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King Charles Opens Up About 'Unbearable Emptiness' Following Princess Diana's Death, Personal Letters Reveal: 'Agony'

May 31, 2026 by Abigail Connolly
shefinds | Celebrity
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King Charles‘ life was undoubtedly changed when his first wife, Princess Diana, died in a tragic accident in 1997. Now, more of the grief he felt in those following moments is being revealed.

Many have accused the king of being unremorseful following the death of his first wife, considering he eventually ended up with his friend and mistress, Queen Camilla. However, letters from him to a friend shortly after Diana’s passing have been unearthed following a 2024 auction, where the monarch described himself as living in “agony.” Read more about what he had to say in his letters below.

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The royal family is well known for avoiding intense emotions during times of turmoil, whether that be a crisis happening somewhere in the world or a personal incident within the monarchy itself.

 

One of the most shocking and devastating incidents to occur to the royal family in the last 30 years was the death of Princess Diana, who was killed in a car accident in 1997. Back then, she had already been divorced from King Charles, with whom she had a famously tense marriage, especially since he had an affair with his current wife, Queen Camilla. Though the king, who back then was the Prince of Wales, showed some sadness in the months following her death, letters he wrote to a friend that were sold at auction revealed his deeper feelings.

 

According to The Daily Mail, in the year of Diana's death, the king wrote letters to his friend, Peter Houghton, letters that were sold at auction for nearly $2,000 in 2024, with their readings being anonymously shared with the press. In them, he wrote that her loss had him feeling "unbearable emptiness."

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Charles Wrote That He Was In 'Agony' After Losing Diana

In the letters, there were reportedly phrasings and sentences that contained more descriptive feelings that the royal father-of-two was experiencing, which caught the attention of many, as there were people from around the world who felt he didn't seem emotional enough when making public appearances.

 

However, the documents not only revealed the now 77-year-old's feelings, but also had him describing the late Diana with high praise, which was also unexpected, considering their messy split. At one point, he reportedly called her a "life-enhancer," and while writing to his friend Peter, who had also lost a spouse, added he could relate to the "agony" he must have felt.

 

"Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face-to-face," he added, as reported by People. "Personally, I believe that there is another dimension beyond this physical one and that we will be amazed to discover it for ourselves when we are eventually - or at a moment - called upon to make that certain journey for ourselves."

Author:

Editorial Assistant

Abigail is a journalist based in Brooklyn, New York. As an Editorial Assistant for SheFinds, she covers topics ranging from celebrity news and fashion to wellness. She has written for other publications, including Chip Chick, Bandsintown, BroadwayWorld, and more. When she isn't writing, Abigail loves spending time in the city with her friends, being a 'dog mom' to her Chihuahua, and singing along to some of her favorite music.

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