After her 1996 divorce from King Charles III (then the Prince of Wales), Princess Diana dreamed of a new beginning. Diana famously felt out of place in the Windsor household, and upon her exit, yearned for big changes. According to a newly released book by one of Diana’s former butlers, that desire for change reached all the way to the United States, where she considered the possibility of starring in a Hollywood film alongside none other than Kevin Costner.
Back in 1992, The Bodyguard, co-starring Costner and Whitney Houston, took over cinemas and seduced millions of romantics. The drama followed the tumultuous love affair between bodyguard Frank Farmer (Costner) and his protectee, Rachel Marron (Houston), an up-and-coming R&B singer. The film proved to be a huge success, grossing over $411 million at the box office worldwide. The film’s soundtrack, featuring international hits such as Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” and “I Have Nothing,” was also an instant and sweeping success. Costner, both a star and producer of the film, dreamed of a second home run. In a proposed Bodyguard II, his bodyguard character would be assigned to protect a princess harassed by paparazzi, ideally played by Diana. Costner approached Sarah Ferguson, the aristocrat’s former sister-in-law and friend, about the project, and Fergie then connected him to Diana. Princess Diana’s former butler, Paul Burrell, recalled this anecdote in his book, The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess Diana, excerpted by the Daily Mail.
“She was approached to appear in The Bodyguard II alongside Kevin Costner,” the former butler wrote. “I put the call from Mr. Costner through to her in the sitting room and heard fits of giggles with her saying, ‘But I can’t sing! What would I be expected to do? I’m not sure but yes, OK, send it and I promise I will have a look.’” According to Burrell, Diana was flattered by the filmmaker’s interest in her, although she remained perplexed: “He can’t be serious,” she reportedly told him. But the script for Bodyguard II did reach her home, though Burrell had no idea whether she read it. Nevertheless, confirmed that the princess turned down the offer, thinking that this highly challenging project was “entirely impossible.”
Costner has also spoken about the project in several interviews, including one on The Howard Stern Show in 2024, where his recollections diverged from Burrell’s. In fact, according to Costner, Lady Diana was more than up for the challenge, including an onscreen entanglement with him.
“She goes, ‘My life’s about to change,’” Costner said. “She said, ‘Is there going to be a kissing scene?’ And I said, ‘Do you want there to be one?’ And she said, ‘Yeah.’ And I said, ‘Then we’ll do that.’”
The romantic scene never came to fruition, as Princess Diana died car accident under the Pont de l’Alma in Paris on August 31, 1997. Nevertheless, years later, Costner had the opportunity to chat with Diana’s eldest son, Prince William. “He looked at me and said: ‘My mom kind of fancied you,’” the actor recalled last year. Costner called the admission “the sweetest, kindest thing ever.”
Originally published in Vanity Fair France.
