OK Magazine
“You poor man, do you know what you're taking on?” Those were Princess Diana's first words to Dai Davies, who became Commander in Charge of Royal Protection in 1995, shortly after her breakup with Prince Charles. Now, 20 years after Diana's tragic death, Davies spoke about her deepest secrets — about her many romances, the real father of her younger son and the man she believed was murdered over their illicit affair!
“Diana had a number of lovers, 20 at least, after she split from Charles,” Davies says. “She liked to be chased and she liked to chase men, often married men.”
Yet the men she reportedly fell for while still wed to Charles continued to haunt her. Among them was Barry Mannakee, her security officer who was removed from royal duties in 1986 and died within a year, when a car hit him. “Diana was convinced it was murder!” Davies shares, adding that a thorough investigation later proved Mannakee's death to be an accident. And then there was ginger-haired James Hewitt, who some believe secretly sired Prince Harry — an allegation Davies insists is false. “James is definitely not Harry's father!” he says.
“Diana and Hewitt had not even met when Harry was conceived. Charles is his father.” As to the redhead connection, Davies dismisses it as ludicrous: “Her sister is a redhead.” But he does admit that Harry was devastated by questions about his paternity. “Harry was furious when it was suggested he take a DNA test,” Davies declares. “His reaction was, ‘I know who my father is. I am my father's son.'” Once Diana was free to date whoever she pleased, she didn't hesitate. “She enjoyed the company of a range of men,” says Davies, who remained at his post guarding the royal family until 1998.
The princess had 20 lovers — a list that included billionaire Teddy Forstmann, surgeon Hasnat Khan and Oscar winner Kevin Costner! According to Davies, The Bodyguard stud was hoping to sign Diana on to a follow-up to that 1992 hit! “She was linked to Kevin Costner, [but] he wanted her for the sequel,” Davies spills, adding, “There was no way she was going to appear in a film!”
While Davies claims he found it “funny” that people fantasized about the Princess and the movie star, he was seriously alarmed in 1997 when Diana started dating Dodi Fayed, son of controversial Egyptian tycoon Mohamed Al-Fayed. “Mohamed had been trying to get close to the royal family for years,” Davies explains. “He was pulling strings in that relationship, so Dodi and Diana being together was a dream come true for him.”
Unfortunately, they were doomed, as both Dodi and Diana perished in a car cash in Paris on August 31, 1997. Davies says it's a pity that the Princess did not live to see her older son ascend to the throne one day. “Prince William will make an amazing king,” Davies says. “I will always regret that Diana is not around to see it.”
For more on the royal family, tune into the new podcast, “The Firm: Blood, Lies and Royal Succession.” Listen below!
