Prince Charles’ One Admission to Diana Will Change What You Think of the Monarch: “I Refuse to Be…”

The turbulent marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana has long been the subject of public fascination. In the aftermath of the divorce that followed, and Diana’s tragic passing in Paris, Charles’ public image was completely fractured. While the Prince spent years re-building the same before ascending to the throne, a look back at one candid admission he made at the height of his messy marriage might change how we view the monarch today.

In private recordings made during her voice coaching sessions between 1992 and 1993, Diana revealed that when she confronted Charles about his ongoing relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles , he dismissed her concerns with a startling remark. He allegedly said, “’Well, I refuse to be the only Prince of Wales who never had a mistress.’”

The remark, according to Diana’s account, came as their marriage continued to unravel. The Princess disclosed that their intimate relationship had all but ceased by the mid-1980s, shortly after the birth of their second son, Prince Harry . “Once every three weeks…and then it fizzled out,” Diana disclosed. The situation was further compounded by the alleged influence of Prince Philip. Diana claimed that her father-in-law had tacitly endorsed Charles’ infidelity. “My father-in-law said to my husband, ‘If your marriage doesn’t work out, you can always go back to her after five years,’” Diana revealed in the recordings.

She also described how Philip’s remark aligned with her own suspicions about the timing of Charles and Bowles’ closeness. She stated, “I knew something was happening before that, but the fifth year I had confirmation.” However, according to CheatSheet , Philip was the one who attempted to intervene and mend the situation. The Duke of Edinburgh is said to have written letters to Diana, offering his support and encouraging efforts to reconcile with Charles. In these correspondences, he reportedly spoke candidly about Charles’ affair, acknowledging that both he and the Queen had believed Charles would not consider leaving Diana for Bowles.

Seeking guidance from Queen Elizabeth II , Diana found little comfort. Recalling her plea for help, Diana admitted, “I went to the top lady, sobbing, and I said, ‘What do I do? I’m coming to you. What do I do?’” The Queen’s response, Diana claimed, was disheartening. “I don’t know what you should do. Charles is hopeless.” Diana expressed her disappointment at the lack of support, noting that this interaction epitomized the challenges she faced within the royal household.

Amid the strain of her marriage, she found solace in her police protection officer, Barry Mannakee, as per Metro . In the tapes, she admitted to falling ‘deeply in love’ with him and even contemplating leaving royal life behind to be with him. “I was quite happy to give all this up…just to go off and live with him,” she said. Despite their emotional bond, rumors of their relationship led to Mannakee’s reassignment. Tragically, his death in a motorcycle accident was a profound loss for Diana, who described it as “the biggest blow of my life.”

The recordings, which remained out of public view for years, were part of a batch seized by Scotland Yard during a 2001 raid on former royal butler Paul Burrell’s home. The tapes were returned to voice coach Peter Settelen in 2004 after a legal dispute with Diana’s family, and excerpts have since been aired in documentaries.