Latest news with #LeeSansum
The Sun
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Lee Sansum dead at 63: Former bodyguard to Princess Diana who protected William & Harry passes away as wife pays tribute
PRINCESS Diana's former bodyguard who protected princes William and Harry has died at the age of 63. Lee Sansum, who served as a royal military police officer, was one of Diana's bodyguards shortly before her death in 1997, escorting her during a family holiday to the French resort of Saint Tropez that year. 6 6 6 The former bodyguard's wife announced the tragic news of Lee's death in a post on Facebook on Monday, revealing he had died of a sudden heart attack. Sharing a compilation of pictures of the couple throughout the years, she wrote: "Since meeting in 1998, Lee Sansum has been my soul mate, hero and most amazing man in my world. "So I'm devastated to share that he is no longer with us. He had a fatal heart attack on Saturday morning at home. "His huge presence will be missed around the world as much as it is in our household although his capacity for love, and the life skills he has shared have left a legacy that will never be lost. "He's forever loved and will always be with us "I love you more than ever 'My Lovely Lee'." On top of being a bodyguard for Diana and her kids, father-of-six Lee also served as a bodyguard for the late Alex Salmond, while he was serving as First Minister of Scotland in 2014. Lee, who held black belts in karate, jujitsu and kick-boxing, was nicknamed "Rambo" by Diana and was no stranger to the spotlight. He also loyally protected stars such as Sylvester Stallone, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Nicole Kidman, and Tom Cruise during his career. At the time of Diana's tragic death in 1997, Lee was serving as part of the protection team for Mohamed Al-Fayed - the father of her then partner Dodi. He had been assigned to look after Diana and her young sons Prince William and Prince Harry during their stay at Al-Fayad's 30-bedroom villa in Saint Tropez in the summer of 1997. This was tragically just one month before Diana died in a Paris car crash, alongside Dodi. Lee had released a book in 2022 - called The Bodyguard - in which he explored his close relationship with Diana and the young princes, particularly Harry. He revealed how he had tried to teach the two boys kickboxing but that they were too "apprehensive" to it. 6 6 6 However, he managed to succeed in teaching Harry how to drive a jet ski - even helping him to soak photographers who were waiting to snap a picture of the young prince on holiday. For his loyal and kind services on the trip, he was given a touching thank you letter by Diana. In it, she wrote that she was grateful for the "magical ten days [which] would not have been possible without your invaluable contribution". The former bodyguard also revealed that Diana had turned to him for comfort, even crying on his shoulder, after her fashion designer friend Gianni Versace had been fatally shot outside his home in July 1997. Lee, born in Burnley, Lancashire, said Diana would chat to him every day after she woke up at 7am - adding that she was worried about the safety of her own life. He added that Diana was an "amazing woman", saying: "She cared a great deal. She never said a bad word about anyone.' 25 years following her death, Lee also revealed how he could have been in the car with the princess on the day she died. Speaking in a 2022 interview, he said: "It could have been me in that car. "We drew straws to see who would be accompanying Trevor [Rees-Jones] that weekend. "When I learned they were not wearing seatbelts in the crash I understood why they didn't survive. "I always insisted on it." Lee claimed Diana would still be alive if he had been on duty the night she died in a car crash. The ex-Royal Military Policeman and "international security consultant" explained it was standard practice for the family to wear seatbelts - an order which had been sent down by Mohamed Al-Fayed. When Diana, Dodi, and driver Henri Paul crashed and tragically died, none were wearing seatbelts. Lee had begun his service as a military police officer in Northern Ireland during The Troubles. He said: 'I was looking after people in witness protection. I learnt my craft in Northern Ireland.' After leaving the Army he started working as a civilian bodyguard, known in the industry as The Circuit. A friend then recommended him to billionaire businessman Al-Fayed, who was so impressed by Lee that the bodyguard said he 'became like family'.
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Princess Diana's former bodyguard who protected William and Harry dies at the age of 63 - as his wife releases heartbreaking tribute
Princess Diana 's former bodyguard - who protected Prince William and Prince Harry - has died at the age of 63. Lee Sansum, a former royal military police officer, was one of Diana's bodyguards before her death and escorted her during a family holiday to the French resort of St Tropez in 1997. Mr Sansum's wife, Kate made the heartbreaking announcement on Monday via a Facebook post and revealed her husband had died of a sudden heart attack. Alongside a compilation of images of the couple through the years, the wellness coach and martial arts instructor wrote: 'Since meeting in 1998 Lee Sansum has been my soul mate, hero and most amazing man in my world. 'So I'm devastated to share that he is no longer with us. He had a fatal heart attack on Saturday morning at home. 'His huge presence will be missed around the world as much as it is in our household although his capacity for love, and the life skills he has shared have left a legacy that will never be lost. He's forever loved and will always be with us I love you more than ever 'My Lovely Lee'. The father-of-six, was also one of Alex Salmond's bodyguards during the late former First Minister's period in office in 2014. The former royal bodyguard, who the princess nicknamed Rambo, had black belts in karate, jujitsu and kick-boxing, and was no stranger to the spotlights having also worked with Sylvester Stallone, Pele, Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise. At the time of Diana's death, he was a part of Mohamed Al-Fayed's protection team, the owner of Hôtel Ritz Paris and formerly Harrods department store and Fulham FC and took care of her during her holiday in the south of France . He had been assigned to look after Diana, and her sons Prince William and Harry, during their stay at Al-Fayad's 30-bedroom villa in St Tropez that summer - just a month before the princess's death. In the ex-Royal Military Policeman's book, Mr Sansum said he formed a close bond with Diana and the young princes, particularly Harry. He revealed he had tried to teach the two boys some kickboxing but they were too 'apprehensive'. He did however manage to show Prince Harry how to drive a jet ski close enough to waiting photographers to soak them. And for his kind services, he was given a touching thank you letter from Diana, according to The Mirror, who wrote that she was grateful for the 'magical ten not have been possible without your invaluable contribution.' Mr Sansum also shared that the late Diana had turned to him for comfort following the death of her fashion designer friend Gianni Versace who had recently been fatally shot outside his home. Burnley-born Lee said Diana would wake up at 7am every day and chat to him. He said she worried about her own life. Almost 25 years after the devastating night which took the lives of Princess Diana and Dodi Al-Fayad, the Mr Sansum revealed how he could've been with the princess that weekend, and with them in the car. In a 2022 interview he said: 'It could have been me in that car. We drew straws to see who would be accompanying Trevor [Rees-Jones] that weekend. When I learned they were not wearing seatbelts in the crash I understood why they didn't survive. I always insisted on it.' Mr Sansum, ex-Royal Military Policeman, martial arts champion, private military contractor and expert in close protection, added that it was standard practice for the family to wear seatbelts, an order sent down from Mohamed Al-Fayed. He made the comments while discussing his book, 'The Bodyguard', about his life as an expert in close protection, calling it 'the story of the real bodyguard'. During the course of his long and varied career, he also worked undercover in Northern Ireland and joined the SIB, the Army's own internal affairs unit, before entering the world of private security, operating in the world's hotspots, such as Libya and the breakaway state of Somaliland.
Daily Mirror
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Princess Diana's 'Rambo' bodyguard who protected William and Harry dies
Princess Diana's former bodyguard who she dubbed Rambo and also protected Princes William and Harry has died, it has emerged. Lee Sansum, a former royal military police officer, was Diana's bodyguard, around a month before her death, during a family holiday to the French resort of Saint Tropez. His death was announced by his wife, Kate, a wellness coach and martial arts instructor., who revealed he suffered a heart attack. Mr Sansum was also a minder for the late Alex Salmond, the former First Minister of Scotland, in the final, heated days of the referendum campaign. In a message on social media, Mr Sansum's widow Kate wrote:' Since meeting in 1998 Lee Sansum has been my soul mate, hero and most amazing man in my world. So I'm devastated to share that he is no longer with us. He had a fatal heart attack on Saturday morning at home. 'His huge presence will be missed around the world as much as it is in our household although his capacity for love, and the life skills he has shared have left a legacy that will never be lost. He's forever loved and will always be with us I love you more than ever 'MyLovely Lee'.'
