Princess Diana's candid letters reveal regret over 'consenting' to divorce
Previously unseen letters written by Princess Diana have given a candid inside look at her separation from then-Prince Charles.
Charles and Diana were married from July 1981 until 1996; their decree nisi was granted on 15 July and the divorce was finalised on 28 August.
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They welcomed two children together, Prince William and Prince Harry, but their separation was far from amicable.
Diana's heartache and despair is apparent in her handwritten letters to friends Susie and Tarek Kassem. The couple told the Daily Mail they decided to sell the letters because "owning the documents is a great responsibility" that they did not wish to pass on to their children.
Charles and Diana ended their marriage in 1996
There are 32 letters and cards up for sale; the Kassems have kept some of their more personal and confidential letters. The letters will be sold individually and the proceeds will be donated to charities Diana supported.
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In one dated 20 May 1996, Diana wrote: "If I'd known a year ago what I'd experience going through this divorce I never would have consented. It's desperate and ugly."
The couple with their sons, Prince Harry and Prince William
Another note, penned in April 1996, she spoke about her decision to cancel a trip to the opera due to the strain of her separation.
Diana wrote: "I am having a very difficult time and pressure is serious and coming from all sides.
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"It's too difficult sometimes to keep one's head up and today I am on my knees and just longing for this divorce to go through as the possible cost is tremendous."
Diana spoke about her marriage during her infamous interview with Martin Bashir
Prior to her divorce from Charles, Diana spoke about their separation during her now-infamous interview on Panorama with Martin Bashir in 1995.
He asked the royal: "Would it be your wish to divorce?" "No, it is not my wish," she replied.
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Following the interview, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the Queen had decided to intervene.
The Queen decided to intervene and urged the couple to divorce
"After considering the present situation, the Queen wrote to both the Prince and Princess earlier this week and gave them her view, supported by the Duke of Edinburgh, that an early divorce is desirable. The Prince of Wales also takes this view and has made this known to the Princess of Wales since the letter," the Palace said in a statement on December 21, 1995.
"The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will continue to do all they can to help and support the Prince and Princess of Wales, and most particularly their children, in this difficult period."
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