Princess Diana's 'Rambo' bodyguard's sad hidden health battle as royals 'never knew'

A former bodyguard of , who she affectionately nicknamed 'Rambo', has died aged 63. Lee Sansum sadly suffered a fatal heart attack, his wife confirmed. But the former bodyguard also had a long-term struggle with his mental health, which he revealed before his tragic passing.

His wife Kate took to to share a loving tribute to her "soul mate". She wrote: "Since meeting in 1998, Lee Sansum has been my soul mate, hero and most amazing man in my . 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'."

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Lee, a father of six, had a long and successful career as a bodyguard, working for political figures like Alex Salmond, as well as movie stars like Tom Cruise and Sylvester Stallone.

He was working for when he protected the late Princess Diana in the final month of her life. He was assigned to guard Mohammed's son - Diana's then-boyfriend - and the Princess while they enjoyed a luxury holiday in St Tropez, on the billionaire's superyacht.

Diana even wrote Lee a personal letter from herself, Harry, and William, thanking him for his hard work keeping them safe on their holiday. "William, Harry, and I very much wanted to write and thank you for taking such good care of us in Saint Tropez," the late royal wrote.

"We realise that our presence, along with that of the media, made your job enormously difficult, and for that we apologise! However, we all had a magical ten days - which would not have been possible without your invaluable contribution and for that, we all send our warmest possible thanks."

Lee once called Diana an "amazing woman" and said that "she never said a bad word about anyone." Detailing their bond, the royal guard previously revealed that after her close pal and fashion designer Gianni Versace was murdered, he personally comforted her.

Before he began his career as a private bodyguard, Lee worked as a Royal Military Police officer during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. He suffered with PTSD as a result, and once described the condition as a "dark cloud".

He left the Royal Military Police in 1995, after working his way up to the rank of sergeant, but while working with Diana in 1997 he was suffering from flashbacks and terrible nightmares - something his wife Kate, a martial arts instructor and wellness coach, eventually confronted him about a couple of years later.

"Nobody knew it but I had even when I looked after the princess and her sons," he previously told The . "When I left the military there was no help whatsoever for people with any mental health problems.

"I used to tell young Harry stories about the military and things I had done. He was fascinated by it. To see him later in life supporting veterans was really nice."

Lee also called on Harry to work with him to help "raise awareness" around the issues that people with PTSD face, something he called "a massive problem that's not being addressed."

Speaking about his time serving in Northern Ireland, Lee previously explained: "There were a few near misses and ­incidents where you think, ‘I could have died there, that was a close shave’ – like being next to a bomb that’s gone off or seeing some of your friends blown up and being shot at. My wife is very supportive and I dread to think where I would be now without her."

Lee worked tirelessly to try and bring more awareness to the condition which he explained to The Mirror, "can be triggered by anything, like a smell or a time of year."