Secret Diana photo released 40 years later

by

However, the next day, the palace issued a request: the photo should not be published.

It wasn’t that the picture was somehow inappropriate. It wasn’t that Bowie was in it. It was about who was with Diana.

The princess had arrived at the concert with Major James Hewitt. There were rumors (that were later found to be true) about an affair between the two at the time, and the palace didn’t want to add any more water to the rumor mill. Hewitt tried to keep a low profile and stayed out of the photographers’ lenses. “No one knew who he was so I had no reason to picture him and the word wasn’t out yet about their relationship,” O’Regan said.

So he decided not to publish the picture himself – and he still stands by his decision.

Diana later said in her biography that she was also criticized for her attire during the evening. She had chosen to wear leather pants – and it made the royal family unhappy.

Diana defended her choice; she wanted to look the same age as her audience.

Now, nearly 40 years later, the image has finally been released as part of a new biography of David Bowie, featuring a wealth of footage taken by photographer Denis O’Regan – and that one moment that was once hidden.

The picture no longer threatens the royal family’s image, but it reminds us of how much behind the scenes there was a desire to control how Princess Diana was presented to the world.

READ MORE

Leave a Comment