An archive of personal letters written by Princess Diana, which reveal her distress during her “desperate and ugly” divorce, has sold for £161,000. The letters were written to her close friends Susie and Tarek Kassem during the mid-1990s, as Diana navigated her painful split from Prince Charles.
The 32 letters and message cards shed light on her emotional struggles, including her sense of isolation, fears of her phone being bugged, and the toll the divorce was taking on her well-being.
The most valuable letter, written in December 1996, just eight months before her tragic death, described her plans to spend Christmas abroad and expressed her hopes for a better 1997. It sold for £26,000. Another letter, in which Diana discussed her fears about phone tapping and the hardships of her divorce, fetched £28,000.
The Kassems, who had become a source of support for Diana during her difficult times, decided to auction the letters as they felt it was a responsibility they didn’t want to pass on to their children or grandchildren. Some of the proceeds will be donated to charities that Princess Diana supported.
The letters not only reveal Diana’s struggles but also her warmth and generosity toward her close friends. In her letters, Diana frequently thanked Susie and Tarek for their kindness and companionship, particularly during the lonely and stressful times of her life.
The friendship between Diana and Susie began in 1995 when they met at the Royal Brompton Hospital, and it quickly grew into a deep and supportive bond.
The sale of these letters highlights the ongoing public fascination with Princess Diana and the emotional depth of her personal life.