Patrick Jephson is an Irish-born British-American journalist, television presenter, and author who was previously the private secretary and equerry to Diana, Princess of Wales.[1][2]
Patrick Jephson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ireland |
| Alma mater | Cambridge University |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Spouse | Mary Jo Jacobi |
Biography
editJephson was born and raised in Ireland. He was awarded a master's degree in political science from Cambridge University.
Jephson served in the British Royal Navy for a decade and was then selected for the Royal Household.[3] Jephson was the private secretary to Princess Diana from 1988 to 1996.[4]
In 1995, then BBC television journalist, Martin Bashir, produced what later proved to be forged bank documents, that indicated Jephson was spying on the Princess of Wales, in order for Bashir to gain access to the Princess and secure an interview with her.[5] On 22 January 1996, shortly before the story of Tiggy Legge-Bourke's unfounded abortion allegation was published, Jephson resigned, as did his assistant Nicole Cockell the next day. Jephson later wrote that Diana had "exulted in accusing Legge-Bourke of having had an abortion".[6]
In 2022 the BBC apologised and paid sizable compensation to Jephson for the damages he incurred from the false allegations made against him by Bashir while he was working for the network.[7][8] Jephson donated all the compensation to Ty Hafan children’s Hospice in Wales.
Jephson is the author of Shadows of a Princess: An Intimate Account By Her Private Secretary (Harper 2000).[9]
Jephson subsequently emigrated to the United States, and became a naturalised U.S. citizen in 2015. He resides in Washington, D.C. He is married to Mary Jo Jacobi.[10]
In popular culture
editJepshson is played in the 2013 film Diana by Charles Edwards.[11] In season 4 of The Crown, he is portrayed by Tom Turner[12] and in season 5 by Jamie Glover.[13]
Jephson also served as a historical consultant to the aforementioned Netflix series The Crown.[14]
References
edit- ^ "Patrick Jephson". Knight Ayton. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
- ^ "BBC Apologies to Princess Diana's Private Secretary Patrick Jephson". Townandcountrymag.com. 9 November 2022. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
- ^ "Patrick Jephson".
- ^ Roberta Fiorito (2022-08-31). "Princess Diana's Private Secretary Believes She'd Still Be Alive Today if Not for the "Panorama" Interview". Yahoo.com. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
- ^ "BBC pays "substantial" damages to Diana's private secretary". the Guardian. 2022-03-17. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
- ^ Jephson, Patrick, Shadows of a Princess (London, October 2000), extract published in The Sunday Times newspaper, 24 September 2000.
- ^ Watts, Matt (2022-03-17). "BBC agrees settlement with Diana's private secretary over Bashir Panorama interview". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
- ^ "Princess Diana's Private Secretary Patrick Jephson Consulted on The Crown". Town & Country. 2022-11-09. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
- ^ "Shadows of a Princess: An Intimate Account by Her Priva…".
- ^ "Patrick Jephson". Knight Ayton. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
- ^ "Charles Edwards". Rotten Tomatoes. 1969-10-01. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
- ^ "Patrick Jephson is consultant to Netflix The Crown". PWorld. 2020-10-02. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
- ^ Knight, Lewis (2022-11-29). "The Crown season 5 cast | Full list of actors and characters". Radio Times. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
- ^ "Princess Diana's Private Secretary is a Consultant for 'The Crown,' Here's What He Told Emma Corrin About Diana".