Princess Diana's intimate love letters hit the market for $1.5 million as critics slam ‘final insult’
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The allure of royal romance and the mystique of private confessions have always captivated the public imagination. Now, a rare opportunity emerges to peer into the secret world of one of the most beloved figures of the 20th century, Princess Diana.
The intimate letters that the late princess penned to her close confidant, James Hewitt, are being offered for sale, sparking both intrigue and controversy globally.
Hewitt, a former Army officer who reportedly had a clandestine five-year affair with the Princess, had previously used these letters as collateral to secure a hefty loan.
The 64 correspondences, written between 1989 and 1991, including the time Hewitt was serving in the Gulf War, offer an incredibly personal glimpse into the life of the princess during a charged period.
However, the potential public release and subsequent potential embarrassment for the royal family raise questions regarding public figures' private lives.
‘James Hewitt has betrayed Diana in so many ways, so this is just the final insult,’ said Ingrid Seward, author of the royal book My Mother and I.
‘I presume Hewitt desperately needs the money, and he sees the value in these letters,' she continued.
‘Diana was a prolific letter writer but none of this intimate nature. It is unthinkable these notes for such a sensitive time in her life could become public,’ Seward added.
The letters were initially offered for sale to Bonhams, a top London auction house, where experts valued them between $600,000 and $900,000.
However, the firm declined to undertake the sale, suggesting Hewitt seek a buyer in the US due to a likely larger pool of potential buyers and less contention surrounding the sale.
‘We believe that open market auction would almost certainly be the best way to achieve the best price,’ they said.
Ultimately, the US auction house Heritage, based in Dallas, Texas, and claiming to be the 'world's largest collectables auctioneer', was approached regarding the letters' sale.
‘Heritage Auctions was approached on behalf of a representative of James Hewitt solely to value and authenticate the letters for personal reasons and insurance purposes,’ a spokesman for Hewitt previously stated.
‘He has no intention to sell and is not soliciting offers to buy,’ he continued.
However, an email sent in January from the Chief of Heritage read: ‘After much discussion, it was decided that the best way forward to proceed was to work with a likely potential buyer they already have in mind for a private sale.’
‘They (the Heritage partners) feel this would remove the letters from appearing at public auction for a long time and remove us from any negative fallout.’
The email also discussed arrangements for insuring the material for $1 million USD or $1.5 million AUD.
Joe Maddalena, the Executive Vice President of Heritage Auctions, declined to comment about the sale.
‘I really don’t know what you’re talking about. I can’t comment on that,’ he said.
The letters' potential sale marks yet another episode in Hewitt's fraught relationship with the royal family and the princess’ memory.
It is not the first time that Hewitt has been accused of attempting to profit from the documents.
Two years after the Princess passed away, Hewitt made a deal with the Spencer family's lawyers, promising to never sell them and have them destroyed upon his death.
They were returned to him by the royal family after a national newspaper received them from one of his exes.
In 2000, Hewitt became embroiled in a newspaper sting, uncovering his proposition to sell the mementoes for $15 million.
Three years later, during a live CNN interview, he openly confessed his desire to sell the 64 letters exchanged between the couple for the right price.
During an appearance on a talk show, he asserted that the letters were ‘important historical documents’. He suggested that it might be ‘irresponsible’ not to sell them.
He praised their quality, describing them as ‘extremely well written’, and insisted there was no reason for shame.
It is important to note that the written words are copyrighted by Princess Diana's estate, which is managed by her sisters and other family members.
However, legal experts have stated that displaying copyrighted works in a museum or exhibition wouldn't breach any copyright laws, rather than publishing them.
Princess Diana met Hewitt at a party hosted by her lady-in-waiting, Hazel West, in 1986, and later confirmed the romantic nature of their relationship during her 1995 BBC interview.
In the interview, the Princess succinctly summed up her feelings and eventual sentiments towards Hewitt: 'Yes, I adored him. Yes, I was in love with him. But I was very let down.’
She finalised her divorce from Prince Charles in 1996, only to tragically perish the following year in a car accident in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris, accompanied by her companion Dodi al-Fayed and their driver, Henri Paul.
You can learn more about James Hewitt here:
Source: The List/YouTube
What are your thoughts on the sale of Princess Diana’s love letters? Share them in the comments below!
The intimate letters that the late princess penned to her close confidant, James Hewitt, are being offered for sale, sparking both intrigue and controversy globally.
Hewitt, a former Army officer who reportedly had a clandestine five-year affair with the Princess, had previously used these letters as collateral to secure a hefty loan.
The 64 correspondences, written between 1989 and 1991, including the time Hewitt was serving in the Gulf War, offer an incredibly personal glimpse into the life of the princess during a charged period.
Princess Diana’s love letters to James Hewitt are on sale in the US, according to reports. Image source: @tumiyukii/X (Twitter)
However, the potential public release and subsequent potential embarrassment for the royal family raise questions regarding public figures' private lives.
‘James Hewitt has betrayed Diana in so many ways, so this is just the final insult,’ said Ingrid Seward, author of the royal book My Mother and I.
‘I presume Hewitt desperately needs the money, and he sees the value in these letters,' she continued.
‘Diana was a prolific letter writer but none of this intimate nature. It is unthinkable these notes for such a sensitive time in her life could become public,’ Seward added.
The letters were initially offered for sale to Bonhams, a top London auction house, where experts valued them between $600,000 and $900,000.
However, the firm declined to undertake the sale, suggesting Hewitt seek a buyer in the US due to a likely larger pool of potential buyers and less contention surrounding the sale.
‘We believe that open market auction would almost certainly be the best way to achieve the best price,’ they said.
Ultimately, the US auction house Heritage, based in Dallas, Texas, and claiming to be the 'world's largest collectables auctioneer', was approached regarding the letters' sale.
‘Heritage Auctions was approached on behalf of a representative of James Hewitt solely to value and authenticate the letters for personal reasons and insurance purposes,’ a spokesman for Hewitt previously stated.
‘He has no intention to sell and is not soliciting offers to buy,’ he continued.
However, an email sent in January from the Chief of Heritage read: ‘After much discussion, it was decided that the best way forward to proceed was to work with a likely potential buyer they already have in mind for a private sale.’
‘They (the Heritage partners) feel this would remove the letters from appearing at public auction for a long time and remove us from any negative fallout.’
The email also discussed arrangements for insuring the material for $1 million USD or $1.5 million AUD.
Joe Maddalena, the Executive Vice President of Heritage Auctions, declined to comment about the sale.
‘I really don’t know what you’re talking about. I can’t comment on that,’ he said.
The letters' potential sale marks yet another episode in Hewitt's fraught relationship with the royal family and the princess’ memory.
It is not the first time that Hewitt has been accused of attempting to profit from the documents.
Two years after the Princess passed away, Hewitt made a deal with the Spencer family's lawyers, promising to never sell them and have them destroyed upon his death.
They were returned to him by the royal family after a national newspaper received them from one of his exes.
In 2000, Hewitt became embroiled in a newspaper sting, uncovering his proposition to sell the mementoes for $15 million.
Three years later, during a live CNN interview, he openly confessed his desire to sell the 64 letters exchanged between the couple for the right price.
During an appearance on a talk show, he asserted that the letters were ‘important historical documents’. He suggested that it might be ‘irresponsible’ not to sell them.
He praised their quality, describing them as ‘extremely well written’, and insisted there was no reason for shame.
It is important to note that the written words are copyrighted by Princess Diana's estate, which is managed by her sisters and other family members.
However, legal experts have stated that displaying copyrighted works in a museum or exhibition wouldn't breach any copyright laws, rather than publishing them.
Princess Diana met Hewitt at a party hosted by her lady-in-waiting, Hazel West, in 1986, and later confirmed the romantic nature of their relationship during her 1995 BBC interview.
In the interview, the Princess succinctly summed up her feelings and eventual sentiments towards Hewitt: 'Yes, I adored him. Yes, I was in love with him. But I was very let down.’
She finalised her divorce from Prince Charles in 1996, only to tragically perish the following year in a car accident in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris, accompanied by her companion Dodi al-Fayed and their driver, Henri Paul.
You can learn more about James Hewitt here:
Source: The List/YouTube
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Diana said in her interview that she was disappointed a so-called friend was making money because of her.
