Princess Diana “jumped from a balcony” after separating from King Charles, her former security guard has revealed.
Diana’s long-time bodyguard sparked concerns among the British public in 1993 when the princess was photographed at the charity Headway without him.
Ken Wharfe made headlines just a few weeks before due to stepping back from his royal role after six years.
Mr Wharfe has now revealed the decision came after feeling unable to keep Diana safe following her separation from then-Prince Charles.
Ken Wharfe has revealed that Princess Diana 'jumped from a balcony' after her separation from then-Prince Charles
|PA
He revealed: “I reflected back to that moment when Diana abandoned her security because I knew deep in my heart that without it, she would ultimately perish.
“It wasn't until I went back to Kensington Palace a few days later that she said: ‘Did you hear the news, Ken?’ And I said: ‘Yes.’ I said: ‘How are you feeling?’ ‘Well, it's over.’
“She was incredibly tearful because let’s not forget when a statement like that is made to the world that your marriage is effectively over, that's a very distressing thing to hear.
“But clearly in my view, this is what she wanted. She wanted out of this marriage.”
Shortly after the separation, Mr Wharfe accompanied Diana to her favourite skiing resort in Austria.
He continued: “It was early one morning, about half past six, I was awoken by my night security officer who said to me rather sheepishly, that Diana had just come into the hotel, come back to the hotel.
Princess Diana and Prince Charles divorced in August 1996
|PA
“’What do you mean, just come in? Are you telling me that you let her out?’ And he said: ‘No, Sir, I didn't.’ ‘So how did she get out then?’ He says: ‘I don't know.’ He couldn't really work out how she'd actually left the hotel.
“So, I went outside to the front of her suite and the balcony that she had. There had been a heavy snowfall that night - I mean, I was now treading in it with up to my waist.
“But I could see this almost human-like impression in this deep snow, and then these steps away from the balcony. Much to my utter amazement, I realised she must have jumped about 20ft down from this first-floor balcony.
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“She could have died. I mean, making no small point about it. I was actually concerned, really, for her own mentality. Quite what was her state of mind in actually attempting or believing that she could do something like that?
“I had to establish that Diana was safe, that she was in the hotel. So, I then went and knocked on her door. And she was very, very happy, very buoyant.
Ken Wharfe worked as Diana's bodyguard for six years before stepping away from the role
|GETTY
“’Oh, hello, Ken, come in.’ I said: ‘Yes, are you okay?’ And she said: ‘Yes. I just needed a bit of air, Ken.’ So, I said: ‘That's a pretty stupid thing to jump from that balcony.’
“She said: ‘I just decided I wanted out. I didn't want to disturb your colleagues. I didn't want to make a fuss about it.’ I said: ‘It could have been a real fuss had you killed yourself.’”
Mr Wharfe made the comments in a new Channel 5 documentary, Diana: The Princess and the Bodyguard.
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