Rating: 
Summary: Great Read!
Review: I have collected books, magazines,and what not on Princess Diana since her engagement to Charles, and never in the 22 years of collecting have I found a book that is so worth reading! While it gives an insight to the pain and hell Diana was going through while Charles cavorted with Camilla, it also shows how strongly the Princess tried to "make her marriage right" and how only after continual rejection by her husband did she begin her affair with James Hewitt.
This book also shows a loving and devoted father in Charles,and equally shows the strenghts and weaknesses in both the Prince and Princess. It also shows the mischieviousness of William and Harry as well.
If you are looking for a "tell all" book, you will find a bit of that here, but mostly you will find a very balanced, very human look at both Princess Diana and the world in which she lived. I would highly reccomend this book to anyone doing historical research on the Princess and her day to day life.
Rating:
Summary: Finally, equilibrium!!!
Review: I just finished reading Ken Wharfe's wonderful account of his time with Princess Diana. I have read over sixty books on the royal family and this, by far, seems to be the most balanced account of Diana. I never had the opportunity to meet her but I knew that she could not have been as 'off balance' as much as has been presented in the past. Catherine Walker mentioned in her book that Diana had a wonderful sense of humor and Ken Wharfe expounds on that to give us examples of what she found funny and how lighthearted she could be at times. I also was not surprised that she could be a handful at times. While the world knows her past, her indescretions and some of her pain, she never let the British public down when it came to representing the royal family. It always amazed me that she could go from being with the most destitute of people, showing her caring for them, and then be at the most extravagant parties looking as though she was comfortable at both ends of the spectrum. One of the most eye-opening parts of the book is the difference of the protection officer from Scotland Yard and the protection offered by the Al Fayed family. It didn't occur to me until I read this that Mr. Wharfe had the opportunity to stop whatever may have come into play if it could possibly affect the safety of the Princess. He could do so directly with her without having to answer to the royal family since he worked for Scotland Yard. The Al Fayed protection team was hampered by the fact that they worked for their boss and I suppose their primary objective was to make all parties happy along with security and trying to keep their jobs all at the same time. It turned out to be a tragic combination. This is a well balanced book on Diana and Charles. It shows all sides and I hope that someday William and Harry will read it and realize that the author had compassion for their mother and father. I truly believe Mr. Wharfe had the best interest of the Princess in mind when he put pen to paper. I do believe she would have been proud.
Rating: 
Summary: Well worth the money!
Review: I loved this book. It was written with alot of love. He did it to clear her name not to make a fortune like alot of other books. I loved the incidents he talked about and the candid way he related himself to Diana. You could read between the lines and feel the love he had for her and she must have had a lot of trust in him.
Rating:
Summary: Someone finally comes out with the truth.
Review: I loved this book. It was written with alot of love. He did it to clear her name not to make a fortune like alot of other books. I loved the incidents he talked about and the candid way he related himself to Diana. You could read between the lines and feel the love he had for her and she must have had a lot of trust in him.
Rating:
Summary: Good
Review: I say this book is good because I did learn some more about
Princess Diana. Although, alot of been said already. We all know
about her problems dealing with the Royal Family. Would you want
to live with them. She had a lot distrust with them and I found
they did not treat her as well. As she became older and divorced Prince Charles. She became her own person. I have read
so many books about her. And with each book you learn more.
Too me she was my hero. With all her faults, she was a real
person. I do hope some more books will come out how wonderful
she was.
Laura
Rating:
Summary: Worth buying
Review: Ken Warfe's book about Diana Princess of Wales was one of the more balanced and interesting accounts that I have read about her life from 1987 through the mid 90's. He was Diana's body guard provided by Scotland Yard and at one point considered himself to be close confidant for Diana in a professional way. His account neither condones or disapproves of her conduct but objecively describes her life at the time. In it, he tells about her affairs with James Hewitt, James Gilbey and Oliver Hoare yet doesn't divulge seamy details that he may have been aware of. He does a fine job of describing what Diana's life was like at that time in the royal family and how her some of her choices were effected by Prince Charles actions, particulary, his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles. He doesn't make excuses for Diana's actions some of which are very immature but impartially describes the scene and the people involved. Wharfe doesn't deny that his job was difficult at times. In fact, he is very open about Diana's complex character. He describes a woman who can be very difficult yet fun to be with, manipulating and needy yet extremely caring and selfless, a person obsessed with being in the spotlight yet wanting a "normal" life. I felt that her bodyguard, Ken Wharfe, captured her life for that time period in a well thought out, easy to read and balanced presentation about one of the most fascinating people of this century.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting Comments About Diana's Life
Review: Ken Warfe's book about Diana Princess of Wales was one of the more balanced and interesting accounts that I have read about her life from 1987 through the mid 90's. He was Diana's body guard provided by Scotland Yard and at one point considered himself to be close confidant for Diana in a professional way. His account neither condones or disapproves of her conduct but objecively describes her life at the time. In it, he tells about her affairs with James Hewitt, James Gilbey and Oliver Hoare yet doesn't divulge seamy details that he may have been aware of. He does a fine job of describing what Diana's life was like at that time in the royal family and how her some of her choices were effected by Prince Charles actions, particulary, his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles. He doesn't make excuses for Diana's actions some of which are very immature but impartially describes the scene and the people involved. Wharfe doesn't deny that his job was difficult at times. In fact, he is very open about Diana's complex character. He describes a woman who can be very difficult yet fun to be with, manipulating and needy yet extremely caring and selfless, a person obsessed with being in the spotlight yet wanting a "normal" life. I felt that her bodyguard, Ken Wharfe, captured her life for that time period in a well thought out, easy to read and balanced presentation about one of the most fascinating people of this century.
Rating:
Summary: Easy to read and insightful
Review: Ken Wharfe served as personal protection officer to Princes William and Harry and then to Princess Diana for almost seven years from 1987. During that time he spent more hours in the company of the Princess than anyone, and it is from this perspective that he is able to give a great deal of insight into who she was and what her life was like. The book is well written and easy to read. Wharfe gives a very balanced portrait of Diana - not skimming over her faults but also not dwelling on them (in contrast to Patrick Jephson's book which covers a similar timespan). Overall Wharfe's relationship with the Princess was clearly close, warm and for the most part, one of mutual trust and admiration. In many ways he was part of the Wales family for several years and became very close to the young Princes. This account is very informative and also has some great snippets of gossip, particularly in relation to the breakdown marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning more about what Diana was really like. This is definitely the most informative and intimate book that I have read about her.
Rating:
Summary: Easy to read and insightful
Review: Ken Wharfe served as personal protection officer to Princes William and Harry and then to Princess Diana for almost seven years from 1987. During that time he spent more hours in the company of the Princess than anyone, and it is from this perspective that he is able to give a great deal of insight into who she was and what her life was like. The book is well written and easy to read. Wharfe gives a very balanced portrait of Diana - not skimming over her faults but also not dwelling on them (in contrast to Patrick Jephson's book which covers a similar timespan). Overall Wharfe's relationship with the Princess was clearly close, warm and for the most part, one of mutual trust and admiration. In many ways he was part of the Wales family for several years and became very close to the young Princes. This account is very informative and also has some great snippets of gossip, particularly in relation to the breakdown marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning more about what Diana was really like. This is definitely the most informative and intimate book that I have read about her.
Rating:
Summary: No one has written a better book about Diana.
Review: No one has written a better book about Diana, in my opinion. But then, I did not know Diana, so I, of course, have no way of knowing for sure...which is why I do not understand why people pounce on writers who did know her, and who try to paint a true picture of her. Is it better to read books by those who did not know her, or by those who hardly knew her...especially by those who try to either canonize or crucify her? And it's getting very tiresome seeing the royal family attempt to chop off the heads of those who say things they don't want to hear, by using "poor distressed" William and Harry as guillotines, so to speak. Both Diana and Charles have used books to tell the world their stories and their memories. Why should anyone think Inspector Wharfe's memories and stories are not his own "property", but the property of the palace? Maybe the royal family thinks the security people and servants should be part of the woodwork, or sounding boards...not living souls with eyes, emotions, insights and intelligence. And why anyone would be upset by this particular book on Diana is beyond me. I have never seen a writer try so hard not to be unkind to anyone...even those who obviously deserve a kick in the head! Inspector Wharfe comes across as a very intelligent, very perceptive, very kind-hearted man... who has attempted to show his readers the realities of Diana's life and death. He obviously was not only a bodyguard to Diana, but also a sounding board, a friend...and one can even guess--a father figure. If you're into day-to-day reality, this is the book for you. If you want fantasies or hatchet jobs, there are many other books on Diana to choose from here at Amazon. After I finished Patrick Jephson's book "Shadows of a Princess", I thought at the time that would be the last book I would ever read on Princess Diana...unless Ken Wharfe wrote one. Well, Inspector Wharfe did indeed write a book, and I prefer ending my reading on Diana with this book. While Mr. Jephson's book was intelligent and insightful, it also unfortunately was like a cloudy gray day...where neither the rain ever falls nor the sun ever comes out. Inspector Wharfe's book, on the other hand, is like an Autumn day--a mixture of sun and clouds, of heat and cold, of greens, browns, reds...and blues...much like Diana herself. Good job, Inspector Wharfe! I for one appreciate it.
|
