Diana: Closely Guarded Secret [Illustrated] [Paperback]

Ken Wharfe (Author), Robert Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2003

The author of this remarkable memoir was a crucial figure in the Princess's life for many years. In that time, he became a close and trusted confidant. His first-hand account takes issue with many of the the so-called "facts" about the Princess that have appeared in books and the media since her death, providing an affectionate, if not always uncritical, insight into this complex, troubled, but ultimately fascinating woman.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Michael O'Mara (April 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843170280
• ISBN-13: 978-1843170280
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #842,367 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, equilibrium!!!, September 17, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Diana: Closely Guarded Secret (Diana Princess of Wales) (Hardcover)

I just finished reading Ken Wharfe's wonderful account of his time with Princess Diana. I have read over sixty books on the royal family and this, by far, seems to be the most balanced account of Diana. I never had the opportunity to meet her but I knew that she could not have been as 'off balance' as much as has been presented in the past. Catherine Walker mentioned in her book that Diana had a wonderful sense of humor and Ken Wharfe expounds on that to give us examples of what she found funny and how lighthearted she could be at times. I also was not surprised that she could be a handful at times. While the world knows her past, her indescretions and some of her pain, she never let the British public down when it came to representing the royal family. It always amazed me that she could go from being with the most destitute of people, showing her caring for them, and then be at the most extravagant parties looking as though she was comfortable at both ends of the spectrum. One of the most eye-opening parts of the book is the difference of the protection officer from Scotland Yard and the protection offered by the Al Fayed family. It didn't occur to me until I read this that Mr. Wharfe had the opportunity to stop whatever may have come into play if it could possibly affect the safety of the Princess. He could do so directly with her without having to answer to the royal family since he worked for Scotland Yard. The Al Fayed protection team was hampered by the fact that they worked for their boss and I suppose their primary objective was to make all parties happy along with security and trying to keep their jobs all at the same time. It turned out to be a tragic combination. This is a well balanced book on Diana and Charles. It shows all sides and I hope that someday William and Harry will read it and realize that the author had compassion for their mother and father. I truly believe Mr. Wharfe had the best interest of the Princess in mind when he put pen to paper. I do believe she would have been proud.

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Comments About Diana's Life, August 31, 2003

By 

LoriDee (New York USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Diana: Closely Guarded Secret (Diana Princess of Wales) (Hardcover)

Ken Warfe's book about Diana Princess of Wales was one of the more balanced and interesting accounts that I have read about her life from 1987 through the mid 90's. He was Diana's body guard provided by Scotland Yard and at one point considered himself to be close confidant for Diana in a professional way. His account neither condones or disapproves of her conduct but objecively describes her life at the time. In it, he tells about her affairs with James Hewitt, James Gilbey and Oliver Hoare yet doesn't divulge seamy details that he may have been aware of. He does a fine job of describing what Diana's life was like at that time in the royal family and how her some of her choices were effected by Prince Charles actions, particulary, his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles. He doesn't make excuses for Diana's actions some of which are very immature but impartially describes the scene and the people involved. Wharfe doesn't deny that his job was difficult at times. In fact, he is very open about Diana's complex character. He describes a woman who can be very difficult yet fun to be with, manipulating and needy yet extremely caring and selfless, a person obsessed with being in the spotlight yet wanting a "normal" life. I felt that her bodyguard, Ken Wharfe, captured her life for that time period in a well thought out, easy to read and balanced presentation about one of the most fascinating people of this century.

46 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perhaps the best of the Diana books, October 10, 2002

By 

saskatoonguy (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Diana: Closely Guarded Secret (Diana Princess of Wales) (Hardcover)

Of the various Diana tell-all books that have come out, this may be the best, with the added advantage that the passage of time gives some historical perspective. Inspector Ken Wharfe was a police officer assigned as 'personal protection officer' to Princess Diana's sons, and later to Diana herself, from 1986 to 1997. He left that post following a nasty argument with Diana over, of all things, whether Diana could park in a no-parking zone when she wanted to buy some CDs.

The book operates on two levels, both as a chronicle of crucial events in Diana's bumpy personal and professional life from a relatively objective angle, as well as insight into how the London police protect the royal family. For most of the book, Wharfe is highly positive about Diana, describing her uncanny knack for relating to the needy, and he is critical of Charles. The author argues that tales of her being psychotic are highly exaggerated. Despite his spirited defense of Diana's mental health, one gets the impression that this was an extremely unstable woman with whom no one could maintain a normal professional or personal relationship. It seems every anecdote involves avoiding her angry outbursts or assuaging her fragile ego.

This perspective on Diana's life was spellbinding, but I was even more fascinated by the insight into how the London police protect the royals. 'Protection officers' are expected to get close on a personal level to their protectees in order to gain their trust - an approach fraught with problems. Wharfe describes engaging in horseplay with Diana's sons, becoming essentially a surrogate father to them and a sort of platonic-husband figure to Diana. Although Wharfe sneers at the US Secret Service, the London police could do worse than to emulate their more emotionally detached approach to personal protection.