While many remember Princess Diana as a charming and loving person, a former royal claims that it was all for show. Former King of Spain Juan Carlos I made the revelation in his memoir, “Reconciliation.” 

In his memoir, Carlos stated that when Diana was not in front of a camera, she was a completely different person. He described her as “cold, taciturn, and distant, except in the presence of the paparazzi.”

His comments about Diana have revived long-standing rumors about the two having an affair back in the day. Some have long believed that the now-87-year-old had a fling with the former Princess of Wales when she was still married to King Charles III. 

Back in the 1980s, the duo spent around three summers at the Spanish Royal Family’s home in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. However, Diana had always denied having an affair with Carlos. 

She allegedly privately confessed to the friends of the royal that she “felt uncomfortable being left alone with him in a room, although I can assure you nothing happened.” Diana referred to him as “a very libidinous man.”

According to Vanity Fair, journalist Charles Jaigu traveled to the former King of Spain’s residence in Abu Dhabi to talk about his memoir. Carlos wrote the memoir with the help of French writer Laurence Debray. He also denied that he ever had a relationship with Princess Diana.

Many believe that Diana’s marriage to King Charles III had already experienced some turbulence by the time they visited the Palace of Marivent for the first time. She could have found an ear to talk to in Carlos. That might be the reason why she decided to stay back when Charles returned to England.

One of Princess Diana’s former advisors, Roberto Devorik, also revealed some details about the Summer vacations of the royals back in the day. “The king was very attentive to her, perhaps too much so.” He added, “One summer he told her that she looked very much like the British journalist Selina Scott. After one of those vacations, Diana confessed to me that Queen Sofia had not liked her very much.” Devorik also revealed that Diana used to flirt with Carlos; however, it was innocent. “[Diana] flirted with Juan Carlos, but innocently, as any woman would do.”

The rumors of Diana’s affair with Carlos first saw the light of day in 1992 after the release of Lady Colin Campbell’s “Diana in Private: The Princess Nobody Knows.” The book claimed that the former Princess of Wales had an affair with the former King of Spain. However, as mentioned above, both parties denied the rumors. 

While Diana admitted that she had extramarital affairs and relationships with other men before her death, she never mentioned the name of Jaun Carlos. The Princess’s friend and biographer Andrew Morton has previously revealed she had told him that she cannot stand Carlos and considered him to be a playboy. Her former bodyguard, Ken Wharfe, also revealed that the Princess found Carlos to be “too friendly.”

However, with Carlos also denying that he ever had a fling with Diana in his memoir and the Princess’s private confession, maybe these rumors can finally be put to rest.