A Flesh-and-Blood Tale of Princess Di's Trials

In his international best-seller, Diana: Her True Story, AndrewMorton exposes Princess Diana's bouts with bulimia, her allegedsuicide attempts and Prince Charles' lack of affection. Yet Mortoninsists it's not a tell-all.

"I have quite a lot of material I had to keep out for legal andeditorial reasons," Morton said. "Besides, people can only bear somuch reality."

When Morton's book was published in 1992, it was considered soexplosive that the British edition was printed in Finland to maintainsecrecy. Even Martin Poll, executive producer of this weekend'smini-series on NBC, "Diana: Her True Story," was not allowed to readMorton's book beforehand. By then, he already had agreed to payhandsomely for the movie rights.

Now that the film has finally come to American television (8 to10 p.m. Sunday and Monday on WMAQ-Channel 5), it may not seem soexplosive. There are no shocking revelations, no love tapes, nothingyou haven't already read in People magazine.

It's almost a dignified account of the ill-fated marriage,starring David Threlfall and Serena Scott Thomas and told fromDiana's point of view. It is apparently an account that pleasedDiana.

"She has not spoken to me personally about it, but if she had made comments, I'd keep them private," Morton said. "But I do knowthat she's very happy to educate people about bulimia. She prefersto be seen not as this perfect role model, but as a flesh-and-bloodindividual."

Morton, who broke the story of the royal couple's separation,has no qualms about revealing intimate details of Charles and Diana'scourtship, marriage and current arrangement. And he has littlepatience with other journalists' moralizing about the violation ofprivacy at Buckingham Palace.

"These people are without question public figures," Morton said."The marriage was on television, the separation announcement was readin the House of Commons.

"By definition, reporting is an intrusion into privacy, butususally that is discussed only as an intrusion into the privacy ofthe rich, the privileged, the powerful.

"You rarely hear any agonizing about the television cameras inSomalia, showing these people when they're sick, dying, in intimatemoments."