Princess in Love

Actor Patrick Macnee reads the audio book version of the royal affair between Diana and James Hewitt, which is based on his interviews. Diana's marriage had already dissolved and she was insecure and needy when she met the handsome army captain who became her riding instructor. According to the book, Diana fairly pounced on the innocent young man and enticed him into a relationship; he was happy to "do his duty to crown and country" by giving her the unconditional love and support she craved. The affair lasted for years and when they broke up, he was devastated. (No mention is made of his selling his story to the media and going public with her love letters.) Fans of Diana will probably not learn anything new here, but it is the mellifluous voice of Patrick Macnee, brimming with fatherly pride when describing Hewitt's honor, mournfully describing the tragic parting, and lingering joyfully over the passionate passages that makes this worth listening to. Every sentence is filled with effusive, bodice-ripping melodrama and Macnee clearly loves every minute of it. Since this is based solely on Hewitt's account, he comes off as a romantic hero while Diana is the relentless aggressor who ensnares him into committing treason. No matter; it's a hoot.

James Hewitt wrote a book about his relationship with the deceased Princess Diana in 1992 about their affair that lasted from 1985 to 1991. It is an romantic and interesting story that people who love gossippy things. I found it passionately fastinating.