Newly released documents have revealed that Irish officials were informed 30 years ago that the late Princess Diana was more skilled at handling media confrontations with the then-Prince of Wales. The papers indicate that Diana’s team actively worked to outshine St James’ Palace during a two-day visit by the Prince of Wales to Ireland in June 1995, after their separation in 1992.
According to the documents from the Irish Government files released as part of Ireland’s annual disclosure, Charles’s team strategically viewed the media coverage of his Irish trip as a crucial element in rehabilitating his image in the eyes of the British public post-separation. The King’s press operation, led by press secretaries Alan Percival and Sandy Henney, praised the visit as a significant public relations success for Charles.
In the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs’ records, Sandy Henney was described as fiercely loyal to Charles, actively promoting his interests. A memo from the department hinted at Henney suggesting the possibility of Diana also visiting Ireland, which was initially taken as a joke but later considered seriously.
Joe Hayes, a member of the Department of Foreign Affairs, relayed that in the media rivalry between Diana and Charles, the Princess was seen as more skillful and dedicated to overshadowing St James’ Palace. Both British and Irish officials noted that while the UK media coverage of the visit was positive, it paled in comparison to the extensive reporting in Ireland.
The insights shared in this article are based on documents found in the National Archives of Ireland under the file label 2025/124/160.