1 month ago
19 ARTICLE AD
Royalist Richard Kay has popped his head out to talk about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and of course, Princess Diana. Kay actually knew Diana and he was, for a brief moment, one of Diana’s go-to royal reporters. In recent years, Kay has gotten a lot of suspiciously lopsided briefings from Prince William’s inner circle AND Charles and Camilla’s inner circle. I braced myself for yet another royalist declaring that Princess Diana “would have wanted” Harry to stay in the institution and that Diana would be so disappointed in Harry alone. That isn’t what Kay said to the Mail, curiously enough. Here are some highlights from his interview with the Mail’s Palace Confidential:
Kay on Diana’s legacy and her sons: Kay, who was a very good friend of Princess Diana and would speak with her up to six times a day, said Harry and William have been fighting over her ‘legacy’. He told Palace Confidential: ‘[They’ve] been tussling over Diana’s legacy, they’ve been pulling apart Diana’s legacy, [and picking] which part suits them best. I think it’s a great tragedy. What I knew about Diana was, first and above all, was her love for her sons, that was clear to the whole world, she loved those boys. I think she would’ve been broken-hearted. The big question is, would it have still happened had Diana still been with us? My own view is that it probably wouldn’t have because she would’ve remained the pivotal figure in both their lives and prevented the fallout from happening.’
Diana would have been proud of William & Kate? Meanwhile, Kay said he believed Princess Diana – who died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 – would have been ‘proud’ of William and Kate for stepping into their places as Prince and Princess of Wales. ‘I think she would’ve been proud of William and Catherine and what a stylish edition they’ve made and how they’ve seamlessly stepped into hers and Charles’ shoes with a young family,’ he added.
Diana would have been jealous of Harry: But the royal expert also said that Diana would have been ‘hugely jealous’ of the fact that Prince Harry was able to ‘break away’ from The Firm. ‘You’ve got to remember, Diana was a radical, she was very unhappy, she was trapped within the royal system, she did try and break away, she couldn’t quite before her death. I think she would’ve been fiercely proud of the fact that Harry has chosen a life outside of the royal circle.’
I always hate these “what would have happened if Diana had lived” thought exercises. The answer is always: everything would have been different. Her sons would be fundamentally different people. Charles and Camilla’s relationship would be fundamentally different, and I’m not sure they would even be married. I’ve always thought that Diana would have seen through the Middletons right away. She probably also would have moved out of the UK once Harry turned 18 as well. One thing is for sure, Diana wouldn’t appreciate her memory being used for royalist fan-fiction to prop up the institution.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
FILE PHOTOS: As the 20th Anniversary of the death of Princess Diana approaches (31st August 2017), Cover Images take a look at these re-digitized images from the archives of celebrated British Photographer, Mauro Carraro. Approximate date of images is shown in caption below. August 1987 Princess Diana with Prince Harry on holiday with teh Spanish Royal family in Majorca,Image: 347670758, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: ***Not Available for Subscription Clients***Editorial Use Only. No stock, books, advertising or merchandising without photographer's permission***, Model Release: no
HRH PRINCESS OF WALES
(Visiting the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London)
COMPULSORY CREDIT: UPPA/Photoshot
Photo UKWT 011125/26 06.03.1996,Image: 502658732, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: World Rights – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction
– For queries call Photoshot Global HQ – London + 44 (0)20 7421 6000 , also New York Office Tel : + 1 646-429-8731 and Hamburg Office Tel +49 (0)40 530 240 5959, Model Release: no, Credit line: Photoshot / Avalon
Diana, Princess of Wales,Image: 514932301, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: John Shelley Collection / Avalon
HRH PRINCESS OF WALES (HRH Princess Diana). Seen at the VJ Day Celebrations. With Prince Harry, Prince William and Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales,Image: 526293424, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction
– For queries call London + 44 (0)20 7421 6000 , New York + 1 646-329-6242 or Hamburg + 49 (0)40 530 240 5959, Model Release: no, Credit line: RK / Avalon
PRINCESS DIANA OF WALES, LADY DI.
1996 WASHINGTON DC
PHOTO WAS ON THE COVER OF US NEWS MAGAZINE AND WAS THE BEST SELLING ISSUE IN 70 YEARS. .
LADY DI .
PORTRAIT.
RETRATO.
HEADSHOT,Image: 538725362, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: World rights – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 sales@avalon.red, Model Release: no, Credit line: Look Press Agency/Look Press / Avalon
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales, visit Australia 
Princess Diana in Tasmania 
The princess is wearing the Spencer family tiara and a dress by Bruce Oldfield. 
State Reception in Hobart,Image: 549283529, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: John Shelley Collection / Avalon
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales, visit West Wales
At Rhydyronen station on the Talyllyn Railway 

Diana’s coat dress is made of tan coloured checked wool with brown leather cuffs and collar and was designed by designer Arabella Pollen.,Image: 549311926, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: John Shelley Collection / Avalon
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales, visit Beach Head Cemetery in Anzio, Italy, to honour those killed in the Allied landings of January 1944.

Diana is wearing a dress by Catherine Walker,Image: 549498963, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: John Shelley Collection / Avalon
HRH King Charles III, Queen Camilla, William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Prince of Wales receive President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol during the state visit ceremonial welcome at Horse Guards Parade in London, UK, 21 November 2023,Image: 823428310, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock / Avalon
The Prince and Princess of Wales leave Buckingham Palace, central London, on day one of the President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol’s state visit to the UK.
Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales and William, Prince of Wales
Where: London, United Kingdom
When: 21 Nov 2023
Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages
**NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales, on holiday in Majorca, Spain, with their sons Prince William and Prince Harry. They are guests of King Juan Carlos of Spain and his wife Queen Sofia. They are staying at their holiday home, the Marivent Palace, which is situated just outside the capital city of Palma.
HRH PRINCESS OF WALES
(HRH Princess Diana).
With HRH PRINCE HARRY.
Seen at the VJ Day Celebrations.
COMPULSORY CREDIT: UPPA/Photoshot
Photo URK 010143/G-29 19.08.1995
