Former bodyguard dismisses Diana’s claim that lover was ‘bumped off’
LONDON (AP) – A former bodyguard of Princess Diana yesterday dismissed her claim that one of her lovers was “bumped off”.
Ken Wharfe said he believed there was no truth in Diana’s suggestion that Barry Mannakee, a policeman assigned to protect her, was killed after their affair was discovered.
“Of course I don’t think he was killed, there was no reason for him to be killed,” Wharfe told ITV television.
“He died tragically in a road traffic accident.”
Wharfe wrote a book about his years guarding the princess and her sons entitled Diana: Closely Guarded Secret.
“Diana sadly was prone to listen to all the sycophantics (sic) that existed and juggle with other methods like tarot cards,” he told ITV.
Diana made the claim about Mannakee in a tape broadcast Monday in the United States. The recording was made in 1992 by Peter Settelen, who worked with the princess to improve her public speaking.
“It was all found out and he was chucked out. And then he was killed,” Diana says on the tape, broadcast by the NBC network.
