Princess Diana’s private letters to actor Terence Stamp are offering a rare look at a playful, candid side of the late royal that the public rarely got to see.
The Princess of Wales, who died in 1997 at age 36 after a car crash in Paris, developed a warm friendship with Stamp during one of the most difficult periods of her life. Stamp, the acclaimed British actor, died last year at 86.
Now, letters, postcards and personal items from Stamp’s estate are set to go up for auction through Bonhams on June 15 as part of its Sound & Cinema sale.
The correspondence dates back to the early 1990s, around the time Diana’s marriage to then-Prince Charles was under intense strain and before Andrew Morton’s explosive biography Diana: Her True Story revealed the depth of her unhappiness.
The letters reportedly show Diana joking about Prozac, sending cheeky postcards and leaning on Stamp as a trusted friend during a period of intense pressure.
A close friend and adviser of Diana’s told RadarOnline.com that the letters reveal “a side of Diana that the public rarely got to see.”
“There is humor, warmth, and a level of trust that speaks volumes about the friendship she shared with Terence,” the source said. “What stands out is how comfortable she felt discussing personal matters while also showing a playful and mischievous sense of humor.”
Another insider said the messages show a friendship “built on mutual respect and understanding.”
“Diana clearly valued Terence as someone she could speak openly with at a time when she was under enormous pressure,” the insider added.
In one October 1991 letter, Diana thanked Stamp for making lunch and for understanding the pressures of her public role.
“Touched to the core by your understanding of my job/role and what comes with it!” she wrote.
She then made a joking reference to antidepressants.
“Three cheers for Prozac, not the American variety I hasten to add!” Diana wrote.
A month later, Diana sent another note after a lunch with Stamp, thanking him for serving caviar and joking about her mood.
“No Prozac withdrawals as yet!” she wrote.
The letters also show Diana’s cheekier side.
In December 1991, she reportedly sent Stamp a humorous postcard featuring a bare female breast with the caption, “All The Breast from London.”
Another card thanked the actor for champagne enjoyed during what she called a “lunch a la yeast!” The postcard featured a cartoon couple in bed under the caption, “Why did God invent sex?” Inside was the punchline: “So that married people do something at least twice a year.”
Sources familiar with the collection said the letters show how Diana used humor and close friendships to cope with the pressures surrounding her royal life.
The items are part of a wider sale celebrating Stamp’s career and personal life.
Claire Tole-Moir, head of popular culture at Bonhams, said the auction will “showcase the many sides of Terence Stamp” and highlight his relationships with major figures including Jean Shrimpton, Julie Christie and Princess Diana.
The sale also includes personal photographs and costumes connected to some of Stamp’s most famous screen roles, including The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Far from the Madding Crowd, Last Night in Soho and Wall Street.
In a statement, Stamp’s estate said the collection reflects the “full breadth of the man: the actor, the writer, the style icon, the traveller, the seeker.”
“Terence lived with great intention,” the estate said. “Everything he surrounded himself with was chosen for a reason, whether a finely made suit, a piece of art, or a letter from a dear friend.”