She’d have spoıled her grandchildren rotten

DICKIE ARBITER Former press secretary to Charles and Diana

‘I think she would have taken a great hand in the marriages of her sons. She would have loved being a grandmother and particularly would have doted on Charlotte because she always wanted a daughter and that wasn’t to be.

‘She was great with children and would have been an absolutely brilliant grandmother. She would have been there all the time, she would have spoiled them rotten.

‘She would have really latched on to Charlotte — George might have been the apple of her eye, but Charlotte would have been a bunch of apples. She would have been very hands-on with the grandchildren.

‘When the Duchess of Cambridge was interviewed about her garden for the Chelsea Flower Show recently, there were certain things she said and the way she said them that sounded just like Diana. For me, it was quite spooky. Diana was all for having a great time outdoors and that’s what Kate was saying.’

KEN WHARFE Former bodyguard

‘If you look back at Diana’s short life, she was primed to look after children. She was very hands-on with her friends’ children, Rosa Monckton’s particularly. It was something she was very good at. She would have been a doting grandmother like her own mother was.

‘Frances was affectionately nicknamed Supergran because she was a very lively person who you wanted to be with. Both adults and children found her entertaining. She would take the lead when we went to Scotland, organising what we were going to do. Frances used to say, “Come on you two, we’re going to do something you’ve probably never done before.” William and Kate with George, Louis and Charlotte te (inset) at this year’s Chelsea ea Flower Show. Below: Harry y and Meghan introduce Archie chie Then she’d take them down to the oyster beds near where she lived. She’d get them with their buckets and spades and off they would go into the water to pick up oysters. ‘They’d go and look at the sheep and identify trees and the beauty of the countryside. As a grandmother, the boys loved her, no question about it. She was physical, and so was Diana. ‘I don’t think Diana would have been any different as a grandmother. She’d have been reliving William’s and Harry’s childhoods through the grandchildren. ‘ She was a familyoriented person. Diana always wanted a daughter so she would have loved having a granddaughter. She would have gloried in the fact that her sons had healthy children and she would be able to enjoy them without any restraints.’

INGRID SEWARD Author and editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine

‘I think she would have been a fantastic grandmother. The Goddess Grandmother, definitely. I think she would have been a little bit wary of Kate’s mother though, she would’ve sized her up straight away.

‘And then I think she would have been very fond of Kate, because Kate does everything right and looks gorgeous. And I think she would have recognised how good Kate is for William, because William is emotional and difficult.’