Mary Clarke (4) (1950–)

Only Mary Clarke, Diana's nanny and companion during the troubled period of her parent's divorce - a time which coincided with Diana's adolescence - could write with such authority of those years. The child was growing towards womanhood amidst family tensions which have marked her forever. In the school holidays - bundled from mother to father after her parents' acrimonious divorce - Diana's rock was Mary Clarke who writes here with perception, humour and clarity about her caring for others, her craving for stability and the seeds of her eating disorder. Only Mary Clarke, a trusted friend of the Princess, saw how Diana dealt with the upheavals. Her observations lend greater understanding than any outsider into Diana's character development and personality.… (mais)