Former Prime Minister Tony Blair felt a duty to “protect the monarchy from itself” in the aftermath of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, according to reports of his memoirs.

He tells how he was woken at 2 a.m. on August 31, 1997, by a police officer at the end of his bed, who told him Princess Diana had been badly injured. He knew from the outset that her chances of survival were poor, and was told of her death at 4 a.m.

According to the Daily Telegraph, which has obtained a foreign-language copy of the book, Mr Blair says that, without wishing to sound callous, he wanted to “manage” the situation and shape the public grief that would follow.

It was difficult because there were no conventions for the death of a person such as the princess.

He prepared his now-famous “People’s Princess” speech on the back of an envelope with the help of press secretary Alastair Campbell.

He felt that the Royal Family’s lack of response to Princess Diana’s death was dangerous for them in the face of a massive outpouring of public grief, and felt a duty to protect the monarchy from itself. He did his best, even though some members of the establishment did not like who he was and what he represented.

He felt he could not be direct with the Queen about the gravity of the situation, so he spoke to the Prince of Wales, who agreed with him and said he would tell the Queen that Mr Blair thought she should make a public statement. She agreed.

After the funeral, Mr Blair spent the weekend at Balmoral, where he felt a little uncomfortable, and could not have got through it without the stiff drink that was served up before dinner.

He spent a lot of time alone with the Queen, and says it was hard for her to accept the public perception that he was telling her what to do.

He did not know the Queen well then, and they were both ill at ease with each other. “I spoke, with passion, of the need to accept life’s lessons. I worried she found me presumptuous – she was a little haughty.”