A new biography titled “Dancing With Diana”, written by Anne Allan, the ballet dancer who privately tutored Princess Diana for over a decade, sheds light on the late princess’s passion for dance and the emotional struggles she faced during her marriage. Published on September 10, the book reveals intimate details about Diana’s challenges, including her tumultuous relationship with Prince Charles and her battle with bulimia.
In 1981, Diana unexpectedly asked Allan, then a dancer with the London City Ballet, to teach her how to dance. Over the next nine years, the two developed a close bond, with Diana often confiding in Allan about her strained marriage and the emotional pain she endured, especially due to Prince Charles’ ongoing relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles. Allan recalls Diana’s deep desire to win her husband’s affection, despite feeling increasingly unloved and isolated.
One of the book’s most poignant moments is Diana’s heartbreaking confession to Allan about Charles’ rekindled affair with Camilla, leaving Diana feeling rejected and alone. The memoir also recounts a confrontation between Diana and Camilla in the 1980s, where Diana boldly confronted the affair.
Allan also shares details of Diana’s struggles with bulimia, which worsened under the pressures of royal life and media scrutiny. Diana revealed how the eating disorder began after attending royal meals, using it as a coping mechanism for the overwhelming expectations placed on her.
Despite Diana’s efforts to hold her family together for the sake of her sons, William and Harry, she and Charles announced their separation in 1992 after 15 years of marriage. Diana’s untimely death in 1997 shocked the world, but her legacy as a compassionate and transformative figure remains.