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Mary Anne
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Hewitt to sell Diana love letters
LOS ANGELES, California --James Hewitt says he is prepared to sell love letters written by his former lover Diana, Princess of Wales.
The former British army officer said in an hour-long interview with CNN's Larry King broadcast Wednesday that most people in his situation would do the same thing.
Hewitt is reported to have already been offered $6.4 million for 10 of the 64 letters composed during his affair with Diana, who at the time was married to the heir to the British throne, Prince Charles. The couple divorced in August 1996.
"I'm not being hypocritical about this, I'm being honest," he said.
Hewitt, 44, had previously said he would "never dream" of selling Diana's hand-written love letters.
The princess confirmed the relationship with Hewitt in a sensational television interview on British television in 1995 in which she said of him: "Yes, I adored him. Yes I was in love with him. But I was very let down."
"Yes, I was interested when someone offered me a large sum of money," Hewitt said in answer to questions from King.
"And you would be interested if you got an offer tomorrow?" King continued. "Yes, I would be," Hewitt replied.
Hewitt told CNN's King that ideally the intimate correspondence, written between 1989 and 1991, would go to a private collector or a museum.
"I think it's important to understand that they are or will become important historical documents."
And he said selling the letters was better than leaving them to sit and "rot in a safe."
"I think it might be irresponsible not to sell them and to generate something one can do some good with." When asked if he would use it to "do a lot of good," he replied that he would.
The Gulf War veteran also brushed aside suggestions that he should donate the letters to the British Museum or to Diana's sons, Princes William and Harry.
He insisted the letters were not salacious. "They are extremely well written, loving and nothing to be ashamed of."
Hewitt's plans to cash in on the letters first emerged in a British tabloid newspaper sting last month where he agreed to sell them for up to $16 million to an undercover reporter posing as a Swiss tycoon.
LOS ANGELES, California --James Hewitt says he is prepared to sell love letters written by his former lover Diana, Princess of Wales.
The former British army officer said in an hour-long interview with CNN's Larry King broadcast Wednesday that most people in his situation would do the same thing.
Hewitt is reported to have already been offered $6.4 million for 10 of the 64 letters composed during his affair with Diana, who at the time was married to the heir to the British throne, Prince Charles. The couple divorced in August 1996.
"I'm not being hypocritical about this, I'm being honest," he said.
Hewitt, 44, had previously said he would "never dream" of selling Diana's hand-written love letters.
The princess confirmed the relationship with Hewitt in a sensational television interview on British television in 1995 in which she said of him: "Yes, I adored him. Yes I was in love with him. But I was very let down."
"Yes, I was interested when someone offered me a large sum of money," Hewitt said in answer to questions from King.
"And you would be interested if you got an offer tomorrow?" King continued. "Yes, I would be," Hewitt replied.
Hewitt told CNN's King that ideally the intimate correspondence, written between 1989 and 1991, would go to a private collector or a museum.
"I think it's important to understand that they are or will become important historical documents."
And he said selling the letters was better than leaving them to sit and "rot in a safe."
"I think it might be irresponsible not to sell them and to generate something one can do some good with." When asked if he would use it to "do a lot of good," he replied that he would.
The Gulf War veteran also brushed aside suggestions that he should donate the letters to the British Museum or to Diana's sons, Princes William and Harry.
He insisted the letters were not salacious. "They are extremely well written, loving and nothing to be ashamed of."
Hewitt's plans to cash in on the letters first emerged in a British tabloid newspaper sting last month where he agreed to sell them for up to $16 million to an undercover reporter posing as a Swiss tycoon.