Finally, I revisited the more than thirty interviews I conducted for my first book on the late princess, Diana: The Secrets of Her Style, and was able to use insights shared with me at the time; I am as indebted to those people now as I was then. It was the experience of researching and writing that first book that compelled me to continue to think and write about Diana in an effort to make sure her story would live on long after her untimely death.
Acknowledgements
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Imagining Diana has been one of the most satisfying professional experiences of my writing career. Having written only nonfiction books before, I have been talking about writing a novel forever (just ask everyone from my college roommates to my 12-year-old daughter) but never seemed to be able to get out of my own way. The book is proof of the old saying: “If there’s a will, there’s a way.” Once I had a clear idea of what this book should be, nothing was going to stop me from writing it.
I absolutely loved the process of creating a world in which Diana lived on, and that is due in no small part to the talent and creativity of the Metabook team. I am deeply indebted to my publisher, Ken Siman. Besides being a gentleman and straight-shooter (yes, those qualities can coexist nicely), you are an incredibly gifted editor who pushed me (gently) to be the best writer I could be. Thank you for your painstaking attention to every detail, great ideas and for being a very patient sounding board. A huge thank you to Metabook creator Benjamin Alfonsi for your commitment to extend the world of Imagining Diana beyond words and bring it to life in such beautiful and imaginative ways. And a salute to Christian Alfonsi, a visionary CEO.
Thank you to the one and only Judy Twersky for making some of the most important—and memorable—introductions of my life. Thanks, too, for all your efforts working with Jennifer Bristol toward making this book a success. Your support means a great deal to me.
Thank you to Dr. Gerald Imber for “being” Diana’s plastic surgeon. She was in good hands in the book.
Thank you to my family and friends who cheered me on during this intense process. Your encouragement always came at the right time. Thank you to my husband, Jim Donovan, for making the one pivotal observation that changed the course of what my second Diana book came to be.
I am beyond grateful for the greatest gift in my life, our daughter Madeline. You are living proof a child is born in your heart, my sweet girl. Your kindness, hilarious observations, happy spirit—and killer British accent—never fail to make me smile. You are a bright light in this world. Being your mother is the best job I’ll ever have. I love you more than anything in the world.
I’ll end by thanking the two women who always believed that I could do whatever I put my mind to. Ann Morley, my “Nana,” was the strongest woman I’ve ever known. I am so glad I inherited your work ethic. I miss you so much.
My mother, Rita Clehane, has been gone for more than twenty years and there is not a day that goes by that I don’t think of her. It is a testament to her great gifts as a mother that I still feel her love every day. I so wish she were here to celebrate Imagining Diana, but I know she is with me because a mother’s love lasts forever.
About the Author
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Diane Clehane is the author of Diana: The Secrets of Her Style and has served as a commentator on the British royal family for CNN, Access Hollywood, and CBS News. She has written about celebrities and popular culture for Vanity Fair, Forbes, and People, and is a U.S. correspondent for British Heritage. In her weekly “Lunch” column for Adweek, she chronicles the Manhattan media scene. She co-authored the New York Times bestseller Objection and edited the New York Times bestselling collection of essays, I Love You, Mom.
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