Princess Diana, dubbed as the People’s Princess, touched the lives of many. Through all the challenges that Diana faced, she had the support of both the press and the public, truly showing how close she was to the hearts of the masses. However, the image of the beloved princess were tarnished after rumors of a crazy affair came to light.
At the height of Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s marital issues in the early nineties — with the tabloids as the frontline of their war — a longtime friend of the couple, art dealer Oliver Hoare, came to their aid to hopefully mediate and settle their conflict. Unfortunately, his presence worsened the situation, leading to a four-year affair with the Princess of Wales.
“The Princess was instantly attracted to him … Diana later confessed to me that she had felt a little shy when, at Windsor, she shook his hand for the first time, and had blushed as she flirted with him,” wrote former royal protection officer Ken Wharfe in his book “Diana: Closely Guarded Secret.”
“She confided to me that he was the first man who had ever aroused her physically. That admission did much to explain the humiliating events that followed,” Wharfe added.
“Later they seemed not to notice (or care) what people saw,” wrote Patrick Jephson, Diana’s private secretary of eight years. In one instance, Hoare was caught “half-naked” and smoking outside the princess’ bedroom as Diana had banned him from smoking inside. Hoare’s chauffeur, Barry Hodge, even claimed that the two had a “love nest” in the nearby central London suburb of Pimlico, where they met three to four times a week.
Naturally, the relationship hit a roadblock, after Hoare’s wife, Diane de Waldner de Freundstein, found out about the affair. She was furious but still gave a shot at saving their marriage with the premise that Hoare would leave Diana. Things went out of hand after the split, leaving a love-crazed Diana to pine after the art dealer.
The Hoare residence’s phone would receive call after call. One particular phone call even left a stream of obscenities, which made Waldner de Freundstein no choice but to contact the police.
“Mr. Hoare went white as a sheet when he saw our report,” narrated an investigator. “He never imagined in his wildest dreams that Princess Diana could be making the calls.”
The whole report murked Diana’s image to the public, painting her as a crazed and troubled woman who was out to get other women’s husbands. Hoare remained mum about their affair, leaving too much questions after his passing last year. As everything has become a second-hand account, the true depth of their affair will remain a secret that can no longer be unearthed.
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