Ken Wharfe

"I just hope that people will remember her as she was at her best, a warm-hearted and fun-loving woman who, as she wished, really did make a difference. It is probably a vain hope, but I owe it to her."

These are the last sentences of the book, and they seem to be a direct contradiction to what the entire book was about. If this was the intention, then why was there 5 criticisms for every compliment about Princess Di? I do not view the princess as this wonderfully perfect person, but it did feel tacky that he was saying the things he was when she is no longer here to defend herself. Maybe if it didn't feel like a vendetta given the nature of his resignation as PPO, or even a justification for the guilt he seemed to have over her death, then I wouldn't see this book as such an unfair and lop-sided portrayal.

Also, I was rather bored reading this book. Some of the stories were interesting, but now I am left wondering how accurate they are. One of the biggest criticisms I have of this book is that Mr. Wharfe somehow re-frames every story to be about himself and his overly-sensitive ego. This made the book very repetitive (boring) because he viewed almost every scenario in the exact same way- Diana was ridiculous and he responded with perfect finesse.

All in all, I don't think he delivered what he had hoped to in the end.… (mehr)

I thought this was quite a good book on Diana. Don't really know what all the fuss was about in the newspapers.

Back Cover Blurb:
Inspector Ken Wharfe, the first royalty protection officer to publish a memoir, was a crucial figure in Princess Diana's life for nearly seven years in 1987. In that time, he became a close friend and trusted confidant who shared her most private moments. His first-hand account takes issue with many of the so-called 'facts' about the Princess and provides an affectionate, if not always uncritical, insight into this complex, troubled, but ultimately fascinating woman.
Here is the authentic voice of a man who played an important role during Diana's most trying times, and in her beloved sons' formative years, and who shows himself to be an exceptionally perceptive observer of the events that unfolded around the Princess. After Inspector Wharfe resigned his position in 1993 (making headline news), Diana announced her withdrawal from public life and axed her Scotland Yard protection - a decision her former 'top cop' believes led ultimately to her death.… (mehr)