EXCLUSIVE: Inside Princess Diana's Secret Connection With Prince Philip Revealed — 'She Saw Him as a Father Figure'

Princess Diana found solace in one of the least expected members of the royal household – her famously grouchy father-in-law, Prince Philip – with insiders telling RadarOnline.com she saw him as a "daddy figure" during the most turbulent years of her life.

The late Princess of Wales, who died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 at the age of 36, endured years of loneliness and scrutiny after marrying Prince Charles in 1981.

Their highly publicized separation in 1992 left her isolated from much of the royal family. Yet according to new accounts, Diana forged a surprising bond with Philip, who offered her guidance through a series of candid, handwritten letters.

"Diana had a level of trust in Philip that she rarely showed to others," one insider claimed. "She looked to him as a fatherly presence – honest, straightforward, but truly concerned about her finding her place in the royals. His letters were a real source of comfort when she felt most alone."

They added: "In a way, her love for Philip was greater than any feelings she had for Charles." Royal biographer Gyles Brandreth, in his 2021 book, Philip: The Final Portrait, described the correspondence as sympathetic but unsentimental.

He wrote Philip's letters combined affection with frank advice, urging Diana to think carefully about her marriage.

Brandreth noted: "When Diana received the letters, she was at her most vulnerable and volatile. As soon as one arrived, she opened it, scanned it, usually burst immediately into tears, and then shared it with her closest friends."

"Diana's reliance on Philip's support is striking, given her well-documented struggles. From the beginning of her royal life, she was under enormous pressure, forced into the spotlight as a shy 20-year-old bride," Brandreth continued.

"Her battle with bulimia, her unhappiness in her marriage, and Charles' long-running affair with Camilla Parker Bowles compounded her suffering. Friends said Di often felt abandoned by those closest to her – which made Philip's role all the more significant."

"Philip often spoke plainly, and Diana admired that," another source claimed. "He never softened the realities of royal life, but he tried to show her he understood what it meant to marry into the family. She appreciated that honesty at a time when most people said nothing."

Brandreth recalled discussing Diana with Philip himself, pointing out the public perception that he was unsympathetic toward her. Philip replied: "I've just got to live with it. It happens to a lot of people."

The reality, Brandreth suggested, was more complex – with the Duke of Edinburgh offering a kind of paternal concern that Diana craved after losing her own father, Earl Spencer, in 1992. Diana's tormented life has since been remembered as a story of both glamour and pain.

While she became a global icon, adored for her compassion and style, behind the scenes she endured deep personal struggles, culminating in her young death alongside playboy Dodi Fayed.