Diana, Princess of
Wales
Contents
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 1
1.
Early Life ........................................................................................................................................ 1
1.1.
Childhood.................................................................................................................................... 1
1.2.
Education .................................................................................................................................... 2
1.3.
Finding Purpose in Life .............................................................................................................. 2
2.
Royal Marriage ............................................................................................................................... 3
2.1.
Royal Bride ................................................................................................................................. 3
2.2.
Public Sensation .......................................................................................................................... 4
2.3.
Charity......................................................................................................................................... 5
2.4.
Divorce ........................................................................................................................................ 9
3.
After Divorce .................................................................................................................................. 9
4.
Death ............................................................................................................................................. 10
5.
Bibliography ................................................................................................................................. 11
INTRODUCTION
This paper presents Diana, Princess of Wales (also publicly known as “Princess
Diana”), a public figure I admire because of her strong bond with people in need of help,
such as HIV/AIDS patients and the elderly.
My empathy for humanitarian causes she supported is related to a very similar
personal point of view. I often find myself crying for children in need of advanced and
expensive medical treatment seeking help, but despite this I still watch them on a regular
basis. Even more, I usually tell my family and friends about them and ask what we can
do.
Although there are widespread controversies in Diana’s life, oftentimes I choose
to leave them aside and focus on the good aspects of her personality. In my opinion,
each of us is flawed in some regard, and it is easier to develop by harnessing our
strengths rather than correcting our weaknesses. This paper emphasizes what we can
learn from Diana, while also mentioning possible mistakes she made.
My paper comprises four sections. The first one introduces Diana as a child until
her marriage to Charles, Prince of Wales. Diana struggled in her youth, facing separation
of her parents and an inability to find a stable job and lead a normal life.
The second section concerns with her life with Charles, Prince of Wales. The two
officially married on 29 July 1981 and divorced on 28 August 1996. Throughout their
marriage, Diana would establish herself as a public figure in more ways than one
(philanthropy, fashion, to say the least) and, like other worldwide celebrities, spark
numerous controversies regarding her personal life. This section will emphasize her
positive influence on treating people with illnesses such as cancer or HIV, among other
humanitarian actions, as well as a few personal controversies.
Moving forward, the next section highlights the last year of her life, up until her
early demise on 31 August 1997. Despite resigning from the patron position for
numerous institutions she supported, Diana was still involved in many important
philanthropic activities in this period.
Finally, the last section depicts the car accident that killed Diana in detail. There
were several police inquiries, one in France and two in England, because people
believing conspiracy theories pressed judicial systems for the right answers, not coverup.
1. Early Life
1.1. Childhood
Diana Frances Spencer was born on 1 July 1961
at Park House, Sandringham, Norfolk. She was the
fourth of five children of John Spencer, Viscount
Althorp, and Frances Spencer, Viscountess Althorp.
Her family had close ties with the British royal
family for generations. As an example, her
grandmothers, Cynthia Spencer, Countess Spencer
and Ruth Roche, Baroness Fermoy, had served as
ladies-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth I.
Her parents were hoping for a boy to carry on the
family line, and no name was chosen for a week, Figure 1 – Princess Diana in 1964 (aged 3)
Source:
until they settled on Diana Frances after her mother
and after Lady Diana Spencer, a many-times-great- https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life
/g4493/princess-diana-childhood-photos/
aunt who was also a prospective Princess of Wales.
Within the family, she was also known informally as “Duch”, a reference to her
duchess-like attitude in childhood.
Diana grew up in Park House, situated on the Sandringham estate. The family
leased the house from its owner, Queen Elizabeth II. The royal family frequently
holidayed at the neighboring Sandringham House, and Diana played with the
Queen's sons Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.
She became known as Lady Diana after her father later inherited the title of Earl
Spencer in 1975, at which point her father moved the entire family from Park
House to Althorp, the Spencer seat in Northamptonshire.
Viscount and Viscountess Althorp tried different approaches to secure a heir.
Lady Althorp was reportedly sent to Harley Street clinics in London to determine the
cause of the “problem”. The experience was described as “humiliating” by Diana's
younger brother, Charles: “It was a dreadful time for my parents and probably the
root of their divorce because I don't think they ever got over it.”. As a result, their
relationship deteriorated, and they eventually divorced when Diana was seven years
old.
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After the 1967 divorce, Diana and her siblings initially lived with their mother in
London, however that same year their father won custody with support from his
former mother-in-law, Lady Fermoy.
Diana found herself in a difficult relationship with her stepmother, Raine,
Countess of Dartmouth, whom Lord Althorp married in 1967. She resented Raine,
whom she called a “bully”. On one occasion Diana “pushed her down the stairs”.
She later described her childhood as “very unhappy” and “very unstable, the whole
thing”.
1.2. Education
Diana was initially home-schooled under the supervision of her governess,
Gertrude Allen.
She began her formal education at Silfield Private School in King's Lynn,
Norfolk, and moved to Riddlesworth Hall School, an all-girls boarding school near
Thetford, when she was nine. She joined her sisters at West Heath Girls' School in
Sevenoaks, Kent, in 1973.
She did not perform well academically, failing her O-levels twice. Her
outstanding community spirit was recognised with an award from West Heath. She
left West Heath when she was sixteen.
Her brother Charles recalls her as being quite shy up until that time. She showed
a talent for music as an accomplished pianist. She also excelled in swimming and
diving and studied ballet and tap dance.
After attending Institut Alpin Videmanette (a finishing school in Rougemont,
Switzerland) for one term, and leaving after the Easter term of 1978, Diana returned
to London, where she shared her mother's flat with two school friends.
1.3. Finding Purpose in Life
Diana took a series of low-paying jobs; she worked as a dance instructor for youth
until a skiing accident caused her to miss three months of work. She then found
employment as a playgroup pre-school assistant, did some cleaning work for her
sister Sarah and several of her friends, and acted as a hostess at parties.
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She spent time working as a nanny for the Robertsons, an American family living
in London, and worked as a nursery teacher's assistant at the Young England School
in Pimlico.
In July 1979, her mother bought her a flat at Coleherne Court in Earl's Court as
an 18th birthday present. She lived there with three flat mates until 25 February 1981.
Extending her poor academic results, Diana had difficulty finding her mission.
As her multiple job attempts prove, she tried different careers and approaches to life,
starting from low end jobs. At this point, her royal connections helped her
differentiate among teenagers of her age in the same situation, in that her services
were mostly contracted by socialites.
Unbeknownst to her, her life was about to change after she met Charles, Prince
of Wales in 1977.
2. Royal Marriage
2.1. Royal Bride
Diana first met Charles,
Prince of Wales, the Queen's
eldest son and heir apparent,
when she was 16. He was
then 29 and dating her older
sister, Sarah.
Charles and Diana were
guests at a country weekend
during the summer of 1980
when she watched him play
polo and he took a serious
interest in her as a potential
Figure 2 – Royal wedding with Charles, Prince of Wales
bride.
The
relationship
progressed when he invited Source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/14-fun-factsabout-princess-dianas-wedding-180976284/
her aboard the royal yacht
Britannia for a sailing
weekend to Cowes. This was followed by an invitation to Balmoral Castle (the royal
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family's Scottish residence) to meet his family one weekend in November 1980. She
was well received by the Queen, the Queen Mother, and the Duke of Edinburgh.
Charles courted her and subsequently proposed on 6 February 1981 at Windsor
Castle, and she accepted, but their engagement was kept secret until 24 February
1981.
Following the engagement, she left her occupation as a nursery teacher's assistant
and lived for a short period at Clarence House, which was the home of the Queen
Mother. She then lived at Buckingham Palace until the wedding, where, according
to biographer Ingrid Seward, her life was incredibly lonely.
Diana was the first Englishwoman to marry the first in line to the throne since
Anne Hyde married the future James II over 300 years earlier, and she was also the
first royal bride to have a paying job before her engagement. She made her first
public appearance with Prince Charles in a charity ball in March 1981 at Goldsmiths'
Hall, where she met Grace, Princess of Monaco.
The wedding was held at St Paul's Cathedral, which offered more seating than
Westminster Abbey, a church that was generally used for royal nuptials. The service
was widely described as a "fairytale wedding" and was watched by a global
television audience of 750 million people while 600,000 spectators lined the streets
to catch a glimpse of the couple en route to the ceremony.
2.2. Public Sensation
When Diana and Prince Charles’ engagement was announced, her beauty and shy
demeanor – which earned her the nickname “Shy Di” – made her an instant sensation
with the media and the public.
“Princess Di” rapidly evolved into an icon of grace, elegance, and glamour.
Exuding natural charm and charisma, she used her celebrity status to aid numerous
charitable causes, and her changing hairstyles and wardrobe made her a fashion
trendsetter.
As regards her fashion, she appealed to the audience with different types of
outfits, glamorous and elegant and mainstream events, bright and casual where
appropriated.
Two relevant fashion outfits are presented below (pictures from
https://www.insider.com/photos-of-princess-diana-best-most-shocking-outfits).
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Figure 3 - Princess Diana wearing a
Bellville Sassoon evening gown
Figure 4 – Princess Diana dancing with John Travolta
Worn in: summer 1981
Designer: Bellville Sassoon
Complemented by: red, silver
jewelry and a silver clutch
Worn in: autumn 1985
Designer: Victor Edelstein
Complemented by: silver jewelry
2.3. Charity
According to the 20th-century model of royal patronage, Princess Diana was
expected to make regular public appearances at hospitals, schools, and other
facilities. In 1983, she confided to the Premier of Newfoundland, Brian Peckford, “I
am finding it very difficult to cope with the pressures of being Princess of Wales, but
I am learning to cope with it.”
From the mid-1980s, she became increasingly associated with numerous
charities. She carried out 191 official engagements in 1988 and 397 in 1991. The
Princess developed an intense interest in serious illnesses and health-related matters
outside the purview of traditional royal involvement, including AIDS and leprosy.
Diana was an influential figure which helped HIV patients feel less ostracized by
publicly shaking hands with them on more than one occasion.
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In recognition of her effect as a philanthropist, Stephen Lee, director of the UK
Institute of Charity Fundraising Managers, said "Her overall effect on charity is
probably more significant than any other person's in the 20th century."
Major public appearances for charity are noted below, and also pictures from
some of these events. Only affiliations to HIV, cancer and landmines appear.
Visit
She held hands with an HIV
patient in one of her early
efforts to de-stigmatise the
condition.
She opened the AIDS ward
of the Middlesex
Hospital,[144] which was the
first hospital unit dedicated
HIV patients in the UK.
She opened Landmark Aids
Centre in South London.
She opened Grandma's
House, a home for young
AIDS patients in
Washington, D.C.
As the patron of Turning
Point, a health and social
care organisation, she visited
its project in London for
people with HIV.
She established and led
fundraising campaigns for
AIDS research.
She visited The Royal
Marsden NHS Foundation
Trust, a cancer treatment
hospital in London and later
chose this charity to benefit
from the auction of her
clothes in New York.
She opened Children with
Leukemia (later renamed
Children with Cancer UK) in
memory of two young cancer
victims.
Cause
HIV
Time
1987
HIV
1987
HIV
1989
HIV
1990
HIV
1992
HIV
Multiple times after
1992
Cancer
1981
Leukemia/Cancer
1989
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She opened the Wolfson
Children's Cancer Unit at
The Royal Marsden NHS
Foundation Trust.
She travelled to Pakistan to
visit its children's cancer
wards and attend a
fundraising dinner in aid of
the charity in Lahore after
being informed about a
newly opened cancer
hospital.
She travelled to Chicago in
order to attend a fundraising
event at the Field Museum of
Natural History and raised
more than £1 million for
cancer research.
She went to Washington and
appeared at a White House
breakfast in respect of the
Nina Hyde Center for Breast
Cancer Research, while also
attending an annual fundraiser for breast cancer
research.
Pictures of Diana touring an
Angolan minefield in a
ballistic helmet and flak
jacket were seen worldwide.
She gave a speech at a
landmines conference held at
the Royal Geographical
Society, and travelled to
Washington, D.C. to help
promote the American Red
Cross landmines campaign.
She visited Bosnia and
Herzegovina with Jerry
White and Ken Rutherford of
the Landmine Survivors
Network.
Cancer
1993
Cancer
1996
Cancer
1996
Cancer
1996
Landmines
1997
Landmines
1997
Landmines
1997
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Figure 6 – Diana meets with a patient at the Royal Marsden
Source: https://people.com/royals/how-princess-diana-and-now-princewilliam-have-transformed-a-cancer-hospital/
Figure 5 – Princess shaking hands with a patient with AIDS at
London’s Middlesex Hospital in April 1987.
Source: https://www.elle.com/culture/moviestv/a34732735/princess-diana-aids-activism-the-crown/
Figure 8 – Princess Diana visiting with injured children in Angola, 1997
Source:
https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a9639085/princessdiana-charity-work/
Figure 7 – Diana visits a landmine field in Angola, 1997
Source:
https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a9639085/princessdiana-charity-work/
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2.4. Divorce
Tensions in the royal marriage only increased with time. By 1987, cracks in their
marriage became had become visible and the couple's unhappiness and cold attitude
towards one another were being reported by the press. The couple's incompatibility
could be explained by the age difference of 12 years.
Charles resumed his relationship with his former girlfriend Camilla Parker
Bowles, and Diana later began one with Major James Hewitt, the family's former
riding instructor.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh hosted a meeting between Charles and
Diana and unsuccessfully tried to effect a reconciliation.
Several possible affairs of Diana were alleged at the time, including with James
Gilbey or Barry Mannakee. Media was attracted to this story when suicidal
tendencies surfaced. In January 1982, 12 weeks into her first pregnancy, Diana fell
down a staircase at Sandringham, suffering some bruising, fortunately the fetus was
uninjured. Later she stated that she had intentionally thrown herself down the stairs
because she was feeling “so inadequate”.
The couple’s divorce was settled on 28 August 1996. Part of the settlement was
the title Diana held changing to “Diana, Princess of Wales”.
3. After Divorce
After the divorce, Diana maintained her high public profile and continued many of
the activities she had earlier undertaken on behalf of charities, supporting causes as
diverse as the arts and children’s issues. As seen above, she also was involved in efforts
to ban landmines and help AIDS patients.
To ensure that William and Harry had “an understanding of people’s emotions, their
insecurities, people’s distress, and their hopes and dreams,” Diana brought her sons with
her to hospitals, homeless shelters, and orphanages. To acquaint them with the world
outside royal privilege, she took them to fast food restaurants and on public
transportation. Her compassion, personal warmth, humility, and accessibility earned her
the sobriquet “the People’s Princess.”
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4. Death
On 31 August 1997, Diana died in a car
crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris
while the driver was fleeing the paparazzi.
The crash also resulted in the deaths of her
companion Dodi Fayed and the driver, Henri
Paul, who was the acting security manager of
the Hôtel Ritz Paris.
Diana's bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones,
survived the crash. The televised funeral, on 6
September, was watched by a British
television audience that peaked at 32.10
million, one of the United Kingdom's highest
viewing figures ever. Millions more watched
the event around the world.
Figure 9 – Earl Spencer, Prince William, Prince Harry and
Prince Charles look at the coffin of Diana, Princess of Wales,
after it was put into a hearse in London on Sept. 6., 1997
Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/princeharry-diana-no-child-should-have-walk-behind-momn775381
As for who caused the accidents in the first
place, though the photographers were initially blamed for causing the accident, a French
judge in 1999 cleared them of any wrongdoing, instead faulting Paul, who was found to
have had a blood alcohol level over the legal limit at the time of the crash and to have
taken prescription drugs incompatible with alcohol. In 2006 a Scotland Yard inquiry
into the incident also concluded that the driver was at fault. In April 2008, however, a
British inquest jury ruled both the driver and the paparazzi guilty of unlawful killing
through grossly negligent driving, though it found no evidence of a conspiracy to kill
Diana or Fayed, an accusation long made by Fayed’s father. On the day after the final
verdict of the inquest, Fayed announced that he would end his 10-year campaign to
establish that the tragedy was murder; he said he did so for the sake of Diana's children.
The Princes’ death produced unprecedented expressions of public mourning,
testifying to her enormous hold on the British national psyche. The royal family,
apparently caught off guard by the extraordinary outpouring of grief and by criticism of
their emotional reticence, broke with tradition in arranging the internationally televised
royal funeral. The image of Prince William, then age 15, and Prince Harry, then age 12,
walking solemnly with their father behind Diana’s casket in her funeral cortege became
iconic. At Diana’s funeral Sir Elton John performed a version of his classic song
“Candle in the Wind” (originally written about actress Marilyn Monroe) with revised
lyrics, to reflect on the life and death of Diana. The recording of that version of the song
became the most successful pop single in history to date, selling more than 30 million
copies. Earnings were donated to charity, exactly as Diana would do herself.
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5. Bibliography
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana,_Princess_of_Wales
2. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Diana-princess-of-Wales
+ picture links
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