James Hewitt
|
|
- See also James Hewitt, 1st Viscount Lifford.
Major James Hewitt (born 1958), former British cavalry officer, is famous for being the lover of Diana, Princess of Wales, and is widely reviled for his willingness to reveal details of their affair.
Diana admitted in her famous Panorama interview that she had committed adultery with Hewitt, saying, "Yes, I adored him. Yes, I was in love with him." Although it has been speculated that he is the natural father of Prince Harry, he reportedly met Diana for the first time in 1986, two years after Harry was born. Hewitt became Diana's riding instructor, with the affair beginning in 1987 and ending in 1992. He retired from the Life Guards in March 1994 after 17 years of service.
Hewitt made the news by attempting to sell letters that Diana had written to him. His reputation has been in a downward spiral ever since. On July 21, 2004 he was arrested at a bar in London on suspicion of being in possession of a Class A drug, reportedly cocaine. He was bailed to report to police in September.
James Hewitt lifted 82.5kg in the 2003 weightlifting event of Channel Four'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.
In 2003, James took part in the Five reality TV show, Back To Reality and eventually won it.
In 2005, he took part in the ITV wrestling competition Celebrity Wrestling.