Key Points
Diana wrote the letter on November 27, 1995, one week after her Panorama interview.
She hoped to teach William and Harry the importance of deeper communication.
The letter goes to auction on June 9 and is expected to sell for £3,000 to £5,000.
Prince William and Prince Harry remain estranged today, making Diana's wish unfulfilled.
A two-page handwritten letter from Princess Diana is heading to auction on June 9, offering a rare glimpse into her hopes for her sons. Written on November 27, 1995, just one week after her famous BBC Panorama interview, the letter shows Diana wanted to teach Prince William and Prince Harry about the importance of deeper communication. The letter is expected to sell for £3,000 to £5,000 at Reeman Dansie auctioneers in Colchester, Essex.
What the Letter Reveals
Diana wrote the letter to Michael Barratt, a supporter who had sent her an encouraging message after watching her Panorama interview. According to the auction house, Diana expressed gratitude for Barratt’s support and reflected on her hopes for the future. She wrote that she looked forward to “sharing with and teaching William and Harry the importance of communication on a deeper level.” The letter was written on Kensington Palace-headed paper and signed “With my best wishes, Yours sincerely, Diana.”
The Panorama Interview Context
Diana’s Panorama interview with BBC journalist Martin Bashir aired on November 20, 1995, and drew 23 million viewers. During the 54-minute interview, she spoke openly about the breakdown of her marriage to then-Prince Charles, confirming that infidelity had contributed to the collapse of their relationship. Diana hoped the interview would help other women facing similar difficulties, according to the letter’s contents.
A Wish Left Unfulfilled
Diana died in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997, at age 36. Her words about teaching her sons deeper communication carry particular weight today. Prince William, now 43, and Prince Harry, now 41, have been estranged for years. The brothers have had little contact since Harry and his wife Meghan Markle stepped down as working royals in 2020.
The Auction and Provenance
Michael Barratt kept the letter for three decades before deciding to put it up for sale. The correspondence comes with its original envelope, which bears Diana’s handwritten name and address. The auction house noted that Barratt was moved enough by Diana’s response to treasure the letter all these years, describing it as a “wonderful reply” to his supportive message.
Final Thoughts
Diana’s letter shows what mattered most to her as a mother during a turbulent period of her life. Nearly 30 years later, her sons remain distant, making her expressed wish for deeper communication between them poignant and unfulfilled.
FAQs
Diana wrote the letter on November 27, 1995, one week after her BBC Panorama interview with journalist Martin Bashir.
Diana sent the letter to Michael Barratt, a supporter who encouraged her after watching her Panorama interview.
The two-page handwritten letter is expected to sell for £3,000 to £5,000 at Reeman Dansie auctioneers on June 9.
Disclaimer:
The content shared by Meyka AI PTY LTD is solely for research and informational purposes. Meyka is not a financial advisory service, and the information provided should not be considered investment or trading advice.
About Author

Huzaifa Zahoor
Co FounderHuzaifa Zahoor is the engineer who built Meyka. He has spent years writing Python, training AI models, and building data pipelines specifically for financial markets. His technical articles have reached over 30,000 readers on Medium, so he knows how to make complex things easy to follow. If this article touches on how the tools work, he is the person who actually built them.
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