THE DIANA TAPES

In her own soul-baring words, what she REALLY thought about Charles, Camilla and the royals

IN 1991, few people knew the truth about Princess Diana’s marriage: that it was falling apart... and that Charles had rekindled his relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles. Devastated, she decided to make her side of the story public by recording her thoughts for author Andrew Morton via a go-between. Her one condition: that her involvement be kept a strict secret. The book he wrote — Diana: Her True Story — caused a sensation.

Now, 20 years after her death, it is being republished, with transcripts of those tapes. Our first extract begins with her meeting Charles at her home, Althorp House in Northamptonshire, in November 1977, when she was just 16. He was 29 — and at the time dating her sister Sarah, 22 . . .

Charles came to Althorp to stay, and the first impact was: ‘God, what a sad man.’ He came with his labrador. My sister Sarah was all over him like a bad rash, and I thought: ‘God, he must really hate that.’ I kept out of the way. I remember being a fat, podgy, no make-up, unsmart lady but I made a lot of noise, and he liked that. And he came up to me after dinner and we had a big dance, and he said: ‘Will you show me the gallery?’ (The 115ft-long Picture Gallery contained Van Dyck’s War And Peace, among other paintings).

And I was just about to show him the gallery and Sarah comes up and tells me to push off. I said: ‘At least let me tell you where the switches are to the gallery, because you won’t know where they are,’ and I disappeared.

And he was charm himself. And when I stood next to him the next day, a 16-year-old, for someone like that to show you any attention — I was just so sort of amazed. ‘Why would anyone like him be interested in me?’ And it was interest.

That was it for about two years. I saw him off and on with Sarah (whose relationship with Charles ended after nine months). When he had his 30th birthday dance (at which The Three Degrees performed, in November 1978 at Buckingham Palace) I was asked, too.

‘Why is Diana coming as well?’ my sister asked. I said: ‘Well, I don’t know, but I’d like to come.’ I had a very nice time at the dance — fascinating. I wasn’t at all intimidated by the surroundings. I thought: amazing place. Then I was asked to stay at the de Passes (friends of Prince Philip) in July 1980 by Philip de Pass, who is the son.

‘Would you like to come and stay for a couple of nights down at Petworth (in West Sussex), because we’ve got the Prince of Wales staying. You’re a young blood — you might amuse him.’ So I said: ‘OK.’ Charles came in. He was all over me again, and it was very strange.

I thought: ‘Well, this isn’t very cool.’ I thought men were supposed not to be so obvious; I thought this was very odd.

The first night, we sat down on a hay bale at the barbecue at this house, and he’d just finished with Anna Wallace (the daughter of a Scottish landowner, known — on account of her fiery temper — as Whiplash Wallace, with whom he had a stormy, six-month relationship).

I said: ‘ You looked so sad when you walked up the aisle at Lord Mountbatten’s funeral (Charles’s beloved great-uncle had been killed in County Sligo, Ireland, the year before, in August 1979, by an IRA bomb on his boat).

‘It was the most tragic thing I’ve ever seen. My heart bled for you when I watched. I thought: “It’s wrong, you’re lonely — you should be with somebody to look after you.” ’

The next minute, he leapt on me practically, and I thought this was very strange, too, and I wasn’t quite sure how to cope with all this. Frigid wasn’t the word. Big F, when it comes to that.

We talked about lots of things, and anyway that was it. He said: ‘You must come to London with me tomorrow. I’ve got to work at Buckingham Palace — you must come to work with me.’ I thought this was too much. I said: ‘No, I can’t.’

I thought: ‘ How will I explain my presence at Buckingham Palace when I’m supposed to be staying with Philip (de Pass)?’ Then (two weeks later, in early August) he asked me to Cowes on Britannia (the royal yacht), and he had lots of older friends there and I was very intimidated.

But they were all over me like a bad rash. I felt very strange about the whole thing.

Then I went to stay with my sister Jane at Balmoral (for the weekend of the Braemar Games in early September) where Robert (Fellowes, sister Jane’s husband) was assistant private secretary (to the Queen).

I was terrified, because I had never stayed at Balmoral and I wanted to get it right. The anticipation was worse than actually being there. You’re all right once you get in through the front door. I had a normal single bed! I’m just telling you.

I have always done my own packing and unpacking. Now, obviously, I don’t — I haven’t got the time. But I was always appalled that Charles takes 22 pieces of hand luggage with him. That’s before all the other stuff. I always have four or five. I felt rather embarrassed.

Mr and Mrs Parker Bowles were there at all my visits. I was the youngest there by a long way. Charles used to ring me up and say: ‘Would you like to come for a walk, come for a barbecue?’ So I said: ‘Yes, please.’ I thought this was all wonderful.

CHIEF CHICK — AND A GIRL ABOUT TOWN

When Diana turned 18, her parents bought her a three-bedroom flat in South Kensington as a lavish coming-of-age present. She shared it with three girlfriends — Virginia Pitman, Carolyn Bartholomew and Ann Bolton. On her bedroom door were emblazoned the words Chief Chick. She also worked as a nanny and in a kindergarten. IT WAS nice being in a flat with the girls. I loved that — it was great. I laughed my head off there. I kept myself to myself. I wasn’t interested in having a full diary. I loved being on my own, as I do now — a great treat.

They (her nannying jobs) were often pretty grim employers — velvet hairbands. I was sent out to all sorts of people from my sisters — their friends were producing rapidly. They sent me out the whole time — it was bliss.

Solve Your Problems (employment agency) sent me on cleaning missions, but nobody ever thanked me for it. But that was just a fill-in on Tuesdays and Thursdays, because Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I worked in a kindergarten. So I had two jobs, which was great.

I did a cookery course in Wimbledon with Mrs Russell. She’s French. I quite