Prince Harry could be preparing to put his mother, Princess Diana, back in the spotlight – and according to reports, there are concerns within royal circles about what his rumoured new project could reveal.
Pics: Getty Images
Prince Harry is reportedly working on a major tribute to Princess Diana ahead of the 30th anniversary of her death next summer, with claims that the project could ‘occupy a lot of his headspace’ over the coming year.
And while it remains unclear whether the reported project will ever reach the screen, the prospect of Harry telling Diana’s story in his own way is already generating speculation about which chapters of her life could be revisited – and how far he might be prepared to go – particularly when it comes to her tumultuous marriage to Charles, 77, and his scandalous affair with Camilla, which was laid bare in the most excruciating way during Diana’s explosive 1995 TV interview.
Prince Harry is contacting Diana’s friends
Nothing has been officially confirmed about the reported project, including its format, but Prince Harry is said to be contacting people who knew Diana.
An insider said, “Make no mistake, the news that Harry is planning this has thrown everyone into a panic because it’s hard to imagine how he can possibly do this retrospective of her life without touching on her marriage and the difficulties, which will of course have to include the Camilla factor and Diana’s famous assertion that there were three people in her marriage.
“There’s no doubt the King is going to want to get to the bottom of this and find out what Harry’s planning, but it’s a very touchy subject, for obvious reasons, and he’s being advised by everyone around him to tread lightly. The fear is that if things don’t go well, anything His Majesty says could be shared with the public.”
Why Harry’s Diana project could revisit the past
Diana’s marriage to Charles has been examined countless times since her death in 1997, but few moments remain as famous as her 1995 BBC Panorama interview.
During the interview, Diana famously spoke about the breakdown of her marriage and referred to there being “three people” in it, a comment widely understood to refer to Charles, herself and Camilla Parker Bowles.
The interview became one of the defining moments of Diana’s public life and remains a hugely controversial chapter in the history of the royal family.
Harry has subsequently spoken about his parents’ marriage and his feelings towards Camilla himself.
In his memoir Spare, published in 2023, he described Camilla as the “third person” in his parents’ marriage and wrote about conversations he and Prince William had with their father before Charles eventually married her.
Now, reports that Harry could be exploring Diana’s life for a new project have prompted speculation that those events could once again become part of the story.
Camilla’s 80th birthday adds another layer
According to a source, there is particular concern because Camilla is due to turn 80 next year.
“It’s Camilla’s 80th birthday next year,” the source claims, adding that the last thing she needs is to be “dragged through the mud” and that, in his condition, the King is in no shape to deal with this stress either,” the source says.
“Harry isn’t giving much away, and that’s just adding to everyone’s anxiety. Charles already has so much on his plate, this is another worry he really doesn’t need. Both Charles and Camilla are very image-conscious and, of course, it would be embarrassing to have those old wounds opened up again.
“It’s shocking to everyone in their circle that Harry would want to put more stress on his father right now, especially since he’s trying to work his way back into the fold. It seems very poorly thought out, to say the least.”
The same source claims Charles and Camilla are already concerned about another forthcoming account of Diana’s life: a book by her younger brother, Charles Spencer.
The book, Swan Song: My sister, Diana, is expected to explore Spencer’s memories of his sister and her life.
The source claims the King and Queen are anticipating that the book could touch on the difficulties in Diana’s marriage, despite assurances that it will not be a “hatchet job”.
Could Netflix be involved?
There is also speculation that Harry’s reported project could eventually find a home on Netflix.
Harry and Meghan previously produced projects for the streaming platform, including their six-part documentary series Harry & Meghan, as part of their wider relationship with the company.
That possibility has reportedly caused additional concern because Netflix’s The Crown previously revisited the breakdown of Charles and Diana’s marriage and Charles’s relationship with Camilla.
The source quoted in reports claims that a Netflix-backed production could mean Harry would not have complete control over the final product.
There is, however, currently no confirmed indication that Netflix is producing or backing a new Harry project about Diana.
Harry faces a delicate balancing act
The reported project comes at a particularly significant moment in Harry’s relationship with his father.
The Duke has spoken publicly about wanting to repair his relationship with Charles, while recent reports have suggested that the pair have been attempting to rebuild their relationship after years of tension.
That creates an obvious potential dilemma if Harry does decide to revisit some of the most controversial chapters of the royal family’s history.
One source quoted in reports claims that Charles may want to understand exactly what Harry is planning while the project is still in its early stages.
The source also claims that revisiting the story of Charles, Diana and Camilla could potentially damage the progress made between father and son.
However, there is currently no confirmation that Harry intends to discuss his father’s relationship with Camilla in any future production.
