Letter in which Princess Diana discussed marital woes before Martin Bashir interview set to sell

‘I am one of three people in a triangle’: Letter in which Princess Diana discussed her marital woes months before her infamous Martin Bashir interview is set to fetch up to £2,200 at auction

  • The letter is dated May 11, 1995 and addressed to a mystery Mrs Cotton
  • Was written six months before the infamous interview with Martin Bashir
  • Do YOU know identity of Mrs Cotton? Email harry.s.howard@mailonline.co.uk 

A letter written by Princess Diana in which she discusses her marital woes is set to go on sale. 

The letter on a single sheet of Kensington Palace headed note paper is dated May 11, 1995 and addressed to a Mrs Cotton.

The letter reads simply: ‘If only life were so simple. It is my dearest wish. Sadly the reality is I am one of three people in a triangle’. 

It was written six months before she famously told Martin Bashir on the BBC ‘there were three people in this marriage’ – in reference to her, King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla.

A letter written by Princess Diana in which she discusses her marital woes is set to go on sale. The letter reads simply: ‘If only life were so simple. It is my dearest wish. Sadly the reality is I am one of three people in a triangle’

Princess Diana and King Charles are pictured in Seoul in 1992, the year that they formally separated

Princess Diana and King Charles are pictured in Seoul in 1992, the year that they formally separated

The letter goes on sale at Chiswick Auctions on February 14.

Letters written by Princess Diana are not uncommon at auction but head of sale Valentina Borghi says this one is of particular interest.

She says is has ‘such personal and intimate content’ and is ‘quite remarkable as it references directly that famous quote ‘there were three people in this marriage’.

The identity of Mrs Cotton, someone with whom Diana could share such personal information, is currently unknown.

‘I am afraid the vendor bought the letter from a dealer some time ago with very little additional information’ says Valentina Borghi.

‘So far we have not been able to identify Mrs Cotton but are hoping someone out there will know who she is.’

The auction house has given the letter an estimate of between £1,800 and £2,200 but are hopeful it may bring more.

The letter was written the year before Diana and Charles divorced. They had separated in 1992 but continued to carry out royal duties together. 

Diana was killed in a car crash in the Tunnel de l’Alma in Paris in 1997. 

The letter was written six months before she famously told Martin Bashir on the BBC 'there were three people in this marriage' - in reference to her, King Charles and Camilla

The letter was written six months before she famously told Martin Bashir on the BBC ‘there were three people in this marriage’ – in reference to her, King Charles and Camilla

Charles went on to marry Camilla in 2005, but the couple had been romantically involved for several years of his marriage to Diana. 

Diana’s interview with Bashir was watched by 23 million people and caused a worldwide media frenzy.

To secure access to the princess, Bashir showed her brother, Earl Spencer, false bank statements which suggested his former head of security had been receiving money from tabloids and the security services to spy on his sister.

Once he had gained access, Bashir told Diana a string of lies, convincing her that Prince Charles was having an affair with then royal nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke – now Alexandra Pettifer – and that she became pregnant and had an abortion as a result.

The sale comes as a set of 32 other letters and cards written by Diana to her friends Susie and Tarek Kassam are also heading to auction and are set to sell for £90,000.

Written between late 1995 and throughout 1996, Diana opened up about topics such as being isolated and fears her phone was being bugged. 

The couple are selling the letters because ‘owning the documents is a great responsibility’ that they did not wish to pass on to their children.

The Kassems have kept some of their more personal and confidential correspondence with Diana.

The couple, who live in London, are selling the letters at Lay’s auctioneers in Penzance, Cornwall on February 16 

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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk