One of the Queen’s oldest and dearest friends, Lady Georgina Kennard, has shed light upon the monarch’s feelings toward the late Princess of Wales in a new TV documentary, saying the monarch never understood “what Diana was about”. The 82-year-old aristocrat, Prince Andrew’s godmother and a distant cousin of the Queen, says: “I was always surprised that they didn’t get on… The Queen wouldn’t have a row with anybody. I don’t know, but I think she was rather surprised at many things.”
The comments, which will be shown next week in episode two of a four-part BBC series, Queen And Country, mark the first time someone in the Queen’s tightly-knit inner circle has spoken on the record about the relationship, widely rumoured to be strained.
“I think the Queen would – or anybody else would – never quite understand what Princess Diana was about,” continued Lady Kennard, who appeared to choose her words carefully. “It would be impossible. I mean, I suppose one can say Diana was very damaged by her background and her childhood and it is difficult to know.”
Lady Kennard added Diana “had many very fine qualities otherwise. It must have been very difficult for the Royal Family to deal with the rest.”
Meant to mark the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, the documentary series had been made with the cooperation of the Palace, who gave the filmmakers unprecedented access to friends, courtiers and royal family members. The Queen’s daughter Princess Anne is included in the programme, but Prince Charles declined to participate.
A spokesman for Buckingham Palace made it clear yesterday that Lady Kennard was not speaking as a representative of the Queen, saying the monarch would “never comment on what she thinks in terms of her personal relationships”.
“The Queen did not say to Lady Kennard, ‘Speak on my behalf’,” said the spokesman. “It is very clear that Lady Kennard is giving her own opinion in the programme… This is a BBC production which has not been seen by the Palace. It is inaccurate to say that the Palace sanctioned or vetted the film.” He added: “We are not in the business of censoring other people’s opinions.”
Princess Diana’s brother Earl Spencer also reacted to the revelations, telling the Daily Mirror: “Diana was only ever complimentary about the Queen and as far as I know the Queen was always supportive of her. They had respect for each other.”
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
