Diana’s Recordings by her Voice Coach

Diana’s Recordings by her Voice Coach

Have all the facts behind the recordings of Princess Diana by her voice coach Peter Settelen been revealed?  Probably not.   As I understand it – her faithful butler Paul Burrell

kept them safe after her death.  Why didn’t he throw them away?  He may have thought it safer to keep them.  Look what happened to the photos of Sarah Ferguson that were thrown away? The Princess Diana recordings were then claimed by Peter Settelen as his property.  This, I do find very strange, unless he didn’t receive a fee for his voice coaching.

Many of my clients ask me if they can record or film our sessions.  Usually it’s because they need a record of their progress and want to study and practice between appointments.  I would never ask a client if I could record a session.  I make notes immediately after or during the session and record exercises only when a goal in their progress is achieved.  All information is strictly confidential and while I keep a database, it’s for notes and analysis. As anyone who’s had voice and speech coaching will tell you, it is an experience of freedom of speech and expression, so it is very important to ensure that you have a confidentiality agreement beforehand.

Why then would Princess Diana agree that Peter Settelen owned the recordings?  They were kept at Diana’s home and I would have thought that they were hers and therefore would be passed on to her children.    Earl Spencer went through the courts to reclaim the recordings but lost to Peter Settelen who then sold them to an American TV company to pay off the costs of defending himself in court – he says.

Now they are showing them.  Why?  Just because the Princes Harry and William have been celebrating their mother’s life?  Peter Settelen may well have helped Princess Diana to speak in public – and she did give some good speeches, but to make their coaching sessions public is professional misconduct.  She’s been dead for a long time.  Everyone can guess pretty much what’s on the recordings anyway.

Diana Princess of Wales