When James Hewitt, a young, brave and gifted soldier, first met Diana, Princess of Wales, he was a young Household Cavalry captain on official business at Buckingham Palace. He was single and alone; she a lonely wife, hurt by a loveless marriage. He supported and cared for her during one of the most troubled times of her life.

When news of their affair hit the headlines, James’s life changed dramatically and irreversibly. Used by the Royal Family as a scapegoat for their own uncaring treatment of Diana and cast as the villain of the piece by the newspapers, Hewitt rapidly became one of the most reviled men in the country and remained so for the next ten years.

Yet, in a remarkable reversal of fortune, James proved his resilience, rebuilt his life and made a new career for himself both as a civilian and as a celebrity. In 2003, he rose to the challenge of appearing on Channel 4’s The Games. His personality and determination won the nation over – he came second and raised a large sum of money for charity. James’s popularity was cemented when he won the reality TV show Back to Reality.

With his celebrity status confirmed, James Hewitt moved on to a new stage of his life and career, ready, as always, to take on the next challenge. As he himself says, ‘I am a forward-thinking character. I don’t want to look back. I accept that not everything I have done has been right. If I have made mistakes I’m sorry about that, but I am moving on.’ His candid autobiography stands in tribute to his charm, good humour and strength of character – and as a tribute to the love that meant so much to Diana at a difficult time.

Hewitt James