As the world commemorates the 27th anniversary of Princess Diana’s tragic death, her former bodyguard, Ken Wharfe, offers a poignant reflection on how the late princess might have come to terms with the relationship between King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Ken Wharfe, who served as Diana’s Royal bodyguard during the 1980s, believes that, had she lived, Diana would have eventually “accepted” the marriage between her ex-husband, Charles, and Camilla Parker Bowles, now Queen Consort. His insights provide a unique perspective on Diana’s emotional journey and her complex relationship with the royal couple, reported by Birmingham Live.
In a recent interview with The Mirror, Wharfe shared his thoughts on the matter, drawing from his close experiences with Diana. “Part of Diana’s struggle was her naive hope that the relationship with Camilla would eventually fade,” Wharfe explained. Despite this hope, he acknowledged that Camilla was always a part of the royal landscape, even during his time protecting Diana. “But let’s be honest, Camilla was always present. Even during my time with Diana, Camilla was a constant topic of conversation,” he recalled.
Diana’s candidness with Wharfe about her feelings and the state of her marriage with Charles was something he vividly remembered. “Diana felt the need to give me the full picture of their relationship. At the time, I questioned it, but listening to her helped me understand her better. She truly believed the affair would end. There’s no doubt she loved Charles, and she told me that repeatedly,” he said.
Princess Diana’s life was tragically cut short at the age of 36 in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997. This was five years after she had separated from Charles, with their divorce finalized in 1996. Two years after her death, Charles and Camilla made their relationship public, a development that many speculate would have deeply affected Diana had she been alive.
Reflecting on Diana’s famous interview with Martin Bashir, where she famously stated, “There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded,” Wharfe believes that while Diana and Charles would not have reconciled, she would have eventually found peace with their situation. “In life, you move on, change, and mellow with time. I’m sure Diana would have done the same. She had a remarkable ability to adapt,” he noted.
As time has passed, Wharfe believes that Diana would have healed from her anger and found acceptance. “Time heals, and Diana was angry at many things—Charles, her circumstances, Camilla—but as the years passed, I believe she would have found acceptance,” he concluded, offering a heartfelt reflection on what could have been.