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When Terence Stamp opened up about his unique bond with Princess Diana: Cup of tea, long chats and ‘sadness in her’
Terence Stamp, who gained fame as General Zod in the Superman films, has died at 87. Here's all we know about his personal connection with Princess Diana.
Terence Stamp, who portrayed the arch-enemy General Zod in Superman movies, died at the age of 87. The Oscar-nominated actor is known for his stunning performances in several movies, including The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Far From the Madding Crowd, and Valkyrie during the course of a six-decade career.
In a statement given to the Reuters news agency, his family said: “He leaves behind an extraordinary body of work, both as an actor and a writer that will continue to touch people for years to come.”
Stamp's terrifying portrayal of a psycho holding a young woman (Samantha Eggar) hostage in William Wyler's The Collector (1965) earned him the Cannes Film Festival's best actor prize. He then had a successful comeback as the Kryptonian megalomaniac General Zod in Superman (1978) and Superman II (1980).
Stamp tied the knot with Elizabeth O'Rourke after meeting her in an Australian pharmacy. The pair got married when she was 29 and he was 64, but they broke their marriage six years later.
Terence Stamp's bond with Princess Diana
According to the Daily Mail, Terence Stamp's bond with the late Princess Diana is reportedly lesser known.
Regarding his acquaintance with a young Princess Diana, he stated, “We got on amazingly well... I saw the sadness in her because she’d gone into a marriage believing – she was a believer in marriage. And it didn’t turn out the way she expected it to.”
“The relationship came about because my friend Oliver Hoare, the art dealer, knew her,” he continued. “I said, ‘I’d love to have a proper chat with her, why don’t you ask her if she’s up for it?’ He asked and she said yes. We got on amazingly well.”
Stamp maintained that he and Diana maintained a totally personal friendship despite his fame. “It wasn’t like that. I thought that was the last thing she needed really. She just wanted somebody to talk to that was a guy, who would give her objective opinions. And because of that we just kind of opened up to each other.”
He went on to highlight that the level of their friendship was so strong that he would prepare food for Princess's dinner. “It wasn’t a formal thing, we’d just meet up for a cup of tea, or sometimes we’d have a long chat for an hour, sometimes it would be very quick,” he stated, adding that he enjoyed the time he spent with her.
