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Princess Diana's love letters to Hewitt could go for auction in US, will they cause humiliation to Royals?

Princess Diana’s intimate love letters to James Hewitt are reportedly set to go on auction in the United States, prompting fears that they could be made public.

Published on: Mar 10, 2024, 21:28:29 IST
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Princess Diana’s intimate love letters to former Army officer James Hewitt are reportedly set to go for an auction in the United States, prompting fears that they could be made public.

Princess Diana and James Hewitt's letters are extremely intimate and they may cause humiliation and embarrassment to royals if made public. (AP )
Princess Diana and James Hewitt's letters are extremely intimate and they may cause humiliation and embarrassment to royals if made public. (AP )

According to The Sun, 64 notes, which were penned by Diana from 1989 to 1991, will be sold to a wealthy collector for up to $1million. The duo was in a five-year relationship until 1992.

Hewitt, 65, had previously offered the letters as collateral for a £500,000 loan.

Also Read: Prince William-Kate put their kids ahead of royal duties? ‘Princess Diana did…'

Will the release of letters cause any humiliation to Royals?

As per the report, these letters are extremely intimate and they may cause humiliation and embarrassment to Royals if made public. They both were in an affair when the late Princess was still married to King Charles. It is believed that they exchanged letters when Hewitt was serving in the Gulf War.

The author of the royal book 'My Mother and I', Ingrid Seward, stated, “James Hewitt has betrayed Diana in so many ways so this is just the final insult. I presume Hewitt desperately needs the money and he sees the value in these letters."

"It is unthinkable these notes for such a sensitive time in her life could become public," she added.

Last year in October, Heritage Auctions declined to sell the letters after being approached for the same. Another auction company was also reportedly approached, but it declined to appraise the letters.

However, Captain Hewitt's spokespersons have disputed that he intends to sell the letters claiming that he is just interested in assessing the documents, which were apparently written in Diana's distinctive script, according to The Sun.

Also Read: How Princess Diana would feel about her dress being sold for $1.1 million record

Diana publicly confessed her relationship with Hewitt

Diana and Hewitt met each other at a party hosted by her lady-in-waiting, Hazel West, in 1986. The Princess revealed about their connection in a 1995 BBC interview with Martin Bashir.

Yes, I adored him. Yes, I was in love with him. But I was very let down," she said.

The Princess took divorce from the then Prince Charles in 1996. Diana, her partner Dodi Fayed and their driver Henri Paul were killed in a car accident in Paris' Pont de l'Alma tunnel the following year.

After her demise, Hewitt agreed to keep the letters in a safe place in a settlement with the Spencer family's lawyers. He promised to never sell them, and destroy them after his death.

  • Shweta Kukreti
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Shweta Kukreti

    Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More