Princess Di's Letters to Former Lover Read

Dec. 17, 2002 -- Some of Princess Diana's most private and intimate thoughts have been published in a London tabloid after her former lover, James Hewitt, shared some of her love letters with an undercover reporter.

Hewitt told ABCNEWS' Good Morning America today that the content of some of Diana's letters got out after a London tabloid reporter pretended to be interested in purchasing them. He says sections of the letters would have never been published if he had not been tricked.

Meanwhile, Hewitt says is now willing to sell the letters if they could bring in a large sum of money.

"I wasn't willing to sell the letters," Hewitt said. "I was approached and was offered a substantial sum," he said. "I was intrigued to see if it was possible to achieve this. So in the end, I suppose, yes, I am willing to sell."

Hewitt's lawyer, Michael Coleman, said he read out extracts from the letters to the reporter, including what the paper said were intimate admissions of love.

‘Greed’

One of the excerpts published in the News of the World, a British tabloid, read: "Of course I remember your experience with the two French ladies. It was a story I was told more than once, and obviously you were chuffed to bits with what took place. But I got over that eventually. I think it's called greed. No doubt you've looked around all the ladies by now, and I wonder what your score card looks like. All chicks look good with a tan."

The News of the World, said Hewitt, a former army officer, offered his collection of 64 letters to a reporter posing as a middleman for a fictional Swiss tycoon.

The British tabloid reported that Hewitt tried to sell his letters to the undercover reporter.

"I want 10 million pounds [about $16 million] for the lot," the tabloid quoted him as saying.

It also said that Hewitt made no effort to check the real identity of the alleged buyer.

Hewitt's attorney, Michael Coleman, said his client did all he could to ensure the offer was genuine and made it clear the letters were not to be published.

Letters were exchanged between the late princess and Hewitt during their affair, which began in 1986, according to Hewitt. The relationship was said to have developed after Hewitt gave her riding lessons. She was married to Prince Charles at the time. Hewitt and Diana are believed to have exchanged many letters when Hewitt served as a tank commander in the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

War Letters

"There's a surprise coming out to you, hopefully a nice one,something I hope you'll like," read one reported extract fromDiana's letters, written between December 1990 and March 1991when Hewitt was in the Gulf.

"If not, I want it back, there is nothing like whetting yourappetite," it continued.

"Another parcel sent away this morning, filthy card included," yet another said.

Hewitt says he doesn't believe the content of the letters is embarrassing.

"There's nothing in the letters to be embarrassed or ashamed about," he said. "I think they're historical documents written by her to me as I served in the Gulf War, and they will become more and more of an important historical part of what went on," he said.

When Hewitt cooperated in a 1994 book about their affair, called Princess in Love, Diana acknowledged the relationship and said he had disappointed her.

A former fiancee of Hewitt's was accused in1998 of stealing the letters from him, but was never prosecuted.

Diana married heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles in 1981. They were divorced after the two admitted to adultery.

Paul Burrell, the princess' former butler, who talked about the princess in an interview with ABCNEWS in November, claimed Hewitt once gave his solemn word that he would never sell the letters.

Burrell had harsh things to say about Hewitt in last month's interview.

"He sold his soul, and told all," Burrell said. "He's not an officer, or a gentleman."