Who is Ken Wharfe? Princess Diana’s protection officer and author of Diana: Closely Guarded Secret

KEN Wharfe was Princess Diana’s bodyguard for five years and after retiring penned a tell all book that was said to have outraged the royals.

Here’s everything you need to know about the man who kept Diana safe and had a unique insight into her life.

Who is Ken Wharfe?

Ken Wharfe was Princess Diana’s protection officer who after her death would pen an explosive tell all account.

Wharfe joined the Metropolitan Police as a cadet rising to the rank of inspector before joining SO14 Royalty Protection.

He was bodyguard to Princes William and Harry from 1986 and became Princess Diana’s personal protection officer in 1988.

He stopped working for Diana in 1993 but continued with the Royal Protection Squad until his retirement in 2002, reports .

In 1997 Wharfe oversaw security at  Diana’s funeral and in the 1998 New Year’s Honours list the top cop was made a member of the prestigious Victoria Order for his services to the Queen.

But in 2002 he would pen a tell-all account of working for Diana detailing affairs and mood swings.

The publication of Diana: Closely Guarded Secret, was slammed by senior Met figures and royal sources as a betrayal that breached of  the code of silence between the royals and protection staff.

Following the book’s publication there were calls for Wharfe to be stripped of the Victoria Order.

What is Diana: Closely Guarded Secret?

Diana: Closely Guarded Secret is the explosive book written by Ken Wharfe and journalist Robert Jobson.

Published five years after the Princess’ death and serialised in The Times the book portrayed Diana as a man chaser who had dramatic mood swings.

The bestseller is said to have outraged the royals and senior Met figures spoke out against its publication.

Wharfe defended the book saying it was truthful and was written to prevent Diana being “airbrushed” from history, reports the .

What is Diana: In Her Own Words and what are the Diana tapes?

Diana: In Her Own Words will air on Channel 4 and feature footage of Diana discussing her life and loves.

The documentary will feature excerpts from video tapes recorded by Diana’s speech coach Peter Settelen between 1992 and 1993.

The recordings were made at Diana’s home in Kensington Palace, and Channel 4 claim the footage is the only unmediated video the Princess ever recorded.

While some of the footage has been used on TV in other countries, none of it has aired on British TV before.

The footage will be combined with interviews with her closest confidants, such as her personal protection officer Ken Wharfe and private secretary Patrick Jephson.

The show will in early August to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the Princess’ death.