One Royal Supported Princess Diana During Difficult Moments

Princess Diana visits Cowes on the Isle of Wight to christen the boat Vigilant while wearing a yellow and black checked coat

(Image credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

published 10 September 2025

Princess Diana's tenure within the Royal Family wasn't always easy, particularly as her marriage to King Charles became more tumultuous. However, one royal expert has suggested that Princess Diana had at least one unexpected ally within the family, who was a comfort "when things were difficult."

Broadcaster and royal expert Gyles Brandreth wrote about Princess Diana's surprising friendship with her father-in-law in the 2021 book, Philip: The Final Portrait. A friend of the Royal Family, Brandreth revealed in his book that, following Diana's death in August 1997, he told Prince Philip (via the Daily Mail), "The public view of you, for what it's worth, is of a grouchy old man, unsympathetic to his daughter-in-law."

Brandreth continued, "But I happen to know...that when things were difficult, you wrote to Diana—kind letters, concerned, fatherly, loving letters from Pa, explaining how you knew, firsthand, the difficulties involved in marrying into the Royal Family." Elaborating on his conversation with the royal, the broadcaster explained, "The impression the public has got is unfair." The former Duke of Edinburgh reportedly responded, "I've just got to live with it. It happens to a lot of people."

Princess Diana wears a gingham top and white pants in Chiang Mai, Thailand on February 5, 1988 — Princess Diana in Chiang Mai, Thailand on February 5, 1988.

According to Brandreth, "Philip's letters to Diana were typical of his correspondence overall. They were sympathetic, but unsentimental, direct, but to a purpose."

The royal expert continued, "In his letters Philip confronted his daughter-in-law with home truths: he invited her to face the facts. Essentially he wanted to make Diana think about her marriage, long and hard. And he did."

Audible

'Philip: The Final Portrait'

Brandreth also revealed that Princess Diana was hugely grateful for her father-in-law's letters, particularly during the most troubling times in her life.

"When Diana received the letters she was at her most vulnerable and volatile," the author explained. "As soon as one arrived, she opened it, scanned it, usually burst immediately into tears and then shared it, as soon as possible, with her closest friends."

Clearly, Prince Philip provided invaluable support to Diana when she needed it the most.

TOPICS

Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.