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Princess Diana's secret night drives
Former royal press secretary claims Diana secretly drove to help sex workers and homeless.
In brief
Former royal press secretary claims Diana secretly drove to help sex workers and homeless. Princess Diana secretly drove around London at night to hand money to sex workers and check on homeless people, according to former royal press secretary Dickie Arbiter. Originally reported by Dailymail.
Princess Diana's secret missions
Princess Diana secretly drove around London alone at night handing out money to sex workers and checking how homeless people were coping.
“She would try to escape, telling her protection officer: 'I'm not going anywhere tonight. You can have the night off.'”
Dickie Arbiter's role
Former royal press secretary Dickie Arbiter worked closely with King Charles and Princess Diana from 1988 through their divorce.
“He worked closely with King Charles, then Prince of Wales, and Princess Diana from 1988, through their separation and divorce”
Diana's loneliness
Diana felt lonely and bored after leaving Kensington Palace at night with only a telephone to call friends.
“She had to give security her friends' names, addresses, car numbers, what time they were coming and when they were leaving”
Secret missions
Diana would slip out of palace to drive around Paddington to hand money to sex workers and check on homeless people.
“She would try to escape, telling her protection officer: 'I'm not going anywhere tonight. You can have the night off.'”
Arbiter's criticism
Arbiter called Earl Spencer's memoir 'boring' and said it was 'long on him and short on factual accuracy'.
“He said: 'It's just not in Charles's DNA to be the sort of person Spencer is portraying'”
Spencer's claims
Earl Spencer's book claims Charles sounded 'giddily elated' after Diana's death in Paris car crash.
“Spencer's book includes a string of explosive claims, most notably that Charles sounded 'giddily elated' when the pair spoke on the phone after Diana's death in a Paris car crash”
Buckingham Palace response
Buckingham Palace said grief can 'cloud reason' and 'colour memory' after Diana's death.
“Buckingham Palace hit back with a rare statement, saying grief can 'cloud reason' and 'colour memory'”
Arbiter's view on Charles
Arbiter said Charles was 'a wreck' the day Diana returned and was not 'like somebody who had won the lottery'.
“He got off that plane and I don't think I'd ever seen him that distraught since the death of his great uncle, Lord Mountbatten”
Arbiter's book
Arbiter's new book On Duty with the Royals covers 12 years as royal press secretary.
“Arbiter, 86, sat down with host Luke Blackall to mark the release of his new book, On Duty with the Royals: The Inside Story of the Modern Monarchy”
Diana's death
Princess Diana died in a Paris car crash in 1997, leading to Charles's funeral arrangements.
“He was in charge of the media operation for her funeral in 1997”
Arbiter's criticism of Spencer
Arbiter said Spencer's book had 'nothing new to say' after 30 years of similar stories.
“I wonder why people can't just let Diana rest in peace. We have had nearly 30 years of the same things being regurgitated. There's nothing new to say”
Charles's reaction
Charles was reportedly distraught when Diana died and did not 'win the lottery' as Spencer claimed.
“He got off that plane and I don't think I'd ever seen him that distraught since the death of his great uncle, Lord Mountbatten”
Diana's final days
Diana was reportedly lonely and bored after Diana's death in 1997.
“She would try to escape, telling her protection officer: 'I'm not going anywhere tonight. You can have the night off.'”
Arbiter's book release
Arbiter's book On Duty with the Royals is released with his 12 years of royal press experience.
“Arbiter, 86, sat down with host Luke Blackall to mark the release of his new book, On Duty with the Royals: The Inside Story of the Modern Monarchy”
Spencer's memoir
Earl Spencer's memoir Swan Song: Diana, My Sister claims Charles was 'giddily elated' after Diana's death.
“Spencer's book includes a string of explosive claims, most notably that Charles sounded 'giddily elated' when the pair spoke on the phone after Diana's death in a Paris car crash”
Diana's death impact
Diana's death in 1997 led to Charles's grief and the need for a royal funeral.
“He was in charge of the media operation for her funeral in 1997”
The headline
Princess Diana secretly drove around London at night to hand money to sex workers and check on homeless people, according to former royal press secretary Dickie Arbiter.