Princess Diana's 'relaxed' parenting strategy decoded by former bodyguard
Princess Diana's 'relaxed' parenting strategy decoded by former bodyguard
Niti MajethiaSun, September 6, 2026 at 9:00 AM UTC
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Princess Diana raised her sons to be humble, an insider claims (Image: -)
Princess Diana's enigmatic legacy is defined by many things-her generosity, poise, and style, and, for those who knew her, her hands-on approach to parenting Prince Harry and William.
In an exclusive interview with The Express US, Princess Diana's former personal protection officer, Ken Wharfe, details Diana's "relaxed" approach to raising her sons, including how she broke royal tradition to give her boys the freedom to be themselves while also keeping them grounded when it mattered most.
Wharfe was a bodyguard to Princes William and Harry from 1986 and became Princess Diana's personal protection officer in 1988. He stopped working for Princess Diana in 1993 but continued with the Royal Protection Squad until his retirement in 2002. This comes as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were slammed for 'inflicting pain' on the UK amid their return.
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Princess Diana had a relaxed approach to parenting (Image: Getty)
Describing Prince William and Harry's childhoods, Wharfe said in partnership with Casino.org, "They had great fun. Their friends were always coming and going, and because my bedroom was right next to the nursery, I witnessed all sorts of things over the years-arguments, things getting broken, conversations between Diana and the nanny, exchanges with their father."
Wharfe added that "there was a real sense of normal family life," which especially stemmed from Diana's attitude. He noted that, unlike the more traditional approach, in which staff were addressed by their surnames, Diana insisted that everyone be called by their first name.
"That was something quite new within the Household," the insider remarked.
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He added that William and Harry could "certainly be naughty, but they were also incredibly polite," noting that If Diana ever heard them make a rude comment to anyone, she'd immediately say, "Go and apologize."
Princess Diana is known as one of the most fascinating women in the world (Image: Getty)
Wharfe said that whether it was the chef, a cleaner, or another member of staff, Harry and William were expected to show respect.
"I remember one Filipino lady who cleaned the nursery. She was a wonderful woman and probably put up with more than her fair share from the boys while trying to do her job," he recalled. "But they respected her, and they were always taught to apologize if they'd overstepped the mark."
The former bodyguard shared that Diana had three nannies to care for William and Harry, all of whom had an excellent relationship with the Princess.
"The early nanny, Barbara Barnes, was perhaps a little stricter than those who followed. Diana preferred a much more relaxed atmosphere. She wanted the boys to enjoy themselves, to be mischievous-and they certainly were," Wharfe divulged.
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
