Shadows of a Princess cover art

Shadows of a Princess

Preview

£0.00 for first 30 days

Try for £0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Shadows of a Princess

By: Patrick Jephson
Narrated by: Patrick Jephson
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £16.99

Buy Now for £16.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

Reissued for the twentieth anniversary of Diana’s death, this sensational bestseller is an explosive account of her life, from the man who was by her side throughout its most turbulent period.

In 1981 Lady Diana Spencer was seen by many as a lifeline for the outdated Windsor line. But Diana didn’t follow the script. Instead she brought a revolution.

Patrick Jephson was Diana’s closest aide and adviser during her years of greatest public fame and deepest personal crisis. He witnessed the disintegration of her marriage to Prince Charles and the negotiation of the royal divorce.

Rooted in unique first-hand experience, Shadows of a Princess is an authoritative, balanced account of one of the world’s most famous and tragic women.

©2000, 2017 Prospect Media Ltd (P)2017 HarperCollins Publishers
Great Britain Royalty England
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

Diana: Closely Guarded Secret cover art
A Royal Duty cover art
The Real Diana cover art
Meghan and Harry cover art
Making a Noise cover art
Three Times a Countess cover art
Brief Lives cover art
People Like Us cover art
Anna Karenina cover art
The Bay of Angels cover art
Leaving Home cover art
The Next Big Thing cover art
Truman cover art
The Rules of Engagement cover art
Undue Influence cover art
Five Presidents cover art

Critic reviews

‘A compelling page-turner.’ Sunday Times

‘The most indelible, authentic word-portrait ever painted of the People’s Princess.’ Daily Mail

‘Never has so senior a servant of the Royal Family decided to reveal his secrets and rarely has one witnessed such turbulent times.’ The Times

‘Mr Jephson was a witness to significant events … he is in a position to reveal the truth.’ Daily Express

‘Jephson’s revelations are important. They are a stark corrective to the baroque fantasies constructed around the Princess immediately after her death.’ Evening Standard

What listeners say about Shadows of a Princess

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    39
  • 4 Stars
    8
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    34
  • 4 Stars
    6
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    26
  • 4 Stars
    13
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The best account yet

I loved the fact that it seemed so balanced and respectful. I believed every word Patrick said and I could imagine no reason for her close family and friends to be offended. Well done Patrick

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A balanced view

Penned by the late Princess's Private Secretary whose tenure lasted from 1987 through to 1996 this is a well-written account of the author's working life. My only criticism is that the details of the various overseas tours got a little samey after a while.

it was clearly and articulately narrated by the author.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very revealing

Comes across as a very clear eyed account from someone who saw it all and whose job was to deal with the consequences

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very thoughtful

This seemed a very measured account of the last ten years of Diana’s life.
Insightful and thought provoking.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant

A brilliant book, written beautifully and so honest. It was a joy to listen to the author reading it. I loved it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Story of a person who is like anyone else

I read few books about Princess Diana as I wanted to understand her as a royal and as a person. If it is your first book about Princess Diana, you should read few others too by different authors. Each book I read portray her from different perspectives and this one, in particular, shows her kinda "bad" side. What I am trying to say is that be prepared or willing to read other books about her as well or do not read any. She is a quite complicated person, or she is just pure Narcissistic personality, or she is a snob. Reading other books will help you understand for yourself who she was.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

This needed saying

When I heard the opening scenario of the book it put me right off. I decided to push on through as I believed that Jephson had an authentic and valid insight into the true character and life of the Princess during his service with her. I'm glad I did. This all needed saying to offset the many sycophantic offerings about Diana on the market.
Sadly Diana was messed up and broken. Her reckless and often cruel behaviour testifies to this: but equally messed up is Prince Charles and the whole palace system. I believe that pre-existing character flaws in Diana's personality were inflamed and grew to monstrous pro portions by the foul treatment she received from Charles and the Palace when they had the care of her. This was a great dereliction of duty on their part. I hope that Jephson, who writes and narrates this with his tongue firmly in his cheek didn't suffer too badly as a result of writing this expose'.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Fascinating book with the clear ring of truth

I thought this book might be interesting after I saw Patrick Jephson interviewed on a TV program. His account in this book makes sense of the brilliant, complex and emotionally injured person we all caught glimpses of. It left me feeling immensely sad and with much more compassion than before . Definitely worth investing the time to understand this chapter of our history.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The Best Account I’ve Read !

I liked the candour of the author - it’s the closest I think we will ever get to a portrait of the real Diana - I don’t believe the Queen of Hearts stuff that is peddled - I believe she was a complex human being with faults and good points - she was undoubtedly controlled by her somewhat unpredictable emotions.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Shadows of a Princess

An enlightening account of the Princess. Perfect person to many on the outside but deeply flawed on the inside.
Very interesting account of this very troubled individual.
Amazing to imagine what she really could have achieved.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!