EXCLUSIVE: The Torments Hidden in Emotional Letter Princess Diana Wrote Two Days After Doomed Wedding to Charles
Princess Diana was left feeling lonely hours after getting hitched to Charles.
June 4 2025, Published 10:00 a.m. ET
Princess Diana's tormented voice rings out from the page in a letter she wrote just two days after her wedding to Prince Charles, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
She confesses her pain, loneliness and love of laughter in the message, penned to a Buckingham Palace footman thanking him for his kindness during what would become one of the most isolating times in her life.
Hidden Agony
Di turned to staff for comfort amid her horrific marriage.
The previously unseen letter, dated July 31, 1981, is part of Princess Diana’s Style & A Royal Collection – a major auction presented by Julien’s Auctions and set to begin on June 26 at The Peninsula Beverly Hills.
It's an event featuring more than 200 historic items once belonging to the late Princess of Wales, including personal handwritten notes, iconic fashion pieces, and artifacts casting a harsh light on the early days of her life as a royal.
The letter, addressed to footman Mark Simpson, is a painfully intimate glimpse into Diana's world behind palace doors just after her fairy-tale wedding.
She wrote: "Dear Mark, I just wanted to thank you for all your kindness + patience you've showed towards me since I moved into B.P. My stay was made so much easier by your company as it was so terribly lonely + we had so many laughs for that I can't thank you enough. Do hope you were able to enjoy Wednesday + that you liked my dress?
"I'm off to Britainia tomorrow, what with all those men around. I will have to keep a watchful eye on Evelyn! The bad news is that I haven't eaten any cereal – sob. How am I going to cope without my bowls of cereal.... (smiley face.)
"A large thank you for being you — Much love, Diana.’
Sources close to the tragic royal – killed in a Paris car smash in 1997 – described the letter as "heart-wrenching."
'Raw Pain'
The princess wore her heart on her sleeve.
One insider said: "It's raw. She was still adjusting to life inside Buckingham Palace and already feeling completely alone. That letter's not just charming – it’s heartbreaking. You can feel the isolation."
Martin Nolan, 59, co-founder and executive director of Julien's Auctions, added the letter is one of the standout items in the collection.
He said: "It's just days after the wedding – she should have been over the moon. Instead, she’s clinging to a footman for comfort. That tells you everything."
She was skilled at hiding her pain behind a beaming smile.
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Nolan added Diana, who was just 20 years old at the time of her marriage to Charles, leaned on Simpson, then in his early 20s, as one of the few friendly faces in a palace otherwise defined by rigid rules and cold protocol.
He said: "They had fun together. She talks about cereal and laughing. But behind it, there's a real sadness."
A royal staffer familiar with Simpson's role added: "Mark was someone she trusted. He wasn't part of 'The Firm.' He was real. She could be herself with him, which she clearly couldn't do with many others around her."
The auction also includes other personal notes, dresses and gifts reflecting Diana’s struggle to balance royal duty with her own identity.
One former royal aide said: "That letter shows how trapped she felt, even then. She was smiling in front of the world but scribbling 'terribly lonely' behind the scenes. That's the real Diana."
The princess is buried in a remote location on her brother's land.
