Princess Diana was known for her heartfelt visits to hospitals, where she brought joy and hope to those in need.
However, one visit turned into something far more a passionate love affair that remained shrouded in secrecy for years.
It’s 1995 – just two months prior to the infamous Panorama interview that would forever alter Diana’s life. You might remember that interview, when Princess Diana came clean about her struggles with mental health and the trials of her marriage, capturing the world’s empathy.
Two months before that interview, Diana crossed paths with a handsome doctor, a Muslim whose dark good looks were compared to the charming actor Omar Sharif.
The dashing heart surgeon, Dr. Hasnat Khan, worked at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London. But how did this unlikely pair end up together?
Well, that’s because Joe Toffolo, the patient who underwent surgery, was married to Oonagh Shanley-Toffolo, an Irish nun and acupuncturist who was a close confidante of Princess Diana.
After that first encounter, Diana began returning to the hospital almost every day for three weeks, clearly drawn to the captivating heart surgeon. Their chemistry was undeniable.
Smoked cigarettes and loved KFC
Officially, Diana’s frequent hospital visits were explained as part of her charity work bringing comfort to sick children and raising awareness about cystic fibrosis.
And that was true. But there was more to it. Behind the public appearances lay a deeply personal reason. At 35, Diana had finally found something or someone that brought joy back into her life.
Her relationship with Dr. Hasnat Khan soon became her most serious romantic involvement since her separation from Prince Charles three years earlier.
(Photo by Stan Karczmarz/Sygma via Getty Images)
But their love story unfolded in the shadows. Few knew about their unlikely romance a bond that defied appearances. Dr. Hasnat Khan, then 37, was a brilliant heart surgeon with a few surprising quirks. He was slightly overweight, smoked heavily, and had a fondness for late-night jazz clubs and Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Not exactly the picture-perfect match for the Princess of Wales.
But that didn’t matter to Diana.
“He’s drop-dead gorgeous,” she reportedly gushed to her confidante, Oonagh Toffolo.
Secret Messages
In one bold move, Diana wore a black wig to sneak into Ronnie Scott’s, the iconic Soho jazz club. On another occasion, Khan was smuggled into Kensington Palace in the boot of a car, with help from Diana’s trusted butler, Paul Burrell.
To keep their relationship hidden, Diana used clever tactics like referring to Khan as “Dr. Armani” in her messages. Their meetings were arranged in secret, often in unusual places to avoid attention.
Even their casual outings carried the thrill of secrecy.
When Diana once felt down, Khan lifted her spirits by taking her to a cozy pub near Harefield Hospital—fittingly named The Prince of Wales.
“She thought it was hilarious,” he recalled with a laugh.
Diana was completely smitten. So much so that she asked her butler to quietly seek out a priest who might marry them despite the challenges posed by Khan’s Muslim faith. As their bond grew stronger, so did their curiosity about each other’s lives.
Diana reportedly began reading books about Islam and kept a cherished photo of what she fondly called “my dishy doctor.” She even traveled to Lahore, Pakistan, to meet Khan’s family graciously embracing their culture and enjoying a warm afternoon tea with them.
Met William and Harry
Their romance turned more serious when Diana introduced Khan to her sons, William and Harry signaling just how deeply she had come to care for him.
She often called him “Mr. Wonderful,” and according to her butler Paul Burrell, Diana even referred to Dr. Hasnat Khan as her soulmate. Friends close to her described him as “the love of her life,” noting how devastated she was when their relationship came to an end.
But like many great love stories, theirs wasn’t without obstacles.
The relentless pressure of the media began to strain their bond. Diana was no stranger to the spotlight, but for Khan, the intense public scrutiny was overwhelming.
He feared that going public with their relationship could threaten his career and disrupt his private life.
The couple explored ways to stay together. They seriously considered relocating to Pakistan a plan that almost happened. They even discussed starting a new life in Australia or South Africa. But none of these dreams came to pass. According to The Guardian, Diana wanted their relationship acknowledged, while Khan preferred to keep it private. That growing divide ultimately ended their romance in July 1997.
Khan Learns About Dodi
Just a month later, tragedy struck. On August 31, 1997, Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris, alongside her new companion, Dodi Fayed, and their driver, Henri Paul.
Khan was stunned to learn about her relationship with Dodi news that only became known to him after it hit the headlines.
“When I found out, I was really mad mad as hell,” he admitted in a 2012 interview.
Despite the heartbreak, Dr. Khan attended her funeral at Westminster Abbey, mourning a woman he once believed he’d spend his life with.
The shadow of Diana’s tragic death still lingers over Dr. Hasnat Khan. “Sometimes I feel like screaming,” he once admitted, speaking of the emotional weight he’s carried. “There have been very bad times. I have moved on, but it keeps coming back.”
Yet despite the heartbreak, his memories of Diana remain warm. “We all have our drawbacks,” he said. “But I found her to be a very normal person with great qualities and yes, some personal flaws, like bad habits.”
Hasnat Khan Today
In 2006, Khan married Hadia Sher Ali, a 28-year-old woman of Afghan royal descent. The marriage ended in divorce just two years later.
Today, he continues to live in the UK, dedicating his life to heart surgery and participating in humanitarian missions in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Looking back, Khan reflects with a sense of calm: “It is very good to be home. I am quite relieved to be home. My blood pressure is stable I go fishing, I go for walks. It feels like a sanctuary. It’s very peaceful.”
