On the 27th death anniversary of Princess Diana, a royal insider has shared that King Charles was ‘shattered’ on learning that his ex-wife had died in a car accident.
The loved Princess of Wales passed away on 31 August 1997 at the age of 36-year-old while being chased by paparazzi in Paris. Her companion, Dodi Fayed, and their chauffeur, Henri Paul, also died in that crash.
The author of “The Day Diana Died,” Christopher Andersen told Fox News Digital that when Charles was first told over the phone that Diana had died, he, according to an eyewitness, “howled like a wounded animal”.
Later, Andersen said, Charles rushed from Balmoral Castle in Scotland to Paris to bring her back to England. “Charles nearly passed out when he first viewed her body,” he shared.
“A nurse who was standing in the room told me he reeled back and looked as if he had been ‘struck by an unseen force’. Considering how epic their marital battles had been, people were surprised at Charles’ reaction,” Andersen told Fox News.
Charles was devastated by Diana’s death, Andersen said, perhaps to a degree that surprised even him. “Charles was shattered.”
Andersen’s remarks followed the auction of a letter penned by a former friend of Prince Charles, which fetched $2,000. In the letter, Charles expressed the “unbearable emptiness” he experienced four months after Diana’s passing, as reported by the UK’s DailyMail.
Andersen noted that in Diana’s final months, the divorced Royal couple has finally put aside their differences for the sake of their sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.
“In the months before Diana’s death, she and Charles decided to put their bitterness behind them and become, in her words, ‘very best friends’,” Andersen explained.
A close confidant of Diana’s told the author that “her love for Charles never really died”.
“Diana even grudgingly admitted that the love and devotion Charles and [his mistress] Camilla had was something to be admired,” he said quoting the late Princess’ close confidant.
Behind the doors of the palace, Charles was “swept up in a whirlwind of emotion” after learning what happened to Diana, the most idolized woman in the world.
“Charles had to battle his mother, the queen, and the entire establishment of the monarchy to ensure that Diana was given the kind of funeral she deserved,” the Royal author shared.
Princess Diana was honored with a ceremonial funeral attended by 2,000 individuals. The event was viewed by more than 2 billion people across the globe.