PRINCESS Diana’s former lover has revealed why he is putting himself in danger in a war zone – after recovering from a stroke which left him fearing he would die.
James Hewitt – who was a cavalry officer and tank commander during his long military career – has been delivering humanitarian aid to Ukraine for almost three years.
Hewitt’s missions to the war-ravaged country with Operation SafeDrop have taken him close to the front line – and within range of Russian artillery.
The 66-year-old, too old to sign up as a volunteer for Ukraine’s military, was spurred into action after seeing the horror of Russia’s 2022 illegal invasion on TV.
Hewitt told The Sun: “I could quite clearly see what was good and what was evil, and rather than shout at the television, I thought I’d try to help.
“I’m too old to do anything military. I tried to find a way to help with humanitarian aid. The amount of aid and equipment we’ve taken is quite astounding.
“We’ve travelled thousands and thousands of miles, delivered tonnes of aid from water to medical equipment to children’s clothing.”
And Hewitt’s daring missions are all the more remarkable given that he suffered a stroke in 2017 which left him paralysed down his left side.
He also had heart surgery and was told it was “touch and go” whether he would survive.
“It all came together,” Hewitt said.
“I had a stroke, a septic embolism. It was caused by bacteria. It got into my blood and also attacked my brain, and paralysed my left-hand side.
“Thank goodness it’s not like that now by some kind of extraordinary miracle. It was very serious.
“At the same time, I had a faulty valve in my heart. They were contemplating surgery at some stage, but that was brought forward.
“I didn’t really know where I was. It was touch and go. I was aware of that, but I wasn’t really concerned for some obscure reason. I was just happily unaware (of the seriousness of the situation) most of the time.”
At one stage, Hewitt was “resigned to die”.
“The times I was made aware of the seriousness, I was sort of resigned to the fact that my time had come,” he added.
Hewitt would have been forgiven for wanting to avoid conflict zones in his retirement, having served in the first Gulf War.
“I didn’t really know where I was. It was touch and go…I was sort of resigned to the fact that my time had come.
James Hewitt
“I was just astounded by the iniquity of the situation, and how it required something to be done,” said Hewitt, who has set up a JustGiving page to raise money for OperationSafeDrop, which is run by John Lawler.
Hewitt and Lawler have helped people who have lost everything in the war.
“We’ve met people who had been displaced,” he added.
“They had lost everything. They had gone to a bunker, sheltering from missiles, and when they came up from being underground, they found that their house or flat had been completely destroyed.
“So they had nothing. All that they had was a small bag, and that was their worldly possession.
“I remember talking to one lady who taught English in schools. She had lost everything, but she was certainly defiant in a nice way.
“She still managed to be cheerful, if that was the right word, even though she had lost everything and the future was looking bleak.
“The people are quite extraordinary. Their fortitude is something that’s very recognisable.”
‘Resolved to make a difference’
Hewitt’s near-death experience spurred him on to help others once he recovered.
“It wasn’t exactly a Damascene moment, but a slower realisation that I was lucky to have survived all sorts of things,” he said.
“I thought if I could get myself back on my feet, who knows what I could do. I think I was resolved then to try and make a difference and do something that was selfless and useful in the future.”
Hewitt, speaking amid talks over a ceasefire, wants to help Ukrainians for as long as necessary.
“The beauty about our small operation is that we’re not too constrained about going anywhere where we’re needed,” said Hewitt.
“We’re very flexible and nimble. We’ll go to places that others don’t or won’t or can’t. We’ve been within artillery range. That’s probably all we need to say on that.”
Military skills
Asked if his military experience was useful in safely navigating Ukraine, Hewitt said: “I think so. Sometimes it isn’t as evident to ex-military how much use we can be, but we’ve got underlying skills that are hugely important in those situations.”
Hewitt has been deeply moved by what he has seen in Ukraine.
“There are a lot of emotions, but we know when we have to put those aside, and have the ability to get the job done and focus on that,” he said.
“But when you talk to some of these people, and befriend them, it’s a very emotive situation. That’s important to recognise, otherwise you’re just a robot.
“They’re displaced, and you have to put yourself in their shoes and understand how grave and chaotic it is for them.”
Princess Diana had a five-year affair with Hewitt between 1986 and 1991 after they met at a party.
She confirmed the relationship back in 1995 in a now infamous BBC interview with rogue BBC reporter Martin Bashir in which she said: “Yes, I was in love with him, but I was very let down.”
Last year, Hewitt slammed Bashir in an exclusive interview with The Sun on Sunday branding him a “toad” for for tricking Princess Di into confirming the affair and turning him into the “most hated man in the world”.
Hewitt was even plagued by rumours he was Prince Harry’s real father after the affair went public – despite not meet Diana until two years after Harry’s birth.
An inquiry later found the shamed presenter used “deceitful means” to obtain the interview, which included feeding her false information about her friends.
Diana would have ‘done her best’ to get William and Harry to make up
IN a TV interview, 66-year-old James Hewitt claimed the late Princess of Wales would have done “her best to try and get them together”.
The two brothers feud has been ongoing since the Duke of Sussex’s departure from royal life in 2020, with Harry making scathing remarks against his brother in his Spare memoir.
The former cavalry officer appeared on ITV’s Good Morning Britain and said Di would have had the ability to “make a rapprochement possible” between her sons.
James told host Richard Madeley: “I think any mother would be worried and concerned about such a rift, as you put it, and she’d do her best to try and get them together.”
He appeared on Good Morning this morning to chat about his involvement in Operation Safedrop, which is sending humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
He also spoke about Diana’s Panorama interview and said: “It was a stitch up job.
“It was appalling of Bashir to inveigled, lied to her, criminal activity, absolutely appalling.
“As I’ve said, I hate bullies and bullying and arrogant people and I think it’s appalling.”
James was also asked when he last spoke to Diana, and he claimed “just after” [that], but admitted it was a “distant” chat.
He also admitted the interview “did create problems”, but he is trying to “move on from that.”
