Princess Diana and Prince William's 'shared concern over Harry' revealed in last phone call before her death
Mother and son spoke mere hours before her death, according to a book
Princess Diana and her eldest son, Prince William, each shared their concerns over Prince Harry before she died, according to a royal author.
The former Princess of Wales died in August 1997 at the age of 36. Prince William and Prince Harry were 15 and 12, respectively, when their mother died following a car accident in Paris.
However, mere hours before her death, Princess Diana reportedly spoke with Prince William, who reportedly felt “worried” about his younger sibling.
Princess Diana ‘deal’ concerning Prince William and Prince Harry
As reported by the Daily Mail, Princess Diana called her first-born child after checking into the Ritz Hotel in Paris hours before her death, for what proved to be a fateful stay in the French capital.
Andrew Morton, who wrote a biography on Diana, claimed that Prince William had news to share with his mother concerning his schooling. And another royal correspondent believes Princess Diana reacted to this update with “dismay”.
That may be because, in part, it seemed to have ramifications for an alleged deal between royalty and the press.
Prince William request
According to Morton’s book, Diana: Her True Story – In Her Own Words, Prince William told his mother he’d been asked participate in a photo call at Eton College to mark the start of his third year at the school.
Morton claimed that this was part of an arrangement between Buckingham Palace and journalists.
He said in the book: “In return for leaving the young princes in peace, the media would be given occasional official photo opportunities.”
However, there were worries that the representation of Prince William and Prince Harry might be unequal.
Princess Diana and Prince William ‘shared Harry concern’
Morton continued: “William was worried that there was a danger this his younger brother, Prince Harry, was being overshadowed. It was a concern shared by Diana.”
Princess Diana doubtless pondered on this conversation, her last with her eldest son.
The author went on to detail: “As she had her hair done at the Ritz, she doubtless pondered on this conversation, her last with her eldest son.’
Princess Diana’s ‘other phone call before she died’
Additionally, Princess Diana also reportedly spoke to journalist Richard Kay on the phone in the hours before her death.
He claimed that she was due back in London that night. However, bad weather delayed her travel plans for a day.
As reported by the Daily Mail, Kay recalled in 2017: “The delay meant she would not arrive back at Kensington Palace until Sunday. William and Harry were due to join her after their three-and-a-half weeks with Prince Charles and the royals at Balmoral.
“Without doubt, she would have been utterly baffled at the criticism earlier this summer that somehow she had abandoned the boys to go off with Dodi [Fayed, who also lost his life after the Paris crash]. It had been carefully arranged that they would spend part of the summer with their father and an equal amount of time with her.”
Read more: Inside Princess Diana’s ‘lonely’ last Christmas away from Prince William and Harry
He also made mention of Princess Diana’s “dismay” that Prince William was expected to undergo the Eton photo call without his brother.
Kay reflected: “Diana had established that, wherever possible, the boys should share the spotlight. It was a deal that Charles faithfully kept to throughout the following years.”
Royal Insider has contacted representatives for the Prince of Wales for comment.
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