Princess Diana expressed her desire for her sons, William and Harry, to engage in more profound communication. In November 1995, she wrote a heartfelt two-page letter to a supporter named Michael Barrett, who had offered words of encouragement following her BBC Panorama interview.
In the unpublished letter, Diana conveyed her gratitude for Barrett’s supportive message and emphasized her anticipation of guiding William and Harry towards enhanced communication. She closed the letter by thanking Barrett and signing off with warm regards.
The letter, to be auctioned by Reeman Dansies ‘Royalty, Antiques & Fine Art,’ is estimated to fetch between £3,000 and £4,000. Diana tragically passed away in a car accident in Paris at the age of 36.
Scheduled for auction on June 9, the letter is described as a significant handwritten communication from Princess Diana to Michael Barrett, post her Panorama interview in 1995. Diana’s appreciation for Barrett’s kindness and her aspirations for her sons’ emotional growth were highlighted in the letter.
Barrett, deeply moved by Diana’s response, had reached out to express his support after witnessing the interview. The release of emails related to Martin Bashir’s Panorama interview in 2024 shed light on the scandal surrounding the event. Bashir, accused of deception to secure the interview, departed from the BBC in 2021 due to health concerns.
An investigation in the same year found Bashir guilty of dishonesty and breaching BBC editorial standards.