The Housekeeper's Diary: Charles and Diana Before the Breakup

I am very much Team Diana, but I do recognize she had a dark side, so nothing in this book came to me as a huge shock. Yes Diana was prone to fits and sulks, but what wife wouldn't be, if her husband was ordering costume jewelry for her Christmas present while the mistress got the real diamonds? I didn't see this as pro-Charles. Just that the author seemed to tolerate and pity him a little more, since he didn't put on a false face. It's pretty clear that the author considered the Princess to be two-faced and manipulative, and blames her for taking away her home and livelihood, but that just makes it all the more convincing when she discloses that Charles was sneaking off to stay with Camilla long before Diana was hooking up, and that James Hewitt couldn't possible be Harry's father, since that romance didn't begin until Harry was old enough for riding lessons. What's most interesting to me is her opinions of the others like Andrew and Fergie, Anne and Edward, the Queen, and even Jimmy Savile, written in complete innocence of the scandals that were to come.

Excellent read!!

All right, so nothing real salacious revealed here, but I really felt like I was in the house with her as she was writing. It's a quick and easy read. I'm so glad I was able to actually find this book online.

Wendy couldn't tell her story inside of Britain, so she had to publish in the USA. It was something we really needed to have here as a balanced opinion of the British Royals, but it couldn't be. With time and now this book, the past is a little more informative now. More balanced now.

I gave this book four stars because the insider information it offers was a fascinating "fly on the wall" peek inside the marriage of Charles and Diana, and at times it really is quite a page turner. However, the reason I cannot give it a fifth star is the author's obvious dislike of Diana and the way it taints the entire book (in other words, this is more of a "look what poor Prince Charles had to put up with" book). True, it sounds like the late Princess of Wales was a bit moody, but you would think the author would have cut the poor girl some slack given what she was going through as her marriage careened toward a bitter end. The author's tone is far gentler when describing her personal interactions with Charles, even as she's mentioning how quickly he would have Camilla in the house after Diana left, the two women sometimes missing one another only by minutes. Interesting that she views him as the more sympathetic character. (And even more interesting, when describing evidence of Diana's indiscretions, she sounds far more judgemental than when talking about Charles' indiscretions!) It should be noted that Ms. Berry and other staff members were abruptly dismissed after the marriage ended. Her bitterness over that is loud and clear, and it's obvious whom she blames. (I'd probably feel the same way in her shoes, and would probably write a book, too.) If you love reading about the royals, as I do, and are looking for a page-turning read for a rainy afternoon, or something to read on vacation, definitely pick this one up. Just don't expect to find any sympathy for the late Princess.

The story was intriguing. After reading the book by Paul Burrel (Diana's butler), who pretty much wrote praises about his former-boss, I wanted to get an angle of her other employees/staff to get their view on how Diana really was like to be around. This book was easy to read and entertaining at the same time. It does shatter the images the general public may have held about the famous princess that was known for her beauty and sweet outward facade. However, all the disturbing side of Diana is quite understandable, considering the madness she was going through at the time she was married to Charles. A young lady with so much expectations, feeling betrayed and abandoned by her husband and in-laws, while taking on the pressure of needing to maintain a perfect image to the ever-present camera lenses. The author writes honestly and shares the fly-on-the-wall view of what Diana was like when at home in private. Great book. This made me buy my next couple of books written by her body guards. I enjoyed learning about the private side of Diana, who ironically, was also the most public woman of our time. Diana can be cleaver and manipulative when she wanted something. You will be surprised to read about some of her tactics to accomplish her personal agendas after reading several of the books written by her close staff members.

This is definitely an interesting read. Wendy is a fly on the wall of all the goings on at Highgrove. The problem is this book is not very analytical. Whenever Princess Diana is upset and having tantrums, she never asks the question why. She is clearly sympathetic to Prince Charles. Wendy has suffered a broken marriage herself, and yet doesn't seem to empathise with a young princess Diana dealing with a straying husband. It cannot be viewed as a neutrally written book. The ulterior motive behind the book is unclear. For instance she almost seems to ignore Camilla's role in the marriage, while we know now that she practically lived at Highgrove even before the separation. She never reveals why she wrote the book. Banned in Britain, I suspect this is another sanctioned treatice. Wendy is no Jane Austen but the book is clearly and simply written. It also gives insights into the challenges of the childhoods of the two princes caught in the middle.

I apologize! I did receive the book!! It didn’t have a cover so i didn’t remember it. Thank you so much! Again, I apologize!

Fans of Diana will not like this book, but if whoever reads it takes an unprejudice view it is enlightening to what went on in Charles and Diana's marriage. Neither of these royals could be said to have behaved well. Charles was a country man who loved all things close to the earth, including in the mix, polo, horses and dogs, and Diana who hated animals or any sort, but loved shopping, being in town and in fact, nothing that her husband liked at all. Both were selfish people, used to getting their own way. Then Charles had a big heart, although as the son of the Queen he had been brought up not to show his emotions in public. Where Diana's heart was firmly on her sleeve. It could have worked if both had considered each others needs a little more, then the love that she had for him in the beginning, which turned to hate, and the love that grew in him in the first weeks of their marriage, would have flowered and matured. I can see why Wendy Berry wrote this book, as she and other members of the staff at Highgrove House were dismissed in an off handed way when Charles and Diana's marriage fell apart. It seemed that Prince Charles wanted everyone who was associated with those unhappy years to be gone from his sight, except for his older retailers. As this lady saw Diana's tantrums and awful behavour towards her dresser and others staff members, Wendy realised she had a very different face in public and with her children. Charles if he was brusque, always appologized afterwards. A good read and insight into the other side of a very royal marriage.

I really liked this book. It was very insightful and I learned a lot of things that I hadn't learned of before, and I read a lot of books on royalty. It was really sad to read about the marriage breakdown and all the wasted opportunities to prevent the divorce that eventually happened. I think Diana was a lot more complicated and difficult that people realize and that Charles is not quite the heartless villain has made out to be. The last paragraph of the book is the most memorable.

J'étais fascinée de lire ce livre. Je pense qu'elle n'aimait pas tellement Diana et préférait de loin Charles. Ici, on voit la personnalité plutôt lunatique de Diana, et le côté égoiste de Charles ainsi que leur amour pour Harry et William. Dommage qu'elle n'a pas dit beaucoup plus de caractéristiques positives des deux. Mais très intéressant à lire, même si c'est désagréable pour les enfants.

Happy that i read this book , before reading the Book by The protection Officer Ken Wharfe;Diana , Closely guarded secret The housekeeper in Highgrove , the country house Prince Charles , during the 7 years , had kept a Diary and book was published in USA ., as it was not possible to publish in England , because of agreement signed by all workers to Royalty Prince Charles busy with his garden , Princess Diana and the Children Prince William , and Prince Harry were all enjoying the countryside mostly on weekends , not necessarily together .! Read and find out !

The question is why was this not released in Britain? It was a very enjoyable and entertaining read. It also showed Charles in a much more sympathetic light. He was a far more affectionate and loving father than many knew. This should be released in Britain. I will not expand on the story it is unique and compelling. It takes two to tango. I see both Diana and Charles as tragic figures. The only person I am still unsure of is the existence of Camilla but that is because of the triangle that emerged in their relationships. If she can make Charles happy, so be it. Poor Diana has passed in a tragic accident & it had nothing to do with any of the current Royals. It is sad for their boys but perhaps it saved them from having problems as Diana did from her parent's divorce issues. It damaged Diana and perhaps the same would have occurred to their boys should she have survived. I only say this because this was the course it was heading to. Charles will be King. I hope he makes a good one. He might. King Edward V11 who had a very short reign was a great King even though his mother Queen Victoria never gave him much of a chance. I think in the 9 or 10 yrs of his reign he did a better job than Victoria did in her 64 years.