Pictures: Michelle Day
Diana, Princess of Wales, was known for her humanity and empathy, but her delicate, natural beauty was in an ethereal realm seldom seen. Richard Dalton should know. As he puts it, he had a close-up view every morning, arriving early enough sometimes to see the icon in her dressing gown.
“She was even more beautiful in real life than she ever was on camera,” recalls Richard, 76. He saw her grow from “Shy Di” to fabulous changemaker during his 12-year tenure. “Her skin was that typical English rose blush, without a blemish in sight… Just stunning.”
But no matter how gorgeous she was on the outside, he assures us it was no match for her inner beauty – something he wants to let the world know.
“I’d like to tell the story of how beautiful she truly was.”
Of all the royal trips and tours – everywhere from Italy (his favourite) to Australia (his first) – he remembers them being grounded in Dubai. There, someone threatened to blow up their plane.
But explosions were no deterrent for Diana’s diplomatic flare. After a long delay, she announced she’d arranged to borrow the Sultan’s private jet. People escorted her team incognito to the airport in a procession of 26 white Cadillacs with red interiors.
Once safely onboard without being spotted, Diana turned and said, “Richard, this is how they think we travel all the time!” Without missing a beat, he replied, “Well, there’s a lovely gold phone over there. Why don’t you call your mother-in-law?”
Diana made several fashion and hair choices that media widely reported as mistakes that infuriated the royal family. However, Richard insists the Queen remained oblivious to every alleged faux pas.
For example, when the princess wore the emerald necklace given to her by the Queen as a “headband” in Australia in 1985 Richard clarifies it was not placed there because it got caught in her hair. “Rubbish!” he belts out.
The princess had been out at the Melbourne Cup, where she got a mild sunburn around her shoulders and neck. The burn made the necklace uncomfortable. Richard decided to use some handy knicker elastic to wrap the necklace around Diana’s head as a creative alternative.
It was a smash, the princess loved it. There were no negative comments about it from anywhere in the palace, insists Richard. It was his first big fashion statement and held up very nicely.
And what about that amethyst crucifix, recently bought by Kim Kardashian for a hefty sum, worn in 1987? Not hers! This, again, was all the hairdresser’s idea. Richard saw Diana’s dress that night and said, “You look like Mary, Queen of Scots. You need a big cross!” Di was all for it, so off Richard went to jewellers Garrad’s to ask for one on loan for 24 hours.
While doing her hair on the night of a big gala, Richard remembers Diana sounding less than enthusiastic about the evening. He recalls her saying, “Nobody will dance with me and I’ll just likely sit there.”
The fundraiser took place on the last night of Diana and Prince Charles’ US visit in 1985, in Palm Beach, Florida. “Well, there’s no John Travolta there tonight, I guess,” he responded.
When they arrived, Richard saw Hollywood actor Gregory Peck dancing with one of the guests. He politely introduced himself, saying that he knew for a fact the princess would love for him to ask her to dance. The Roman Holiday star wasted no time living up to his stature as a showbiz legend. He shuffled off to take the floor with a delighted Diana in hand.
By 1991, Richard had noticed a drastic change in Diana. She felt increasingly upset about everything. “It was a terrible time for us,” he confesses. “I was unhappy because she was unhappy and there was nothing I could do about it.”
He explains that it was a very difficult situation. Both knew that the other was aware of what was going on, but neither was able to talk about it. “It’s not like I could just pick up the phone and say, ‘Let’s go down to the pub or chat over dinner.’”
He remembers the day, in Budapest, when it was all too clear and Diana quietly said, “I think you want your life back.” Richard replied, “I think you’re right.” The departure was sad but on the best of terms. It seemed the obvious step, at least to the hairdresser, who later moved to the States. There, he started working at the top of the hair industry in New York and LA.
When asked what he misses most about his time with the princess, he says without hesitation, “I miss seeing her every day. I was fortunate enough to see her every day – more than her husband.”]\
He can still hear her laughter – that cackle she let out when something was really funny.
“I wonder how Richard’s doing,” was what Diana used to say, according to Ken Wharfe, her bodyguard. She wondered whenever they passed by Richard’s old London apartment, just down the road from the kindergarten where she’d taught. It was where he used to wash her hair in the sink and where a cringeing Diana would turn her eyes away from the pictures of herself on his bedroom wall as he blow-dried her silky locks in his own personal “Diana hall of fame”.
Opening up about the night, 27 years ago, that he found out Diana “was no longer”, Richard – who admits to being very spiritual – recalls having a few friends at his apartment and popping out to farewell one pal at the airport. When he got back, his friends told him the horrible news: “Diana’s had an accident.”
Taken aback, the hairdresser abruptly rushed to the bathroom, where he had the weirdest feeling. Richard just knew. When he came out, he said plainly, “You know, she’s passed.” His friends insisted, “No, no, it’s on the telly that she’s only been hurt.” But Richard repeated, “No, she’s gone.”
At that point, the phone rang. It was a hysterically crying friend from Chicago, who confirmed, “Diana’s gone, Richard!” He muttered, “I know.” Richard explains now, “I had a feeling and I just knew she was no longer.”
After the funeral, in which he sat just under the pulpit on the Spencer family side, Richard says he felt like he just wanted to get out. He ended up going for a long walk, although he can’t remember where. It felt like an out-of-body experience and the shock took quite some time to settle.
It had been about five years since Diana and he had been in touch. He doesn’t know exactly why they clicked. But the princess was very fond of her confidant. “She won’t go anywhere without him!” her staff used to say regularly.
“I regard myself as the most fortunate of people to have known her as well as I did and to have been with her for as long as I was,” says Richard. “I’m proud every day.”
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