Who Was Princess Diana?

Profile by Valentina Cauchi '28

Princess Diana is one of the most loved individuals of all time. From her iconic outfits to her heart of gold, the life and legacy of Lady Diana is fascinating and beautiful!

Early Life : 

On July 1st, 1961, a baby girl was born in the United Kingdom into a family of wealth and power. Diana Frances Spencer was the third beloved girl of her family. John Spencer

(8th Earl Spencer) and Frances Shane Kydd had relations to the royal family, particularly Queen Elizabeth II who attended the couple's wedding. When Diana was around six-years-old, her parents split. The separation was difficult for a young girl like Diana, but she had her two older sisters and younger brother alongside her to cope. Her father remarried, and Diana lived with him until the age of nine when she was sent off to

an all-girls boarding school. Diana truly excelled during her time in boarding school and gained lots of independence from a young age. She was honored by the school because of her “maximum help to the school and her school fellows.” In 1977, she began attending finishing school in Switzerland, but she dropped out the following year. Diana became a kindergarten teacher and looked after children. 

Royalty Meets Diana :

Diana met Charles, the Prince of Wales, when she was 16 and The Prince was 29. The Prince was in a relationship with Diana’s older sister, Lady Sarah McCorquodale when they

first met. Their relationship wasn’t serious and ended messily with the media getting involved. Teenage Diana was reportedly not fascinated by the Prince at all and even thought of him as a “sad man.”  Diana kept her uncertain feelings for the Prince quiet until they reconnected three years later in 1980 for a weekend barbecue. They were staying at the same place alongside mutual friends and instantly shared a spark. In just a few days, they began dating. Although Diana was obsessed with Charles, she faced many challenges in their first months of dating. She stated that he would call her every day for a week and then completely ignore her for three weeks and the cycle continued. It would seem as if a miracle had happened every time he would call because of how rare it occurred. Their

relationship was kept quiet and was only alive through phone calls with minimal in-person contact. In September of 1980, The Prince invited Diana as his guest for a weekend royal event and it was then when the Prince told Diana he was in love with her. They made their relationship public to the world. With only about six months of dating and thirteen in-person contacts, the Prince proposed to Lady Diana on February 24th, 1981. Their relationship was very rocky ever since the engagement because that’s when Diana and The Prince began spending lots more time together. Diana picked up on strange behaviors and things that the Prince did. Diana was spotted crying after the Prince had left on a five-week trip because she caught him in the act of taking a mysterious phone call with Camilla Parker Bowes. Diana started doubting her fiancée’s love for her but was pressured by her own family to work it out. 

The Royal Wedding :

Five months after Diana and Charles’s engagement, they tied the knot on July 29th of 1981 in St. Paul’s Cathedral. Their wedding was a major and memorable event watched by

over 740 million people. By this time it was definite that Diana had stolen the hearts of people

all over the world. It was at this time that people started becoming so fascinated by the new princess. Diana’s dress was heavily talked about for months after the wedding. Her 25-foot train and special Spencer family tiara covered in diamonds amazed the minds of millions. Was Princess Diana receiving too much attention? Well, the Prince truly showed many signs of jealousy. Princess Diana went on to uncover more suspicious acts of her husband including discovering a bracelet which was not for her but for Camilla. Princess Diana started to wonder if the Prince was really in love with her or if he was pressured by the royal family to marry her. 

The Mini’s Came Along : 

In 1982, Princess Diana and the Prince welcomed their first child together; a son was born into the royal family. Prince William took the spotlight and was an adorable baby.

Princess Diana began suffering from postpartum depression and became public about it and shared her experiences with the rest of the world in hopes to make others going through the same thing feel comforted. Princess Diana and the Prince’s marriage wasn’t pleasant, and the public started picking up on Diana’s disappointment and issues regarding her husband. The Prince didn’t hide his rude comments and even called his infant son dumb during an interview. In 1984, they welcomed their second son into their family. Prince Harry was born. 

Troubles :

It was reported that both Diana and Charles had affairs and were very unhappy in their

marriage. They attempted to work things out for the sake of their young children but

Charles never showed interest in Diana anymore and no longer even made the effort to pretend. Charles made it clear to Diana that he loved Camilla, not her. Diana also struggled with intense mental health issues, which Charles barely paid any attention to. Finally in 1992, the couple announced their separation. In August of 1996, their divorce was official and Princess Diana was stripped of her royal status. 

D’s Tragic Death : 

In 1997, Diana opened her heart to dating. She was very careful of whom she surrounded herself with because of her status and wanted to make sure she was serious about a man before making a relationship official. Dodi Fayed, the son of a billionaire, began showing interest in Diana. Their friendship blossomed, and after a bit of time they began dating. Diana’s lifestyle was very busy, and she was very prominent about making time to spend with her two sons. Dodi’s father constantly pressured him to propose to Diana from the moment they began dating. Diana and Dodi were on a romantic trip together on a private boat to spend a few days relaxing in the Mediterranean. Diana planned to travel to Germany where her sons were for them to spend a few days with her until Dodi presented other plans. Dodi’s father ordered him to buy a gorgeous ring for Diana and propose. Dodi convinced Diana to go to Paris with him for just a short trip of about 24 hours so he can secretly pick up the ring. Diana was very hesitant about this and knew it would be very chaotic with all the paparazzi since making her relationship with Dodi official. One photo of her and Dodi would make millions, so photographers were always on the hunt for the new couple and Dodi’s father was so interested in their relationship, he hired a top photographer to capture a few shots of them while on their private trip which made their relationship official and leaked their location. In Paris, after Dodi secretly picked up the ring for Diana before they were set for a romantic dinner at the Ritz Hotel. Once they arrived at their spot, they were seated and were overwhelmed by the paparazzi and crowds outside. By this time, their personal driver was seated at the restaurant’s bar having a few drinks. It is also said that Diana was in a very unhappy mood that evening. The couple decided to ditch their dinner plans and go straight home to where they were staying, which was a private villa. Their driver wasn’t expecting to drive to another location because he thought they were staying at the Ritz for the night but stated that he felt fine to drive; therefore, he did. The streets were flooded with such flashes, paparazzi, and crowds that their driver lost control. Shortly after midnight, their car crashed in a tunnel at the Pont de L’Alma bridge along the Seine River. The impact of the crash was so serious that it affected all passengers. At 4:53 am, Diana was declared dead due to internal bleeding, lung injuries and a failed heart. If only she had said no to that one-night in Paris…

Diana’s Deeds :

Diana took part in much volunteer work and was the talk of town for her acts of kindness. One of her most memorable moments was when she hugged an HIV positive patient. This action of hers was major because at the time it was believed that the disease could be transmitted through touch. Diana also traveled for volunteer services and helped the lives of the unfortunate. Diana is so special because instead of pushing others to the side because of her status, she embraced each and every individual. Despite her personal matters, she kept on a brave face and lovely smile. 

If you are interested in learning more about the life and legacy of Diana, I strongly encourage you to watch the Netflix series, The Crown. It’s very informative and fascinating to be with Diana throughout each era of her life and get an insight of what is not discussed on television or through the media. 

All Photos Courtesy of Tatler.com, biographyonline.net, bbc.co.uk, royal.uk and Vogue

Sources: Tatler.com, biographyonline.net, bbc.co.uk, royal.uk and vogue.com

Edited by Isabella Brosnan '28, Catherine Polatidis '26 and Ms. Brilliant

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