It has finally been revealed who Princess Diana’s most discreet confidant was, whom she affectionately nicknamed ‘Collie’

Following the tragic death of Princess Diana, many have chronicled her life in works of fact and fiction.

But no one has revealed the identity of one of her closest confidants, Violet Collison, whom she affectionately called ‘Collie’.

“She was asked several times to collaborate on various books, and she flatly refused,” a relative of Collie’s tells me.

As Diana’s parents’ main housekeeper at Park House on the Sandringham estate, Collie had been an important figure in Diana’s formative years.

The bond remained strong until the fatal car accident that took Diana’s life in 1997.

Only now, more than a decade after Collie’s death in 2013, is his relationship with the princess coming to light, as previously unseen letters are set to go up for auction later this month.

“Collie and Diana had this relationship until she died, which was beyond what a housewife would normally experience,” the relative tells me.

Diana’s difficult relationship with her mother is well documented. There were periods when they were not in contact, while Collie was a constant.

“When Diana and Charles were staying at Sandringham,” the family member explains, Diana “often tried to escape – I think one of her hideaways was a little two-bedroom bungalow in a village two miles up the road (from Collie’s house).”

These visits were kept secret and Diana attended without any security personnel.

After retiring, Collie worked part-time at the Sandringham ticket office.

One day, royal biographer Penny Junor came snooping around, the family member reveals.

‘When Penny asked at the ticket counter if anyone knew a ‘Collie’, the lady working behind the counter said no… that person was a Collie.’