Idriel
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Some time ago, there was a discussion going on about Diana's fall in 1982, while she was pregnant with Prince William.
There are different versions of this event going on.
I would like to bring my contribution by sharing this excerpt from the book Diana L'Enquète (Canal + Edition).
The translation is my own, please forgive spelling and grammar errors.
[Chapter five, Le Britannia, page 105-107] At the beginning of 1982, the Sun, based on a footman's detailed report, claimed that Diana fell down the stairs. A doctor has been called in and had announced that neither the child nor the mother were in danger.
Few years later, this episode would bear a huge importance in Diana's recollection of her marriage breakdown. In his 1992 biography [Diana, her true story], Andrew Morton would write that Diana was at the edge of nervous breakdown, exhausted by Charles' cruel indifference. She had a terribly violent row with Charles. She confided to Morton that, in her despair, she attempted suicide. [During the row] Prince Charles had coldly accused her of blackmailing him, made fun of her nevrotic tendencies and refused to listen to her. He informed her he would go for a ride. Diana, three months pregnant, threw herself down the big stairs and fell at the feet of the Queen, who was livid with fear. When Charles learnt what happened, he went out as intended and shown only indifference at his return. For her friend, Elsa Bowke, Diana added further details: she had stormed into Charles' office, found love letters exchanged between him and Camilla, and that was the reason she thrown herself down the stairs. She thought it was not worthy anymore to live and have a kid.
In 1994, [Charles' friend] Jonathan Dimbleby relayed the story [in The Prince of Wales], quoting Morton and thus adding more credit to the story. He attempted to explain that Charles was upset because Diana refused to make peace. But here, there is distortion. Writer Lady Colin Campbell declared that during an interview granted in 1995, Diana affirmed that none of that ever happened and accused Morton of distorting her testimony. He did totally fabricated this 'SOS' said she. For all answer, Morton published the transcription of records Diana made for him. Here are her says:
I threw myself down the stairs. Charles accused me of bluffing, I was really desperate, I was crying so much and he said: 'I don't want to listen to you. It's always the same thing! I am going for a walk!' So I threw myself down the stairs. The Queen arrived, absolutely horrified, all shivering. She was really scared. I knew I would not lose the baby, but my stomach was covered with bruises. Charles did went for a ride, and when he came back, he remained cold, totally indifferent.
The reality of the row is not to be doubted. This detail is part of the original story reported by the Sun; the paper decided to publish it. The Sun informer, a footman, had been a witness and saw Diana stumble and fall down three steps before grabbing the bar. He also added that Charles stayed with Diana until the doctor arrived and reassured both of them.
The Sun photographer Arthur Edwards, who knew the witness very well, says philosophically:
It is the kind of scene you would expect. There are rows in all couples. of course, there were some in the Royal family, but they were not supposed to have rows, especially in public and even less in front of the staff. You know, Diana was very unbalanced, when she felt she could, she would explode. But in fact, she did not fell down the whole stairs, but only three steps. Of course, Prince Charles was very worried, he did call a doctor because she was pregnant, to know if the baby was OK. Later, this story was interpreted as a suicide attempt. This is nonsence. She fell on three steps.
Joseph Sanders, a close friend of Diana's during the 90's affirms she told him she simply slip and that there had never been a suicide blackmailing.
[The book was published in the UK under the title: Diana, Story of a Princess. All comments between brackets are my own]
There are different versions of this event going on.
I would like to bring my contribution by sharing this excerpt from the book Diana L'Enquète (Canal + Edition).
The translation is my own, please forgive spelling and grammar errors.
[Chapter five, Le Britannia, page 105-107] At the beginning of 1982, the Sun, based on a footman's detailed report, claimed that Diana fell down the stairs. A doctor has been called in and had announced that neither the child nor the mother were in danger.
Few years later, this episode would bear a huge importance in Diana's recollection of her marriage breakdown. In his 1992 biography [Diana, her true story], Andrew Morton would write that Diana was at the edge of nervous breakdown, exhausted by Charles' cruel indifference. She had a terribly violent row with Charles. She confided to Morton that, in her despair, she attempted suicide. [During the row] Prince Charles had coldly accused her of blackmailing him, made fun of her nevrotic tendencies and refused to listen to her. He informed her he would go for a ride. Diana, three months pregnant, threw herself down the big stairs and fell at the feet of the Queen, who was livid with fear. When Charles learnt what happened, he went out as intended and shown only indifference at his return. For her friend, Elsa Bowke, Diana added further details: she had stormed into Charles' office, found love letters exchanged between him and Camilla, and that was the reason she thrown herself down the stairs. She thought it was not worthy anymore to live and have a kid.
In 1994, [Charles' friend] Jonathan Dimbleby relayed the story [in The Prince of Wales], quoting Morton and thus adding more credit to the story. He attempted to explain that Charles was upset because Diana refused to make peace. But here, there is distortion. Writer Lady Colin Campbell declared that during an interview granted in 1995, Diana affirmed that none of that ever happened and accused Morton of distorting her testimony. He did totally fabricated this 'SOS' said she. For all answer, Morton published the transcription of records Diana made for him. Here are her says:
I threw myself down the stairs. Charles accused me of bluffing, I was really desperate, I was crying so much and he said: 'I don't want to listen to you. It's always the same thing! I am going for a walk!' So I threw myself down the stairs. The Queen arrived, absolutely horrified, all shivering. She was really scared. I knew I would not lose the baby, but my stomach was covered with bruises. Charles did went for a ride, and when he came back, he remained cold, totally indifferent.
The reality of the row is not to be doubted. This detail is part of the original story reported by the Sun; the paper decided to publish it. The Sun informer, a footman, had been a witness and saw Diana stumble and fall down three steps before grabbing the bar. He also added that Charles stayed with Diana until the doctor arrived and reassured both of them.
The Sun photographer Arthur Edwards, who knew the witness very well, says philosophically:
It is the kind of scene you would expect. There are rows in all couples. of course, there were some in the Royal family, but they were not supposed to have rows, especially in public and even less in front of the staff. You know, Diana was very unbalanced, when she felt she could, she would explode. But in fact, she did not fell down the whole stairs, but only three steps. Of course, Prince Charles was very worried, he did call a doctor because she was pregnant, to know if the baby was OK. Later, this story was interpreted as a suicide attempt. This is nonsence. She fell on three steps.
Joseph Sanders, a close friend of Diana's during the 90's affirms she told him she simply slip and that there had never been a suicide blackmailing.
[The book was published in the UK under the title: Diana, Story of a Princess. All comments between brackets are my own]
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