London - A devastating portrait of a wilful and manipulative Princess Diana emerged yesterday from extracts of a book written by her former private secretary, Patrick Jephson, printed in the Sunday Times.
Publication of the book, Shadows of a Princess, to appear in Britain and the US next month, has already been condemned as deplorable by Queen Elizabeth II and the Prince of Wales. But from the lengthy extract published yesterday the Royal Family could take comfort from the fact that such revelations are much more damaging to the memory of the princess than to themselves.
Sunday Times executives were said by insiders last week to be disappointed that it had not contained more juicy revelations. An interview the paper carried yesterday mocked the former courtier's continuing reticence and sense of discretion.
