Princess Diana’s ex-lover James Hewitt recently revealed how a near-death experience made him change the course of his life. The former army officer revealed how his getting a stroke led to traveling to Ukraine to help in humanitarian efforts.
James Hewitt was a cavalry officer in the British Army. When he was twenty years old, he joined the Brigade of Guards. He has also fought in the Gulf War, where he was responsible for commanding 14 Challenger tanks.
The former officer was put in the spotlight in the mid-1990s after his link with Princess Diana was revealed. Back then, he admitted to having an affair with the now late royal while alleging that the two were romantically involved when Diana was married to Charles.
The two first met when Diana’s lady-in-waiting, Hazel West, was hosting a party. Hewitt was appointed as the Princess’ horse riding instructor soon after. The duo got romantically involved soon after. The former army officer confessed to the affair in his tell-all memoir, Princess in Love.
Their relationship eventually faced conflict when Hewitt’s work demanded he leave the UK in the 1980s. Diana even confessed to the affair in her infamous BBC Panorama interview. “Yes, I adored him. Yes, I was in love with him,” the royal shared.
He recently revealed how having a stroke and almost losing his life made him want to turn his efforts towards humanitarianism. For the past three years, Hewitt has been working with Operation SafeDrop in the war-affected regions of Ukraine.
He revealed how watching Russia invade Ukraine in 2022 was what set his decision into motion. “I could quite clearly see what was good and what was evil,” the former army officer shared. Hewitt shared how he decided to “try to help” rather than “shout at the television.”
According to Operation SafeDrop’s official website, the organization has three aims. “Source and deliver” humanitarian aid to the regions affected by war. “Extract” people from unsafe locations and the frontline. Repair homes, schools, and community hubs.
In an interview with The Sun, Hewitt spoke about his health struggles that eventually changed his life. “I had a stroke, a septic embolism. It paralyzed my left-hand side,” he shared.
James Hewitt: Princess Diana would try to get Harry & William ‘together’ https://t.co/POZDQrzC7U pic.twitter.com/fme4VkTHTE
— Kaiser@Celebitchy (@KaiseratCB) February 26, 2025
He also had to undergo heart surgery during that time. The former officer shared how his doctors shared that his chance of survival was a “touch and go.” Hewitt recalled feeling “sort of resigned to the fact that my time had come” when he was made aware of how the situation had gotten.
The 66-year-old shared how his health scare came as an awakening. In that moment he realized he wanted to help others. “I thought if I could get myself back on my feet, who knows what I could do,” Hewitt told the publication.
