Three years into Prince Charles and Princess Diana's separation, the Crown Princess gave the infamous BBC Panorama interview with Martin Bashir in 1995. It was the final blow to the Queen, who immediately asked the couple for a divorce, which was granted 26 years ago today, on August 28, 1996.

However, according to Diana's spiritual healer and friend Simone Simmons, Diana did not want a divorce from Charles and already regretted it the day after the Panorama interview was broadcast. According to the Mirror, Diana said on the phone that she had "cried and cried" and said that she had always loved Charles and did not want to stop being his wife.

"The day after that," Simmons says. "When the queen wrote to her and demanded a divorce, she was on the phone crying and I went to soothe her. She said, 'Simone, I never wanted to divorce Charles. I've always loved him.'"

Simmons met Princess Diana in 1993 and apparently spent many hours on the phone with her after her separation from Prince Charles, counseling her.

"Yes, I am a very strange person to those who consider me Princess Diana's best friend," she says. 'But at least I'm honest, sincere, and would never mislead Diana. I was very honored to have such a wonderful best friend."

When Diana asked Simmons the day after the "Panorama" interview what she thought, Simmons said frankly, "I think it was a great experience. But not only that, what about the children?"

Simmons describes her friend as naïve and emotionally underdeveloped, but with a big heart that wanted to heal and unite the world. A sassy sense of humor also stood out, Simmons says.

She had no intention of divorcing Charles, but after meeting heart surgeon Dr. Hasnat Khan in 1995, Simmons says Diana "fell in love" with him. When their relationship ended in 1997 after Khan told Diana that his family did not want him to marry a woman who did not share his Muslim faith, Simmons said Diana was devastated and claimed that she only went out with Dodi Fayed to make Khan jealous. Fayed stayed with Diana, but both died in a Paris car crash on August 31 of that year.