Remembering Princess Diana
This year marks the 20th anniversary since the world lost the People’s Princess.
Born 1 July 1961, she died just 36 years later on 31 August 1997. Unfortunately for Prince William and Prince Harry, they’ve had to deal with the grief and tragedy of their mother’s death in the public spotlight at such a young age. William was just 15 at the time and Harry only three years younger. In spite of this, the brothers are using the milestone to reflect on their mother’s life.
Prince Harry poignantly said earlier last year, ”All I want to do is make my mother incredibly proud. That’s all I ever wanted to do.”
Let’s take a look at Diana’s short, but remarkable life.
(Image: royal.uk)
Baby Di
Born into the world as Diana Frances Spencer, she was the third child of Earl and Frances Spencer. Diana had two older sisters and a younger brother where they grew up in Sandringham, Norfolk.
During her childhood, her family would often met with Prince Andrew and Prince Edward to go swimming, or were invited to a tea party “at the court”.
(Image: Facebook / Princess Diana – Queen of Style)
Pedigree
Diana Spencer was never a commoner! Indeed, her aristocratic family boasted royal Stuart ancestry and she was born at the famous Park House – a beautiful private estate of the Royal Family.
Additionally, her maternal grandmother, the very regal Baroness Fermoy, acted as lady-in-waiting to the Queen Mother from 1956 onwards.
(Image: Facebook / Princess Diana – Queen of Style)
Career in childcare
Before she was a princess, Diana embarked on a very different career path. From the age of 19, she found employment as a babysitter and a teacher’s assistant at Young England Nursery School. Evidently, she always had a way with children and we loved her for it.
(Image: Facebook / The Royal Family)
Sibling rivalry?
Diana’s sister, Lady Sarah, reportedly briefly dated Prince Charles. From all accounts it was an inconsequential encounter. Today, Lady Sarah is happily married to Neil McCorquodale and enjoys a close relationship with the Royal Family and her nephews.
(Image: Facebook / Diana, the queen of our hearts)
Emerald
Princess Diana’s engagement ring is perhaps the most recognisable in history. With 14 solitaire diamonds cocooning a brilliant 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire set, the sparkler reportedly set Charles back just £30,000 (or £94,800 today).
Prince William slid the same ring on Kate Middleton’s finger and she said, “I just hope I look after it.”
(Image: Tayha Designs)
Her wedding day
Most brides suffer from wedding day gitters but young Diana Spencer walked down the aisle in 1981 to a packed cathedral and an international audience of 750 million people in 74 countries.
(Image: Facebook / Princess Diana legacy)
Famous friends
She was the People’s Princess, so it is no wonder Diana enjoyed a wide circle of friends including Elton John, Gianni Versace and George Michael.
She famously danced with John Travolta at a White House gala dinner in 1985.
He has said, “There really was something lovely and girlish about her and I felt that I had taken her back to her childhood, when she had probably watched Grease – and for that moment I was her Prince Charming.”
(Image: Old Pics Archive)
Charity work
Once called Shy Di, Princess Diana eventually found her voice and championed the cause of more than 100 charities. She was awarded a Posthumous Nobel Peace Prize for her work with the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.
Diana was so passionate about banning landmines and eradicating existing ones that she travelled around the globe in a bid to raise awareness. In keeping with her humble nature, she would often insist on media secrecy so her visits could be more meaningful and less of a paparazzi circus.
(Image: Facebook / Princess Diana)
A dream ‘date’ for Harry
When Diana overheard 13-year-old Prince Harry pining over supermodel Cindy Crawford, she did something every boy wishes their mother could do: she invited the statuesque beauty over for dinner.
Reminiscing on the meeting in 2006, Crawford said, “It was a little awkward. He was a boy, so I didn’t want to look too trampy. But I didn’t want to look dowdy either. I somehow had to look supermodel for a kid.”
(Image: Facebook / The Royal Family)
Difficult times
In her autobiography, Diana stated she had struggled with depression and bulimia, and had attempted suicide on more than one occasion. She cites her engagement to Charles as the beginning of a number of her mental health issues.
“Bulimia started the week after we got engaged,” she admitted. “My husband put his hand on my waistline and said: ‘Oh, a bit chubby here, aren’t we?’ That triggered off something in me.”
(Image: Facebook / Diana, Princess of Wales)
Fashionista
Princess Diana had the world’s leading fashion houses knocking at her door and falling over themselves to dress her – working with her was a designer’s dream.
One of Diana’s most memorable fashion moments came shortly after her divorce, when she stepped out in the black Christina Stambolian ‘revenge dress’ (pictured above) and looked absolutely spectacular.
Timeless and elegant, Diana’s style legacy lives on at an exhibition in Kensington Palace. ’Diana: Her Fashion Story’ showcases her past outfits and memorable frocks, from debutante to fashion icon.
(Image: Facebook / Princess Diana)
Cover girl
Relentlessly hounded by paparazzi, Princess Diana was the most photographed woman on earth, particularly in the years leading up to her death. People magazine has had her face on 50+ covers, while Time magazine has dedicated 8 covers to Diana.
(Image: Facebook / Diana, Princess of Wales)
Philanthropy
Known for her philanthropy Diana’s work to raise awareness and eradiate the stigma’s surrounding HIV and AIDS may not seem so significant today. But in 1993, when most people still viewed being diagnosed as a death sentence, her voice was incredibly important in helping raise much-needed funds.