Newly declassified documents from Ireland’s National Archives reveal claims that Princess Diana’s staff were actively working to “upstage” Buckingham Palace during the couple’s highly publicised separation. Irish officials were informed approximately three decades ago that Diana was considered significantly more adept at navigating the media landscape than her then-husband, Prince Charles.

The revelations emerge in the context of Charles’s two-day visit to Ireland in June 1995, a period following his 1992 split from Diana. His inner circle reportedly viewed the extensive media coverage of this trip as a critical element of a “long-term public relations strategy to rehabilitate the Prince in the eyes of the British public” amid their high-profile divorce proceedings.

Charles’s press team, under the leadership of press secretary Alan Percival and his successor Sandy Henney, reportedly conveyed to Irish officials that the Ireland visit represented “the best public outing the Prince has had in a very long time.” This sentiment underscored the strategic importance placed on public perception during a turbulent period for the royal family.

Sandy Henney, described in a Department of Foreign Affairs document as “fiercely loyal” to Charles and “alive to every opportunity to advance his cause,” is quoted in the unearthed files. Her comments to Irish officials suggested a keen awareness of the ongoing media battle between the Prince and Princess.

According to a note from Department of Foreign Affairs official Joe Hayes, Henney indicated that Diana’s staff were consistently seeking opportunities to overshadow St James’s Palace. Hayes initially perceived Henney’s remarks about Diana potentially visiting Ireland as a joke, but she reportedly repeated them, assuring him of the Princess’s strategic prowess.

Hayes documented his conversation, stating, “I took this as a joke until she repeated it and assured me that in the media battle between the two, the Princess was by far the more predatory and skilled and her staff devoted a great deal of time to finding ways and means of upstaging St James’ Palace.” This direct assertion highlights the perceived intensity of the royal public relations efforts.

Officials on both sides of the Irish Sea noted a disparity in media coverage. While Charles’s visit to Ireland garnered significant attention, the coverage within the United Kingdom was described as “relatively light” in tone, despite being positive. This contrast further illustrates the differing media landscapes and the efforts to manage public narratives.

The documents, filed under label 2025/124/160 in the National Archives of Ireland, provide a contemporary, albeit unofficial, account of the intense media strategies employed by the royal couple’s respective teams during their separation. The Princess’s perceived advantage in media engagement is a recurring theme within these newly public records.

Read Original

Keywords: Princess Diana, Prince Charles, royal family, media strategy, public relations, National Archives of Ireland, royal separation, Buckingham Palace