Diana's Secret London

Had she lived long enough Diana, Princess of Wales would surely have been a devotee of the American television drama Sex and the City (created for HBO in 1998) and Harvey and Saunders, two intrepid members of the paparazzi she loathed, knew the Princess personally and have written a delightfully informative and beautifully pictured tome on the favorite haunts and historic landmarks in and around upscale London that she frequented or inhabited for most of her life. This is clearly the British equivalent of Sex and the City, or at least a royal version of it. Diana was born and bred in the country, but she was always a city girl at heart and West London's grand squares, chic shops, and glamorous nightlife was soup for her soul even before she married into the world's most exalted dynasty. In fact, it is not for nothing that she soon earned the nickname "Dynasty Di" in the early eighties once that tiara was placed firmly on her head. She always loved London and were it not for media persecution, she might gladly have remained there for the rest of her life even if she had had a successful second marriage.This is the first and only book to fully divulge how the Princess functioned in her own environment, in the capital's most renowned areas, from the Chealsea section of South Kensington to the grander enclaves of Belgravia and West London with all of its magnificent buildings and world-famous backdrops. Diana was the subject of countless biographies but few of them are as intimate about her daily habits and the privileged Sloane Ranger Universe she adored. She remains, nearly three decades after her shocking death, the most famous and worshipped public figure of all time, although JFK, his widow Jackie, and Marilyn Monroe are not far behind.Diana's Secret London is the probably the only significant book about the Princess that you will ever read that will lift your spirits rather than cast you into a downward state of despair. Hers was an unhappy, unfulfilled existence, but as we all know, the flamboyant Princess lived life on her own terms, and this mesmerizing travelogue, filled to the brim with never before disclosed tidbits, reveals how well lived that extraordinary life was: in an entirely exclusive, sometimes inclusive, royal bubble even amid appalling press harassment. Who could have thought that two tabloid photographers would examine Diana's regal lifestyle in such a charming and engaging manner? It is certainly an improvement on their previous 1996 tome on the Princess which covered their constant pursuit of her titled Dicing with Di (later retitled Diana and the Paparazzi in a 2007 edition) Diana's Secret London is highly recommended for all rabid Diana fans.

Excellent book for Diana fans! I lived in London back in the 1980s, but I had no idea so much went on behind the scenes. Not all the details mentioned in the book made it to the tabloids. The book appears to be well researched. I highly recommend this book for a light read.

This was an enjoyable book. It is probably better if you know the area but it is just wonderful to read something newer about our beautiful Princess.

The book is divided into 5 walking tours around London- one map to each section. Each "walk" has numerous points of interest (many of which only the most dedicated Diana person will have heard about) with 2 or 3 (?) pages of text and a related photograph. The descriptions end with directions to each location, I assume those are based on the relevant map. There's a section about additional places and people of interest at books end.If I ever get back to London this book will be worth something for major points of interest such as Palaces and the Memorial fountain. There's so much here, and some of it little known, that the average person would never have time to see it all unless they lived in London.

The condition of the cover and book was perfect. This is a great book and any Royal Family buff will enjoy the book.