Pa For The Course: Testing Princess Diana And Prince Philip

Philip is famously Greek, and Diana was partial to a foreign gentleman. Might more be revealed than anyone could have dared think?

“Thank you for taking the time to respond to my letter,” writes Philip in fluent English. “I hope this means we can continue to make use of this form of communication since there appears to be very little other opportunity to exchange views.”

Philip’s letters are typed. Diana’s letters all begin “Dearest Pa” and are all handwritten.

Experts will cue up to comment on that. But we wonder if there is not something odd about calling your in-laws mum and dad, pa or ma? If they are your mother, what does that make your spouse - your brother, your sister? Should such name calling be encouraged?

“DEAREST PA,” says the Mail’s front-page headline. “Revealed: Intimate letters between Diana and Philip.”

It all depends on how you read these missives. The Mail sees a bond in the edited letters. The Express reads the same letters and asks: “Did Philip want Diana dead?”

In years to come one imagines that question forming the basis of an A-level exam, students invited to quote the set texts: Daily Express 1997-2007; Paul Burrell Volumes I to XI and Philips Letters – The Who The Hell Are You? collection.

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