It’s no secret that despite marrying in a faiytale wedding, King Charles was not the love of Princess Diana’s life. The late princess also had relationships with the likes of heart surgeon Hasnat Khan and the son of the former Harrods owner Dodi Al-Fayed. But Diana once revealed that her “greatest love” was none of these men – and was in fact her former bodyguard, who she once said was “bumped off”. Barry Mannakee worked as a protection officer for the former Princess of Wales between 1984 and 1986, accompanying her on royal engagements and other trips. It came at a time when her marriage to Charles was on shaky ground, and it is said Mr Mannakee became a shoulder for her to cry on.

Mr Mannakee worked for Diana for several years ( 
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However, in 1986, he was moved on from his post after there were reportedly fears that he and the princess had grown too close. Just weeks later in 1987 he tragically died in a motorbike accident at the age of just 39. It was in 2017, 10 years after her own death that Diana’s feelings towards the man tasked with protecting her came to light. Between 1992 and 1993, the princess sat down and was filmed talking about all manner of subjects with speech coach Peter Settlen. Parts of these were later broadcast on Channel 4 as part of the documentary Diana: In Her Own Words.

In the programme, Diana made the claim she believed Mr Mannakee had been “bumped off” despite an inquest and further investigations ruling his death was a accident. While never using his name, she said: “When I was 24 or 25 I fell deeply in love with someone who worked in this environment. It was all found out and he was chucked out then was killed. That was the biggest blow of my life, I must say.”

Bodyguard Barry rides up front with Diana in the back seat in 1985 ( 
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The princess denied the relationship was ever sexual, insisting that Mr Mannakee was more of a father figure. But she added: “I was happy to give all this up, to go off and live with him. It got so difficult. People got so jealous and bitchy in this house so eventually he had to go. Three weeks after he left he was killed in a motorbike accident. He was the greatest love I’ve ever had. That was a real killer.”

Eventually in 1992, Charles – who was by then involved with his now wife Camilla – and Diana separated and in 1996, their divorce was made final. It brought to an end the marriage of the pair that began with a huge fairytale ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral on July 29, 1981. As part of a settlement, Charles and Diana agreed to share custody of their sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. Diana was reportedly awarded a lump sum of £17million along with £350,000 each year to run her private office. She was also allowed to keep her apartments at Kensington Palace.

However, one thing she was stripped of was her title of Her Royal Highness. She then became known as Diana, Princess of Wales. This led to a heartbreaking conversation between Diana and a then 14-year-old William that left her in tears, according to her butler Paul Burrell. The young prince reportedly told his mum: “Don’t worry Mummy, I will give it back to you one day when I am King.”

However, William’s promise to give his mother back her HRH title was made even more heartbreaking almost exactly a year after the divorce was finalised. Diana died following a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997.