The summer of 1997 was a whirlwind for Diana, Princess of Wales. Beyond the intense scrutiny of the British tabloids surrounding her relationship with Dodi Fayed, she quietly engaged in a rare, in-depth interview with Annick Cojean, a journalist for the French newspaper Le Monde. The resulting article, The Big-Hearted Princess, sparked a political uproar in the UK and, in retrospect, offered a glimpse into Diana’s aspirations for a post-royal life dedicated to humanitarian work.
Cojean, now 68, recently revisited the encounter in light of a new graphic novel, Diana, Confidences d’Une Princesse Rebelle (Diana: Confessions of a Rebel Princess), by Sophie Couturier and illustrated by Sandrine Revel. The interview, initially conceived as part of a series pairing prominent figures with a photograph that held personal significance, took an unexpected turn when Diana chose an image from 1996 depicting her with a young cancer patient in Lahore, Pakistan.
“I was on my knees and we were touching [the photos],” Cojean recalled. “I was thinking: ‘I shouldn’t be doing this. It’s not the protocol.’ Diana did not seem worried.” The choice of photograph, and the conversation that followed, revealed Diana’s deep connection to those she sought to help, and a frustration with the constraints of her former role.
The article, published in July 1997, quoted Diana expressing a sense of alienation from the upper echelons of society. “I am much closer to people at the bottom than at the top, the latter do not forgive me,” she said. She also criticized the “ferocious” British press and lamented the rigidity of royal life, stating, “From the moment I came into this family, nothing, of any sort, could be done naturally.”
However, it was Diana’s commentary on British politics that ignited the most immediate controversy. She praised Tony Blair’s newly elected Labour government, predicting they would “do terrific work” on the issue of landmines, while sharply criticizing the previous Conservative administration as “hopeless.” This intervention into domestic politics drew swift and angry reactions from Conservative MPs, who accused her of inappropriately involving the monarchy in partisan affairs.
Kensington Palace quickly issued a denial, stating that Diana had not made the criticisms attributed to her. Cojean, however, maintains that the quotes were accurate, though she admits to a last-minute addition that intensified the fallout. She had secured approval for the majority of the article from Michael Gibbins, Diana’s private secretary, but added the pointed remark about the Conservatives without his review.
“I was re-reading the article late and on my own in Le Monde and I thought there was something missing,” Cojean explained. “It was what she had said about the landmines. I hesitated for ten minutes. I thought: ‘Am I betraying [if I include it]?’ Then I thought I could do it anyway. I was not betraying [her]. She said it to me.”
The fallout was immediate, and intense. Colin Tebbutt, Diana’s former minder, reportedly told the Daily Mail that she delayed her return to the UK due to the Conservative backlash. Tragically, Diana died in a car crash in Paris on , during that delayed return.
Cojean was understandably devastated by Diana’s death and found herself thrust into the center of a global media storm. She says she largely set the experience aside for years, until Couturier’s graphic novel prompted her to revisit the interview and its aftermath.
Looking back, Cojean emphasizes that the interview offered a unique insight into Diana’s evolving identity and her desire to forge a new path. “Perhaps, it was because it was a French newspaper too,” she suggested. “It was a step aside. It gave her more freedom.” She believes Diana was drawn to the project because it allowed her to be seen as an individual, separate from her royal title and the constraints of her past.
Cojean hopes the interview will be remembered for the quote that now graces Diana’s memorial at Althorp, the Spencer family estate: “Nothing brings me more happiness than trying to help the most vulnerable people in society. This proves a goal and an essential part of my life — a kind of destiny. Whoever is in distress can call on me. I will come running wherever they are.” This sentiment, Cojean believes, encapsulates the essence of the princess and her enduring legacy.
