost Diana her life and this book by Inspector Ken Wharfe MVO and Ros Coward with Linda Watson-Brown is a remarkable work.
Inspector Wharfe worked very closely with Diana, Princess of Wales because he was her personal protection officer who was personally responsible for the round-the-clock security both within the UK and also abroad for six years from 1978 until 1993.
His own memoir Diana; Closely Guarded Secret was a smash bestseller when it was first published and also subsequently when it was re-published in an updated and revised edition in 2016.
Ros Coward is a journalist and author of many popular books on a wide variety of topics. She was specially selected by the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund and the estate to write Diana: The Portrait, which was published in 2004 and consisted of a staggering 400+ interviews all with people who knew Diana well.
This book paints a picture of a woman who was dedicated to her charity work, who felt betrayed and let down by the entourage who surrounded her husband Prince Charles.
However, the book also reveals a somewhat capricious, stubborn and very wilful woman who would often do whatever she wanted and damn the consequences. Including deliberately goading and upsetting Prince William whilst he was in goal for his school football game. Even though Wharfe had advised against this when she had told him what she planned to do.
Her behaviour, he noted was becoming more and more erratic and a danger to herself. And he took the logical decision to cease working as her protection officer.
He points out that she took the decision to totally withdraw from having any official police security cover within weeks of that time. A flawed decision that many, including Wharfe, believe ultimately brought about her own death.
The Diana we see in this book is an interesting and intriguing person who was capable of great kindness, for example, in regards to her charity work, but who was also capable of acts of great cruelty, especially when that was totally uncalled for and when it really mattered on a personal and family context. What mother, for example, would deliberately try to tease and upset her own child in front of his fellow team members and schoolfriends whilst he was taking part in a football game?
The fact that Diana's name is linked to "The Diana Princess of Wales Anti-bullying Awards" yet she was seen, in public, actually bullying her own son and witnessed doing so by her police personal protection officer (who criticised her to her face for doing so) is something of a conundrum. But there were many conundrums about Diana.
If you want to learn more about Diana, Princess of Wales this book, published by Bonnier Books (www.bonnierbooks.co.uk) at £20 in hardback, this book is an ideal book for you.
However, you might learn some things that you'd rather not know. But that's entirely up to you!
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