A charming cache of previously-unseen letters penned by Princess Diana to a male confidant who helped her through times of personal crisis have been unearthed.
Diana’s ‘warm and caring’ correspondence with family friend Roger Bramble covered the period of her divorce from Princes Charles.
She also shared with him the ‘ghastly week’ she endured following the publication of Andrew Morton’s 1993 biography which revealed she had attempted suicide.
Diana referred to the Queen as ‘the Boss’ in other letter and talked about the ‘mundane activities associated with an impending divorce’.
And at the end of one 1993 letter in which she had to cancel a lunch date with Mr Bramble, she drew a little face with a squiggly line for a mouth which could be interpreted as the first Royal use of an emoji.
A charming cache of previously-unseen letters penned by Princess Diana to a male confidant who helped her through times of personal crisis have been unearthed (pictured)
The late Princess Of Wales is escorted into the London festival ballet charity event by Councillor Roger Bramble, representing the Lord Mayor Of Westminster
There are also three separate letters from Diana’s mother Frances Shand Kydd, including one describing Diana joyously dancing barefoot in Venice while the Italian bodyguards ‘lusted over her legs’.
Diana and Mr Bramble, Lord High Sheriff of Westminster, shared a passion for ballet and the opera, and also enjoyed swanky lunches together.
In total, there are 36 letters from Diana from between August 1990 and May 1997, just three months before her tragic death.
The letters have been tucked away in a cupboard in a farmhouse for 23 years since Diana’s death.
Diana’s ‘warm and caring’ correspondence with Roger Bramble covered the period of her divorce from Princes Charles and the Andrew Morton’s biography which revealed she had attempted suicide
There are 36 letters (pictured) from Diana from between August 1990 and May 1997, just three months before her tragic death
The letters (pictured, one to Roger Bramble) have been tucked away in a cupboard in a farmhouse for 23 years since Diana’s death
Princess Diana also shared with him the ‘ghastly week’ she endured following the publication of Andrew Morton’s 1993 biography which revealed she had attempted suicide (pictured)
They are now being sold by a younger relation of Mr Bramble with David Lay Auctions of Penzance, Cornwall, with an estimate of £30,000.
The unnamed vendor said: ‘I certainly cannot bring myself to destroy or even archive and forget such a valuable treasure trove from the hand of such an influential person.
‘We have our memories and I very much hope these original and delightful letters will give the new owners the same enjoyment and, before the sale, help the public to learn more about the princess as a real person rather than relying solely on contemporary portrayals of her life.’
On September 4, 1991, Diana wrote a two page letter to Mr Bramble expressing her sadness at the death of her friend Adrian Ward-Jackson from AIDS weeks earlier.
Roger Bramble was a good friend of Diana’s family and he took her to the ballet and the opera and for lunches. Pictured, letters between the pair
There are also three separate letters (pictured) from Diana’s mum Frances Shand Kydd, including one describing Diana joyously dancing barefoot in Venice while the Italian bodyguards ‘lusted over her legs’
At the end of one 1993 letter in which she had to cancel a lunch date with Mr Bramble, she drew a little face with a squiggly line for a mouth which could be interpreted as the first Royal use of an emoji (pictured)
She told him his passing had helped her learn about ‘inner strength’.
She wrote: ‘Adrian had a very kind heart and was a valuable friend to me, but to see him reach the psychological and spiritual destination of acceptance before he died will be a memory I will treasure, as few manage to make that plateau.
‘I learnt more about inner-strength than anything moral during his last few days and as we know bereavement is an experience of change and adjustment so life must go on…’
Almost a year later, on June 12, 1992, she sent Mr Bramble a Kensington Palace note card on which is written simply the words ‘ghastly week’.
The serialisation of Mr Morton’s biography about her had led to intimate details of her and Charles’ public life being published, causing great anguish.
On October 19, 1995, Diana thanked Mr Bramble for lunch at Bibendum and joked: ‘I just hope your arrival at Westminster Abbey was before the Boss (The Queen) and if not, I expect to have been mentioned in the excuses!’
Diana corresponded with Mr Bramble on January 19, 1996, a month after the Queen had written to her and Charles advising them to divorce.
The official announcement of it was made in February 1996.
Her admiration for him is plain to see as she stated: ‘I like to hear your wise council(sic) and appreciate the pointers too – You are hugely kind to me Roger and it makes all the difference.’
She also wrote to him just before and after the divorce was finalised on August 26, 1996.
Princess Diana’s admiration for Mr Bramble is clear to see as she stated: ‘I like to hear your wise council(sic) and appreciate the pointers too – You are hugely kind to me Roger and it makes all the difference’
In one letter, the royal penned: ‘Thank you for returning me to the safety of K.P which obviously was a happy alternative to a taxi’ (pictured)
In another letter, Princess Diana penned: ‘You are hugely kind to me Roger and it makes all the difference’ (pictured)
In the prior letter, she told him their lunch together was a ‘much welcomed distraction from the mundane activities that are associated with an impending divorce!’
On October 10, 1996, she revealed that their lunch together was the first time she had been taken out for a meal by someone since the official break-up.
She wrote: ‘It is the first time that Diana, Princess of Wales has actually been taken out to lunch since August 28th – I am very selective!’
One of the earliest letters in the collection, penned on August 8, 1990, by Diana’s mother Frances, amusingly revealed how Diana’s effect on men was not just confined to the British Isles.
She recounted her and Diana’s unofficial three day visit to Verona and Venice during which there were ‘endless gorgeous moments’, including Diana dancing barefoot in St Mark’s Square.
She wrote: ‘There were endless gorgeous moments weren’t there – I think I’ll ever remember St Mark’s Square with D barefoot plus that orange jacket and the Italian Special Branch gang unable to do anything but feast on her legs and lust generally – !’
The letters (pictured) are now being sold by a younger relation of Mr Bramble with David Lay Auctions of Penzance, Cornwall, with an estimate of £30,000
The late Princess of Wales referred to the Queen as ‘the Boss’ in other letter and talked about the ‘mundane activities associated with an impending divorce’
In one letter, Princess Diana told Mr Bramble their lunch together was a ‘much welcomed distraction from the mundane activities that are associated with an impending divorce!’
The collection also includes a sweet Christmas card sent to Mr Bramble in 1995 featuring a black and white photo of her with the princes William and Harry.
It is inscribed: ‘Roger, lots of love from Diana’.
Mimi Connell-Lay, of the auction house, said: ‘For over 23 years a number of letters and cards, written by Diana, Princess of Wales between the 7th August 1990 and 16th May 1997, have lain in a cupboard in a country farmhouse.
‘The recipient had known the princess since childhood and has now given the letters to a younger relation to handle as he sees fit.
‘We are fortunate that this person has now decided to share these letters with the wider public.
‘Roger Bramble was a good friend of Diana’s family and he took her to the ballet and the opera and for lunches.
‘It is an incredible archive of letters, far more extensive and personal then has ever been sold before.
‘They are nice, warm and friendly. You learn a lot more about her as a person from reading them than watching her portrayal on The Crown.
‘You see her character and personality and intelligence come out in them. There is a depth of feeling and thought that comes out in them. Whereas her portrayal in The Crown is quite soppy in comparison.
‘There is a fantastic letter from Diana’s mother thanking Roger for taking them to Venice and there was an occasion where they had a wild night when at 4am Diana wanted to go to St Mark’s Square and she took off her shoes and kicked up puddles in the fountains.’
The sale takes place next March.