AFP

London, Jul 9: The forthcoming diaries of Tony Blair’s former press chief contain details about how the former British prime minister wanted princess Diana to be an ambassador for Britain a prominent daily reported on Saturday.

A well-placed source who has seen parts of the explosive book told The Mirror: “Campbell’s diaries tell how Blair and Diana always held their private meetings away from Westminster.”

“It’s pretty clear they were discussing some kind of new role for her. He thought she could do a brilliant job as a kind of ambassador abroad for his vision of a modernised Britain.

The princess was intrigued by the idea. She liked the image of the country Blair wanted to project and thought she could make a contribution. She was very excited about it.”

Few people, even Blair’s inner-most circle, knew of the meetings. But as the Leader of the Opposition, Blair would made it certain that the Queen was not aware. If news had leaked the fallout could have been damaging.

The first meeting was set up by a senior member of the establishment. But Diana always attended the subsequent meetings alone. The source added: “The diaries show how the pair took great care to make sure news of the meetings did not get out.

“That’s why they always met on neutral territory away from the pressure cooker atmosphere of Westminster and the Palace.”

“But the princess seemed to enjoy the intrigue. The princess seemed to like that.

”She and Blair are said to have enjoyed each other’s company and laughed and joked together during the intimate get-togethers. Their closeness and mutual admiration explains Blair’s obvious distress when the princess died and the emotion he felt at her funeral.

Blair was sometimes accompanied by wife Cherie for the meetings. Diana hinted several times before her death that she might perform a role for Britain but details never emerged.

Diana, an anti-landmines campaigner and supporter of AIDS charities — died in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997.