Charles’s private Diana grief revealed in resurfaced letter written after her death

08 June 2026 , 09:16

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King Charles laid bare the depth of his grief following the death of Princess Diana in a deeply personal letter that has resurfaced nearly three decades after her tragic death – revealing the future monarch’s struggle with what he described as an "unbearable emptiness."

As reported by RadarOnline, the handwritten letter, dated December 8, 1997, was written just over three months after Diana died in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997, at the age of 36.

King Charles Reveals Hidden Princess Diana Grief

Charles, now 77, penned the three-page letter to his friend Peter Houghton while offering condolences over the loss of a woman he referred to as "dear Liz."

The note, written on Highgrove House stationery and later sold through an auction house, offers a rare glimpse into the private emotions of a royal family member often regarded as reserved in public.

A royal source said, "The letter is striking because it shows a side of Charles that the public rarely saw during that period. At a time when the nation was mourning Diana, he was clearly grappling with profound feelings of loss himself, even if he was largely keeping those emotions out of public view."

The insider added, "What stands out is the rawness of the language. This was not the carefully managed voice of a future king. It was someone trying to make sense of death, grief, and the sudden absence of people who had been important parts of his life."

’Her Death affected Him More Deeply’

In the letter, Charles sympathized with Houghton over his bereavement and drew parallels with his own experience of loss.

He described Liz as a "life-enhancer" and said he understood the "agony" associated with losing someone close.

Charles also reflected on "the bewilderment and confusion that accompanies the removal of someone so young from the world."

Most poignantly, he wrote of feeling an "unbearable emptiness" in the aftermath of Diana’s death.

Another palace source told us: "There has always been intense public interest in Charles’ feelings following Diana’s death because so much attention focused on the constitutional and public response at the time. Documents like this offer a reminder that behind the institution were individuals dealing with very personal grief."

"Whatever complexities existed in their relationship, Diana was the mother of his two sons and had been a central figure in his life for many years," the insider noted. "The letter suggests that her death affected him more deeply than many people may have appreciated."

A Rare Window Into King Charles’ Sorrow

The correspondence also revealed Charles’ religious beliefs and thoughts about life after death.

Quoting from 1 Corinthians 13:12, he wrote: "Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face-to-face."

Charles continued: "Personally, I believe that there is another dimension beyond this physical one and that we will be amazed to discover it for ourselves when we are eventually – or at a moment – called upon to make that certain journey for ourselves."

The letter was signed simply "Charles" and included an envelope requesting it be delivered "by hand."

A spokesperson for RR Auction in Boston, which handled the sale of the poignant note, said: "This lengthy handwritten letter to ’Peter’ expresses his sympathy upon the death of a loved one. Charles was likely particularly emotional at the time he wrote the letter, as Princess Diana had tragically passed away just a few months before in August 1997."

Diana’s death triggered an unprecedented outpouring of grief across Britain and around the world, with millions mourning the princess known as the "People’s Princess."

The resurfaced letter now offers one of the clearest indications yet of the private sorrow Charles was secretly experiencing during one of the most turbulent periods in modern royal history.