Princess Diana and Princess Charles both had affairs throughout their marriage from 1981 to 1996. Their extramarital activities have also become the source of water-cooler gossip once again due to the most recent season of “The Crown,” which detailed some of the different romances Diana had at Kensington Palace while Charles was away in Gloucestershire at his Highgrove House, which was a stone’s throw from his longtime love, Camilla Parker-Bowles’ estate.
So here’s the breakdown of affairs that were hinted about on “The Crown” or alleged through the years…
Camilla Parker Bowles:
Prince Charles dated in the 1970s, but reportedly called things off when they married other people. Camilla had two children with her husband, Tom, and Charles had two children, Prince William and Prince Harry, with Diana. According to People, Charles and Camilla picked up their physical relationship in 1986 and Diana confronted Camilla at a party in 1992 saying she knew about their affair. Charles and Camilla continued their affair for the rest of the Prince and Princess of Wales’ relationship, which ended in 1996. Camilla’s own marriage ended in 1997.
Barry Mannakee:
During this season of “The Crown,” Princess Anne (Erin Doherty) joked to the Queen about how Diana had been cavorting about with her bodyguard. In real life, it sounds like it was a little more serious for Di, who called Barry Mannakee, one of her great loves. Barry was dismissed from Diana’s security detail and later died in a motorcycle accident. According to OprahMag.com, Diana privately recorded messages with her voice coach, Peter Settelen, and following her death the tapes were released. In the tapes, Diana described someone as her “greatest love” and references that this great love was killed – which out of Diana’s lovers, he’s the only one who suffered that fate. “I was only happy when he was around. … I was like a little girl in front of him the whole time,” she said in the tapes. “He was [the] greatest fella I’ve ever had.” Diana also hinted that Barry’s dismissal and subsequent death could have been planned, although that was never confirmed.
James Hewitt:
James Hewitt is mentioned frequently in this season of “The Crown,” with the cavalry officer and debonaire polo player. In more recent years, Hewitt’s striking resemblance to Prince Harry made many people believe that Diana’s affair with him may have started earlier than people thought – but according to most reports, Diana and Hewitt’s affair was from 1986 to 1991. Harry was born in 1984. Also, as detailed in this season of “The Crown,” Diana called things off with Hewitt in 1992 and did stop taking his calls in an effort to keep her marriage. Hewitt later said he “he fell in love” with the Princess. She later said in a BBC interview that she was “in love with him” too but she was ultimately “let down.”
RELATED: Camilla Parker-Bowles: The Crown vs. Real Life
James Gilbey:
James Gilbey has always maintained that he was just a friend of Diana’s but there was one phone call that leaked in 1989 known as “Squidgygate,” where the two seemingly got into a naughty exchange. Gilbey alluded to some NSFW activities and asked Diana to kiss him. Tsk. Tsk.
Oliver Hoare:
While this alleged affair was never confirmed and supposedly happened in 1992 after Diana and Charles announced their separation, it is an interesting one because Oliver was apparently pretty good friends with Charles. Hmm.
After Their Divorce:
Diana went on to have several more romances before her tragic death on August 31, 1997. Most notably she was linked to cardiac surgeon, Dr. Hasnat Ahmad Khan, and it is often alleged that he was her greatest love. The Princess of Wales also dated Egyptian billionaire Emad “Dodi” Fayed. Dodi and Diana were riding in a Mercedes-Benz in Paris at the time of their deaths. They had just returned to Paris from a 10-day getaway on the French Riviera.
Charles, of course, went on to marry Camilla Parker-Bowles. The two wed in a civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall, on April 9, 2005, and Camilla has assumed the title of Duchess of Cornwall. The pair have become happy grandparents to William’s children, George, Charlotte and Louis, and are also grandparents to Harry’s son, Archie. Camilla also is grandmother to Eliza Lopes, Gus Lopes, Louis Lopes, Lola Parker Bowles, Freddy Parker Bowles.
PHOTOS: Princess Diana’s Life in Photos
Copyright © 2024 by NBC Universal, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be republished, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.