How Princess Diana Protected Prince William From The Press After Prince Charles Divorce

In any separation, the children are the usual casualties, and the royal family was not spared from this fact. Accounts have now been surfacing that Princess Diana went through lengths to spare her children, William and Harry, from unsolicited media attention.

She and Prince Charles didn’t divorce until 1996, but they have officially separated in 1992. Things were escalating as a series of recordings and tapes leaked that further fueled speculations of extramarital affairs on both sides, which prompted the need to protect their children from the ruckus.

Mr. Beban, a former worker at the E Bar L Ranch near Missoula, Montana, revealed to ABC News that Diana took 10-year-old William there for a secret summer trip. Since the elder prince was at a more vulnerable and impressionable age, he was considered the one who needed shielding.

“Every excruciating moment was playing out in the glare of the paparazzi’s camera flashes,” Beban said. “In a plot to get him as far away as possible from the media circus, Diana arranged for William to take a secret vacation to the E Bar L Ranch near Missoula, Montana.”

The then 21-year-old staff shared how they were all gathered for a special meeting to announce the arrival of their special guest, Prince William. Everyone was instructed to act natural, respect his privacy and simply let him enjoy the simple pleasures of the ranch — fishing, shooting and making friends.

“Right! Act natural with the heir to the British throne. No problem! Well, we’d do our best, whatever that meant,” Beban quipped. “As far as the ranch staff and the other guests were concerned, he was just a boy, just William. Not Your Majesty, not Your Highness. William, or even just Will.”

And enjoyed he did. While the boy was initially shy, he settled in right away. Like the rest of them, Prince William wore his cowboy hat, tipped back on his forehead. In return, he injected a bit of royalty by helping arrange the ranch’s first game of cricket, complimented with some tea and cucumber sandwiches. Now that’s the kind of vacation everyone needs.