Shadows of a Princess

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Of all the books that have poured from the presses since the death of the Princess of Wales, very few can match the tasteless, self-seeking awfulness of P.D. Jephsons memoir Shadow of a Princess. Jephson, a former Royal Navy officer, was appointed equerry to the Princess of Wales in 1987. Subsequently appointed her private secretary, Jephson ran Dianas chaotic household throughout the final turbulent years of her life, before resigning following her decision to give a revelatory interview to BBCs Panorama in 1996. Jephsons book ostensibly offers an insiders view on Diana's life during and after her relationship with the Prince of Wales. In fact it is an extraordinary and terribly crass character assassination of his former employer. Almost every page pours vitriol on the Princess, sneering at her interest in enthusiastic foreigners, cataloguing her megalomania, illusion of compassion and desire to plot and manoeuvre against virtually every member of the Royal Family. As Jephson dutifully follows the Princess on royal engagements he portrays her as a media-hungry young woman for whom no emotion was too facile. The book is remarkable for its almost complete lack of in into what happened during some of the most turbulent years in the history of the House of Windsor. Jephson sympathises with Prince Charles as a decent chap, and has little of interest to say about Dianas affairs, beyond her regrettable habit of hanging around public gyms. In the midst of all of this Jephson characterises himself as a conscientious chap. Sadly, if his most of what he says here about Diana is true, he actually manages to come across as even more shallow and self-serving than the Princess. Quite a debut. --Jerry Brotton