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Shadows of a Princess

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Shadows of a Princess

By: Patrick Jephson
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About this listen

Reissued for the twentieth anniversary of Diana’s death, this sensational bestseller is an explosive account of her life, from the man who was by her side throughout its most turbulent period.

In 1981 Lady Diana Spencer was seen by many as a lifeline for the outdated Windsor line. But Diana didn’t follow the script. Instead she brought a revolution.

Patrick Jephson was Diana’s closest aide and adviser during her years of greatest public fame and deepest personal crisis. He witnessed the disintegration of her marriage to Prince Charles and the negotiation of the royal divorce.

Rooted in unique first-hand experience, Shadows of a Princess is an authoritative, balanced account of one of the world’s most famous and tragic women.

 Entertainment & Celebrities Europe Great Britain Politics & Activism Royalty Women England United Kingdom

Critic reviews

‘A compelling page-turner.’ Sunday Times

‘The most indelible, authentic word-portrait ever painted of the People’s Princess.’ Daily Mail

‘Never has so senior a servant of the Royal Family decided to reveal his secrets and rarely has one witnessed such turbulent times.’ The Times

‘Mr Jephson was a witness to significant events … he is in a position to reveal the truth.’ Daily Express

‘Jephson’s revelations are important. They are a stark corrective to the baroque fantasies constructed around the Princess immediately after her death.’ Evening Standard
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When I heard the opening scenario of the book it put me right off. I decided to push on through as I believed that Jephson had an authentic and valid insight into the true character and life of the Princess during his service with her. I'm glad I did. This all needed saying to offset the many sycophantic offerings about Diana on the market.
Sadly Diana was messed up and broken. Her reckless and often cruel behaviour testifies to this: but equally messed up is Prince Charles and the whole palace system. I believe that pre-existing character flaws in Diana's personality were inflamed and grew to monstrous pro portions by the foul treatment she received from Charles and the Palace when they had the care of her. This was a great dereliction of duty on their part. I hope that Jephson, who writes and narrates this with his tongue firmly in his cheek didn't suffer too badly as a result of writing this expose'.

This needed saying

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A brilliant book, written beautifully and so honest. It was a joy to listen to the author reading it. I loved it.

Brilliant

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What a real, fair insightful period into the Princess’s life. PJ has done the book justice. I really rate it. Highly credible and he is utterly genuine in his reporting. Thank you PJ x

Superb book!

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I liked the sense that Jephson was trying to allow the Princess to have dimensions, to acknowledge her faults whilst still overwhelmingly seeing her as a force for good who was never appreciated for the qualities she had and was instead condemned for faults she came to embody.

Perceptive insights into a complex woman many tried to simplify

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I read few books about Princess Diana as I wanted to understand her as a royal and as a person. If it is your first book about Princess Diana, you should read few others too by different authors. Each book I read portray her from different perspectives and this one, in particular, shows her kinda "bad" side. What I am trying to say is that be prepared or willing to read other books about her as well or do not read any. She is a quite complicated person, or she is just pure Narcissistic personality, or she is a snob. Reading other books will help you understand for yourself who she was.

Story of a person who is like anyone else

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