Princess Diana Called a ‘Predator’ in Secret Files

Princess Diana wasn’t just winning hearts — she was dominating headlines. And according to newly unsealed government files, even royal insiders thought she was playing the media game better than her ex-husband, Prince Charles.

In a stunning set of documents released by the Republic of Ireland’s National Archives, officials described Diana as “predatory” and “far more skilled” than Charles when it came to working the press during the messy fallout of their marriage.

The files shine a spotlight on a two-day royal visit to Ireland in June 1995 — three years after Charles and Diana’s separation — revealing how much effort Charles’ team put into salvaging his public image.

But behind the scenes? Officials knew Diana was consistently stealing the spotlight.

“She was by far the more predatory and skilled,” one diplomat quoted Charles’ deputy press secretary as saying, warning that Diana’s team was always looking for ways to “upstage St James’ Palace.”

Just months after the Ireland trip, Diana dropped her infamous BBC Panorama bombshell — telling millions there were “three of us in this marriage,” referring to Charles’ long-standing affair with Camilla Parker Bowles.

Charles’ team considered the interview a major setback in their “rehabilitation strategy” to repair his image with the British public.

The Irish files confirm what many suspected at the time — that Diana’s media savvy made her a powerhouse, not just in public opinion but in international diplomatic circles, too.

The documents also revealed that Charles’ team was already plotting more visits to Ireland as part of his image overhaul. But plans for a 1996 return were scrapped over safety concerns — and, perhaps, because Diana continued to outshine him on the global stage.

These newly released records paint a portrait of Diana as a media mastermind who knew exactly how to pull focus. And while Charles’ team scrambled to spin his side of the story, insiders were already admitting it: Diana had the upper hand — and she wasn’t letting go.