Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Princess Diana threatened to have Camilla Parker Bowles killed in late night phone call, new biography alleges

'They’re outside in the garden. Look out of the window; can you see them?'

Henry Austin
Tuesday 27 June 2017 14:53 BST
Comments
Princess Diana in March 1996
Princess Diana in March 1996 (AFP/Getty Images)

A paranoid Princess Diana claimed she had “someone to kill you” in late night phone calls to Camilla Parker Bowles, according to the new biography about the Duchess of Cornwall.

"Without saying who was calling, she’d typically say: 'I’ve sent someone to kill you. They’re outside in the garden. Look out of the window; can you see them?'", author Penny Junor claims in her new book, The Duchess: The Untold Story.

The Princess is also said to have once left a note for private secretary Patrick Jephson a note which read: "We know where you are, and so does your wife [sic]. I know you’re being disloyal to me.”

Documenting the relationship, between Prince Charles and the Duchess, the book claims that Camilla initially liked Diana and the pair formed a genuine friendship.

But in the months leading up to the royal wedding, Diana became jealous of their former relationship. After they were married, the Duchess reportedly kept her distance, avoiding events that would be attended by the Prince and Princess of Wales.

But a series of incidents helped to fuel Diana’s suspicions about their relationship. The princess revealed to biographer Andrew Morton that on one occasion a photograph of Camilla fell out of the future king’s diary.

Wearing gold cufflinks engraved with interwoven Cs to a formal dinner, also encouraged her jealousy.

Eventually, in 1994, Prince Charles admitted to his adultery with Camilla for the first time – prompting her husband, Andrew Parker Bowles, to file for divorce.

The following year Diana admitted to BBC reporter Martin Bashir that she had also embarked on adulterous affair with her riding instructor, James Hewitt.

But speaking of her hurt over Prince Charles’ affair with Camilla, she famously said: "There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded."

The pair eventually divorced in 1996, but on the advice of lawyers, the future king issued a statement saying he had "no intention of remarrying".

According to Ms Junor's book, Camilla felt humiliated, like “she was being publicly consigned to a box labelled 'mistress'”.

The pair continued to see each other in secret.

But the following Diana died a Paris underpass, alongside Dodi Fayed.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in