Prince William Reportedly Suggested that Princess Diana Leave the U.K.
As one of the most-photographed people in the world, Princess Diana seemed to be accustomed to the flashbulbs, the gaggle of photographers that followed her every move, and putting on a smile for her fans and detractors alike. But in Diana: Last Days of a Princess, a new documentary, royal photographer Arthur Edwards explained that she once considered leaving the United Kingdom to get away from it all. According to the Daily Express, Prince William suggested a move away from the chaos. Edwards said that during a candid moment with photographers, the princess revealed the news, though royal fans know it never happened.
"Suddenly, she strode down some steps and very rapidly got into a boat," he recalled. "I remember picking up the camera, and she said, 'No pictures.' It looked like she wanted to speak to us. She came over and said, 'Why are you here?'"
When the photographers replied, "Because you are here, ma'am," Edwards said her response shocked them all.
"William's told me that I should leave England and go and live somewhere else," she said. Edwards noted that she looked emotional and was "obviously upset about something."
"I thought, 'I don't want to be the reason why she's going to live in exile,'" Edwards said.
Photo by Terry Fincher/Getty Images
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Royal biographer Katie Nicholl also mentioned William's reaction to photographers in her book, Kate: The Future Queen.
"[William] had seen firsthand how his mother had been harassed by the paparazzi and was determined that Kate not be subjected to the same treatment," Nicholl wrote, showing that William was very aware of what could happen to his wife if the royals' relationship with the press didn't change.
