Princess Diana ‘put to test’ by crowd question about William and Harry says voice coach
PRINCESS DIANA was "put to the test" while receiving an award in New York City, according to a Royal voice coach.
Princess Diana: Bashir interview 'damaging' says expert
Stewart Pearce, who also worked with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and actor Mark Rylance, was introduced to the Princess of Wales in 1995. In an interview, the coach shared how Diana was “terrified” by public speaking and recalled one particularly challenging moment in the US.
While accepting an award in New York, Mr Pearce said Diana was “put to the test” when someone in a crowd shouted at the royal about her children.
When the person bellowed “where are (Prince William and Prince Harry) today?”, Diana calmly replied: “They're at school, as all good children should be, and enjoying themselves."
Mr Pearce said she achieved “a moment of present-mindedness” and received “a 10-minute standing ovation from the audience”.
READ MORE: BBC made documentary PRAISING Bashir over Princess Diana interview
He added: “That was a real point of triumph, that she was able to move forward and be that present and not feel immediately intimidated by the energy that was being thrown at her, which was rather unfortunate and immensely public.
"It could have gone anywhere. It was obviously quite an aggressive demand upon her, but she was able to stand her ground, remain absolutely centred and say what she felt."
Speaking to People Magazine, Mr Pearce said he was introduced to the Princess by a mutual friend.
He told the magazine: “She knew that her voice was not powerful.
“She knew that her voice was a voice of submission, not a voice of triumph. She wanted to find that."
His new book, ‘Diana: The Voice of Change’, explores how the late royal "moved from the demure and pained young woman, seen in the Martin Bashir interview, to the assured, powerful humanitarian leader witnessed in July 1997”.