19 Facts About James Hewitt

James Lifford Hewitt was born on 30 April 1958 and is a former cavalry officer in the British Army.

James Hewitt came to public attention in the mid-1990s after he disclosed an affair with Diana, Princess of Wales, while she was still married to then-Prince Charles.

James Hewitt was educated at Norwood Preparatory School in Exeter before going to Millfield, a public school, in Street, Somerset.

James Hewitt was promoted to lieutenant on 8 April 1980.

James Hewitt transferred from a short service commission to a special regular commission on 1 October 1981.

James Hewitt was promoted to acting captain on 8 October 1984.

James Hewitt was mentioned in despatches "in recognition of service during the operation in the Gulf" in June 1991.

James Hewitt failed the exam for promotion to major three times.

The BBC reported in 2003 that in retirement, James Hewitt was granted the rank of major which was "in line with common army practice".

James Hewitt won the Channel 5 reality show Back to Reality in 2004; in 2006, Hewitt appeared as a contestant in The X Factor: Battle of the Stars, the celebrity version of The X Factor.

In 2009, James Hewitt opened a bar called the Polo House in the fashionable Golden Mile of Marbella, Spain.

James Hewitt was portrayed by Daniel Donskoy in season four of The Crown, and by Gareth Keegan in the musical Diana.

James Hewitt was a major source, and it alleged that he had a five-year affair with Diana, Princess of Wales from 1986 to 1991.

James Hewitt was preparing for a trip to France, and he wanted to shoot himself.

James Hewitt stated to the press in 2002 that Harry had already been born by the time of the affair, a statement made by Diana's police bodyguard.

In July 2004, James Hewitt was arrested outside a restaurant in Fulham with Alison Bell, a CNN journalist, for the possession of cocaine.

James Hewitt was given a warning, and Bell was released without charge.

On 14 May 2017, it was reported that James Hewitt had suffered from both a heart attack and stroke, leaving him fighting for his life in hospital.

However, by the end of June 2017, James Hewitt had been released from hospital and was said to be recovering well at home; in 2021, he was reportedly working as a gardener.