Squidgygate
In 1992, The Sun revealed the existence of a recording of a 1989 phone call between Princess Diana and her friend James Gilbey. Gilbey repeatedly used “Squidgy” as a term of affection when speaking to Di, as the two discussed topics including her fear of becoming pregnant, the way the Queen looked at her, and the show EastEnders. Diana eventually denied that the relationship was romantic, saying, “He is a very affectionate person. But the implications of that conversation were that we’d had an adulterous relationship, which was not true.”
The tape was very revealing for the two, however: “Kiss me, please (sound of kisses). Do you know what I’m going to be imagining I’m doing tonight, at about 12 o’clock? Just holding you close to me. It’ll have to be delayed action, for 48 hours!” Gilbey says. During the call, Gilbey calls Diana “darling” 53 times and “Squidgy” 14 times. Later he tells her: “No, I haven’t played with myself, actually. Not for a full 48 hours.” Meanwhile, in Oxfordshire, Cyril Reenan, a 70-year-old retired bank manager was out for the night. The ham radio enthusiast claimed on January 4, four days after Gilbey and Diana’s scandalous chat, to have heard and recorded the conversation via his home set-up. Then, on January 8, he contacted The Sun, selling the tape for about $10,000.