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James Hewitt

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For other people named James Hewitt, see James Hewitt (disambiguation).

James Hewitt (born 1958) is a former British household cavalry officer in the British Army. He had an affair with Diana, Princess of Wales for five years,[1][2] receiving extensive media coverage after revealing details of the affair.

Early life

Hewitt was born in Derry, Northern Ireland,[3] but grew up in Kent[1] and Devon.[4] He was educated at Millfield School and Sandhurst.[5]

Career

He served as a Challenger tank commander in the Gulf War, and failed his exam for the rank of major three times.[6] In March 1994 [citation needed], he was retired from the Life Guards after 17 years in military service and six months before the publication of Anna Pasternak's Princess in Love, a book for which Hewitt was a major source.

Personal life

Diana, Princess of Wales, admitted in her 1995 Panorama interview that she had committed adultery with Hewitt. His former military regiment declared him persona non grata at their barracks.[6]

Hewitt had considered committing suicide after his affair with Diana ended. He was preparing for a trip to France, and he wanted to shoot himself. He said, "I got in my car and loaded a few things up to get on the ferry to go to France – to shoot myself". He also said, "And then my mother insisted on coming with me. And, had she hadn't, I would have probably shot myself. So I owe her my life really".[7]

Persistent suggestions have been made in the media[by whom?] that Hewitt, and not Charles, is the biological father of Prince Harry. However, Hewitt stated to the press in 2003 that Harry had already been born by the time the affair between him and Diana began (a statement corroborated by Diana's police bodyguard).[8]

Hewitt opened a golf driving range in 1994.[1] In 2003 he tried to sell his 64 personal letters from Diana for £10 million.[1][9] The act of selling the letters was considered to be a betrayal of trust, and Sarah, Duchess of York, criticized his decision to sell these letters. She was reported to have said, "Betrayal, I think is the most horrible, horrible, disloyal thing you can do to anyone".[10] He opened The Polo House, a bar in the fashionable Golden Mile of Marbella, Spain, in the spring of 2009.[6]

Controversy

In July 2004, Hewitt was arrested outside a restaurant in Fulham with Alison Bell, a CNN journalist, for the possession of cocaine.[11] A drunken Hewitt had 0.36 grams (0.013 oz) of cocaine in his pocket. He was given a warning, and Bell was released without charge. As a result, he was refused reinstatement of his firearms licences because of his 'intemperate habits' after police found a disassembled 16-bore shotgun on his living room floor.[12]

Television career

  • Hewitt lifted 82.5 kg in the 2003 weightlifting event of Channel 4's The Games (a celebrity athletics tournament), setting a record which he held jointly with 2004 competitor Shane Lynch, until this was beaten in 2005 by Philip Olivier. He eventually came second.
  • In 2003, Hewitt took part in the Five reality TV show Back To Reality and eventually won it.
  • In July 2004, he took part in the Swedish TV show High Chaparall, in which he was interviewed.
  • In December 2004, he took part in a celebrity Christmas edition of the ITV show Stars In Their Eyes as Bing Crosby, singing "White Christmas".
  • In 2005, he took part in the ITV wrestling competition Celebrity Wrestling where he went under the moniker "Gentleman Jim", and appeared on Heads Up with Richard Herring to discuss his life and love of poker.
  • In 2005 Hewitt appeared on Car Cruzin', a UK documentary series showcasing cars of rich and notable individuals. Hewitt presented his Range Rover Sport, and also revealed that he is not allowed to own firearms.
  • In 2005 he appeared in Bullrun: Cops, Cars & Superstars II, riding with Ryan Dunn in one out of the five Bravo cars.
  • In 2006, he appeared on the BBC show Top Gear as a celebrity guest, achieving a lap time around the Top Gear test track in the Chevrolet Lacetti of 1:47.69. The presenters, Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond, failed to recognize him and he was thereafter referred to and added to the scoreboard as the "Well Spoken Man".
  • In May 2006, Hewitt starred as a contestant in The X Factor: Battle of the Stars, alongside fellow kiss-and-tell celebrity Rebecca Loos, but was evicted after the final showdown on Thursday night (Night 4). He was mentored by Simon Cowell who, despite being supportive, did not deny Hewitt's lack of vocal talent.
  • In February 2007, he appeared on Al Murray's Happy Hour.
  • Hewitt featured in the ITV "prank show" Celebrity Stitch Up in which he was "arrested" by two actors pretending to be policemen. Accusing Hewitt of using live firearms, they proceeded to have him fire paintball guns planted in the car. The arresting officer declared that this was a prime case of "Guns, Birds, and Hewitt" and he was released without charge.

References

  1. ^ a b c d Walden, Celia (31 March 2009). "James Hewitt: the comeback cad". Telegraph.co.uk. London: Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  2. ^ The Biography Channel article on Hewitt
  3. ^ "Hewitt tries to sell Di's love letters for £10 million". Mail Online. UK. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  4. ^ Walker, Andrew (10 January 2003). "James Hewitt: BBC Profile". BBC News. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  5. ^ a b c Ipsen, Erik (5 October 1994). "'Kiss and Tell' Officer Draws Heaps of Scorn". International Herald Tribune. Retrieved 3 August 2009. [dead link]
  6. ^ "James Hewitt 'considered suicide after Diana affair ended'". The Telegraph. 25 April 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  7. ^ "Hewitt denies Prince Harry link". BBC News. 21 September 2002.
  8. ^ [1] Daily Telegraph article "I want 10m for Diana letters says Hewitt' 2003
  9. ^ "Hewitt ready to sell Diana letters". BBC News. UK. 9 January 2003.
  10. ^ Davies, Caroline (23 July 2004). "Hewitt spends night in cells after cocaine arrest with newsreader". Telegraph.co.uk. London: Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  11. ^ Davies, Caroline (26 November 2004). "'Liar' Hewitt can't have gun licences back, says judge". Telegraph.co.uk. London: Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved 3 August 2009.

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