KEY POINT
- Frances Shand Kydd’s relationship with the monarchy reportedly deteriorated sharply after Diana died in Paris in August 1997.
- Royal biographer Ingrid Seward says Shand Kydd became particularly resentful over the aftermath of Diana’s death and her family’s relationship with the Windsors.
- Shand Kydd spent her final years on Scotland’s Isle of Seil and died in 2004 at age 68.
Shand Kydd’s reported change in attitude marked a significant departure from her earlier connection to royal life. Her first husband, John Spencer, later Earl Spencer, served as an equerry to Queen Elizabeth II, while her mother, Ruth Roche, Lady Fermoy, worked for the Queen Mother as Woman of the Bedchamber for 33 years.
Diana also had close links to the royal household during childhood. She spent part of her early life on the Sandringham estate and played with Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, giving Shand Kydd a longstanding connection to the wider royal circle.
That relationship reportedly changed after Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris at age 36 in August 1997. Seward writes in her book Catherine & Diana that Shand Kydd became increasingly bitter about how her daughter’s death and its aftermath were handled.
Among the issues that reportedly affected her was contact with her grandsons, Prince William and Prince Harry. Seward also describes Shand Kydd as being particularly hurt by what she viewed as a lack of communication from Queen Elizabeth II after Diana’s death.
In remarks quoted in Seward’s book, Shand Kydd expressed strong criticism of the Royal Family, describing her experience with them in sharply negative terms. She also reportedly said that leaving that environment had made her feel free.
The emotional impact of Diana’s death was also reflected in Shand Kydd’s health. Seward writes that the loss traumatized her and that her health deteriorated afterward. She temporarily lost the power of speech following her daughter’s death.
Shand Kydd’s later life was considerably removed from the royal world she had once known. She became increasingly isolated on the Scottish island of Seil, where she spent her final years before dying in 2004.
Seward’s account appears in Catherine & Diana, a book examining the lives and relationship between Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Diana. The book was scheduled for release on Sept. 24, with material adapted by the Daily Mail ahead of publication.
