A new television series is set to unveil secret voice recordings made by Princess Diana in 1991, offering an unprecedented glimpse into her life within the royal family. The documentary, titled Diana: The Unheard Truth, is scheduled for release in August 2027, marking the 30th anniversary of her death in Paris in 1997.
The recordings, totaling five hours, capture Diana candidly discussing her former husband, King Charles, the breakdown of their marriage, and his 'love for a woman called Camilla.' She also speaks about her children, Princes William and Harry, Sarah 'Fergie' Ferguson, Prince Andrew, her mental health, and her battle with bulimia nervosa.
The tapes were made by her friend Dr. James Colthurst, who smuggled them out of Kensington Palace and delivered them to writer Andrew Morton. They formed the basis of Morton's 1992 bestselling biography, Diana: Her True Story, which provided shocking and deeply personal insights into her life.
Currently, less than an hour of the recordings has been made public. The new docuseries, produced by Love Monday TV in partnership with Morton and Colthurst, aims to change that. The producers secured access to the tapes and feature Morton and Colthurst discussing the risks taken for the biography's publication.
The series highlights Diana's 'infectious humour and twinkling laughter,' portraying her as a 'resilient, perceptive, and relatable young woman.' It tells the story of a woman 'finding herself in the brightest of global spotlights and navigating the challenges with grace, self-awareness, and determination.'
According to The Times, viewers will hear Diana's 'dreams for a future that could have been; a new chapter in which Charles goes off into the sunset with Camilla, leaving her free to carve her own path.' The recordings offer a rare opportunity to hear Diana's perspective on her complex relationship with the press, which she both criticized for its scrutiny and leveraged for public support and humanitarian causes.
The show aims to help people 'recognise her legacy as one of agency, courage, and love.' Producers stated: 'The raw words of Diana present a fuller portrait: a woman navigating pressure, redefining her role, and moving forward with conviction. It invites the public to encounter Diana not only through what happened to her, but through how she chose to respond.'
The announcement comes shortly after Prince Harry claimed that royal life 'killed' his mother. During a speech at the InterEdge Summit in Melbourne, Harry said he felt 'lost, betrayed, or completely powerless' in his youth and kept his 'head in the sand for years' until stepping down from royal duties in 2020. He suggested his decision to leave the family was what his mother would have wanted.
