Diana's figure parameters. Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana belonged to the ancient English family of Spencer-Churchill. At the age of 16 she met the Prince of Wales, Charles. At first, the prince was expected to marry Diana’s sister, Sarah, but over time, Charles came to the realization that Diana was an incredibly “charming, lively and witty girl who was fun to be with.” Returning from a naval campaign on the ship "Invincible", the prince proposed to her. The wedding took place 6 months later.
Some saw signs of an unhappy marriage in the ceremony.
While pronouncing his marriage vows, Charles got confused in his pronunciation, and Diana did not say his name quite correctly. However, at first peace reigned in the relationship between the spouses.
“I am crazy about marriage when there is someone to whom you devote your time,” Princess Diana wrote to her nanny Mary Clark after the wedding. Soon, the couple had two sons: Prince William in 1982, and Prince Henry, better known as Prince Harry, in 1984. It seemed that everything was going perfectly in the family, but soon rumors leaked to the press about the prince’s infidelity and that he often leaves his young wife alone. Despite the insults, Diana, according to her nanny, truly loved her husband. “When she married Charles, I remember writing to her that he was the only man in the country whom she could never divorce. Unfortunately, she could,” Mary Clark recalled. In 1992, a sensational announcement was made in Great Britain about the separation of Charles and Diana, and in 1996 their marriage was officially dissolved. The reason for the separation was the difficult relationship between the spouses. Diana, hinting at her husband's long-time close friend Camilla Parker Bowles, said that she could not bear a marriage of three.
The prince himself, according to their mutual friends, never tried to hide his love for Camilla, with whom he began a relationship even before the wedding. It is not surprising that after the divorce proceedings the public was on Diana’s side. After the high-profile divorce, her name still did not leave the pages of the press, but this was a different Princess Diana - an independent, business woman, passionate about charitable activities. She constantly visited hospitals for AIDS patients, traveled to Africa, to areas where sappers are working hard, removing numerous anti-personnel mines from the ground. Significant changes also took place in the princess's personal life. Diana began an affair with Pakistani surgeon Hasnat Khan. They carefully hid their affair from the press, although Hasnat often lived with her in Kensington Palace, and she stayed for a long time in his apartment in the prestigious Chelsea district of London. Khan's parents were delighted with their son's companion, but he soon told his father that marrying Diana could turn his life into hell due to the deep cultural differences between them. He claimed that Diana is “independent” and “loves going out,” which is unacceptable to him as a Muslim. Meanwhile, as close friends of the princess claimed, for the sake of her fiancé she was ready to sacrifice a lot, including changing her faith. Hasnat and Diana separated in the summer of 1997. According to a close friend of the princess, Diana was “deeply worried and in pain” after the breakup. But after some time she began an affair with the son of billionaire Mohammed Al-Fayed Dodi. At first, this relationship, according to her friend, served only as a consolation after the breakup with Hasnat. But soon a dizzying romance broke out between them; it seemed that a worthy and loving man had finally appeared in Lady Di’s life. The fact that Dodi was also divorced and had a reputation as a social philanderer all the more increased the interest in him from the press. Diana and Dodi had known each other for several years, but only became close in 1997. In July, they spent the holidays in Saint-Tropez with Diana's sons, Princes William and Harry. The boys got along well with the friendly owner of the house. Later, Diana and Dodi met in London, and then went on a cruise in the Mediterranean Sea on board the luxurious yacht Jonical. Diana loved to give gifts. Dear and not so dear, but always imbued with her unique care for everyone who surrounded her. She also gave Dodi things that were dear to her. For example, the cufflinks that the most beloved person in the world gave her. August 13, 1997 The princess wrote the following words about her gift: “Dear Dodie, these cufflinks were the last gift I received from the person I loved most in the world - my father.” “I give them to you because I know how happy he would be if he knew into what reliable and special hands they fell. With love, Diana,” the letter says. In another message from Kensington Palace, dated August 6, 1997, Diana thanks Dodi al-Fayed for a six-day vacation on his yacht and writes of her "endless gratitude for the joy he has brought into her life." Towards the end of August the Jonical approached Portofino in Italy and then sailed for Sardinia. On August 30, Saturday, the couple in love went to Paris. The next day Diana was due to fly to London to meet her sons on the last day of their summer holidays. Later, Dodi's father stated that his son and Princess Diana were going to get married. A few hours before his death in a car accident in Paris, Dodi al-Fayed visited a jewelry store. Video cameras captured him choosing an engagement ring. Later that day, a representative from the Ritz Hotel in Paris, where Diana and Dodi were staying, came to the store and picked up two rings. One of them, according to Dodi's father, was called "Dis-moi oui" - "Tell me yes" - worth 11.6 thousand pounds sterling... On Saturday evening, Diana and Dodi decided to have dinner at the restaurant of the Ritz Hotel, which he owned Dodie.
In order not to attract the attention of other visitors, they retired to a separate office, where, as was later reported, they exchanged gifts: Diana gave Dodi cufflinks, and he gave her a diamond ring. At one o'clock in the morning they prepared to go to Dodi's apartment on the Champs-Elysees. Wanting to avoid the papparazi crowding the front entrance, the happy couple used a special elevator located next to the hotel's service exit.
There they got into a Mercedes S-280, accompanied by bodyguard Trevor-Rees Jones and driver Henri Paul. The details of what happened a few minutes later are still unclear, but the terrible truth is that three of these four died in an accident that occurred in an underground tunnel under Delalma Square. It was not without difficulty that Princess Diana was removed from the crippled car, after which she was immediately sent to the Petey Salptrier hospital. The doctors' fight for her life was unsuccessful. The accident, which occurred on the night of August 31, 1997 in the Alma tunnel in Paris, is the result of the flagrant negligence of the driver of the car, who got behind the wheel while intoxicated and drove the Mercedes at an unacceptably high speed. The provocateur of this accident was also the pursuit of the princess's car by a group of paparazzi photographers. It was a death due to negligence. That was the jury's verdict at the six-month trial that ended Monday evening at London's High Court. This verdict is final and cannot be appealed. The longest and most intense trial in the history of British justice, I would like to believe, dotted all the i’s. In more than ten years since the death of the “people's princess,” there have been about 155 statements about the existence of a conspiracy to kill Lady Di. The leading violin in defending this version has been played all these years by the most offended person involved in this case - billionaire Mohammed Al-Fayed, owner of the largest London department store Harrods, the Fulham football club and the Ritz hotel in Paris, the father of the person killed in this accident Dodie. He literally declared “war” on the British royal family and publicly named the queen’s husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, as the instigator of the plot to murder the son and princess. The executor is the British intelligence services. It was Mohammed Al-Fayed who insisted on holding a trial with a jury; it was he who persistently demanded that the Duke of Edinburgh and Diana's sons, Princes William and Harry, appear in court. The royal family was not summoned to appear in court. British democracy, for all its enviable ripeness, has not yet matured enough to issue subpoenas to its monarchs. Only the press secretary of the Duke of Edinburgh appeared at the trial, presenting to the investigation a hitherto unpublished correspondence between Diana and her father-in-law, touching in its warmth. About 260 witnesses appeared at the trial for the deaths of Diana and Dodi. Testimony was given via video link from the United States, France and Australia. Titled ladies of the court, Diana's friends, testified. Her butler, Paul Burrell, who made a considerable fortune for himself from fiction about the princess. Her lovers, who revealed to the world the details of their romance with the princess. The only survivor of the accident was bodyguard Trevor Rhys-Jones, who was severely crippled. The pathologist who performed Diana's autopsy and confirmed in court that no signs of the princess's pregnancy were found, but that it was not possible to detect them in a very short time. And therefore, Diana took this secret with her to the grave. Mohammed al-Fayed unveiled a monument to his son Dodi and Princess Diana at his London department store Harrods. The opening of the new monument coincides with the eighth anniversary of the death of Dodi and Diana in a car accident, the Guardian reports. Bronze Diana and Dodi are depicted dancing against the backdrop of waves and the wings of an albatross, symbolizing eternity and freedom. According to Mohammed al-Fayed, this monument seems a more appropriate sign of remembrance than the memorial fountain in Hyde Park. The sculpture was sculpted by Bill Mitchell, an artist who has worked for al-Fayd for forty years. At the opening of the monument, Mohammed al-Fayed said that he named this sculptural group “Innocent Victims.” He believes that Dodi and Diana died in a fake car accident, their untimely deaths being the result of murder. "The monument is installed here forever. Nothing has been done so far to perpetuate the memory of this amazing woman who brought joy to the world," al-Fayed said.
Princess Diana can rightfully be considered the star of the British monarchy. Neither before nor after her was anyone from the royal family as loved and adored by the subjects of the “crown” as she was. Her life still arouses great interest among the media and ordinary people, although a lot of time has passed since the death of the princess.
What do we know about Diana?
Née Spencer was born in the summer of July 1, 1961 in Norfolk. Diana Frances had a noble origin. Her mother and father were viscounts and also maintained close ties to the English royal family.
Diana's father John was from the same family line as Churchill, as well as the Duke of Marlborough. All of them came from the Spencer-Churchill family. The father of the future princess himself was Viscount Elthorp.
Only through the illegitimate, but also recognized sons of King Charles II, Diana carried part of the “royal blood”. As a child, the future princess lived in Sandringham. The Viscount's daughter completed the first educational stage at home.
The girl's parents then taught her at a private school near King's Line. A little later, after failures in her studies, she entered Riddlesworth Hall School. At the age of eight, Diana experienced her parents' divorce. She, her half-sisters and brother remained to live with their father. Diana's father quickly got a new wife, but she was unable to establish contact with the children, so she played the role of an evil stepmother in their fate.
In 1975, Diana officially received the title "lady". This event was overshadowed by the death of her grandfather. At the age of twelve, Diana Francis was sent to West Hill School. She studied poorly; only Diana’s musical abilities aroused admiration.
In addition to her favorite music, Diana was fond of dancing. She loved these two activities and excelled in her creative field..
In 1978, the girl moved to live in London. She had her own home there. Being very young, Diana loved to tinker with kids, so she got a job looking after children at the Young England kindergarten as a teacher’s assistant.
How did the lady meet the prince?
The first meeting of the future princess of Britain with Prince Charles took place when she was only 16 years old. In 1977, the prince came to her father's estate to play polo.
After a short courtship, Charles invited Diana to the royal yacht. At the beginning of 1980, Diana had the honor of meeting the royal family at the family castle, Balmoral.
The press immediately drew attention to the Prince of Wales's genuine interest in the young lady. Although the engagement of the young people was kept secret, all the details of their meetings, which the media could find out, were savored by journalists from different sides almost every day.
Under such pressure, Prince Charles made a hasty proposal to Diana. This happened on February 6, 1981. Diana was then the first Englishwoman to later become a royal bride, and she was also the first bride to have a paid position before becoming a princess.
Before the wedding, the girl settled in Buckingham Palace with the Queen Mother. The Queen herself presented Diana with an elegant and intricate sapphire brooch as a sign of her affection.
Wedding celebration
The wedding of Diana and the Prince of Wales took place on July 29, 1981. The day was chosen taking into account weather conditions so that nothing could overshadow the grand celebration. The wedding ceremony took place in St. Paul's Cathedral. Why not in Westminster Abbey, which is generally accepted for monarchs and nobility? There were simply more places for guests in this cathedral. The church, of course, was not as pretentious as the abbey, but it also captivated with its surroundings and beauty.
So Lady Diana and the future queen of the hearts of her subjects became the Princess of Wales. The festive ceremony was shown by all world media. The broadcast was watched by approximately 700 thousand television viewers. Another approximately 650 thousand spectators waited for the couple on the street to enjoy the spectacle of the wedding procession.
The girl's wedding dress cost about 10 thousand pounds. The full length of her veil was also impressive, measuring 7.5 meters.
Fate after the wedding
The question of whether Charles truly loved Princess Diana remains open to this day. After the wedding, Lady Diana quit her job at the kindergarten and began her direct duties as Princess of Wales.
She visited kindergartens, schools, and charity events. Diana was very active in charity work. Helped those in need and supported AIDS patients. Its popularity among British citizens grew at a tremendous speed. Diana was literally considered an angel of mercy in the flesh. People began to call her our “Lady Di,” thereby showing special affection for her and her activities.
Every appearance, every trip abroad attracted a lot of attention to Charles’s wife. Diana very quickly became a trendsetter, managing to bring a little glamor to the strict royal dress code.
Diana loved to be in the company of children and ordinary people; she spoke openly about the problems of modern society, which earned herself even greater fame.
The princess could easily go for tea to establishments that she supported through her charitable activities. It was Diana who put an end to prejudices about AIDS patients by publicly shaking the hand of one person infected with the disease.
During her career as Charles's wife, Lady Di received the following awards:
- Order of Queen Elizabeth II;
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Crown;
- Egyptian Order of Virtue.
The princess had many more unofficial awards.
Unfulfilled dreams of happiness
The birth of Charles and Lady Di's first son, William, occurred on June 21, 1982. Then, on September 15, 1984, the couple's second son, Henry, was born. Diana always dreamed of a big family.
From the very beginning, the Princess of Wales insisted on a completely normal upbringing for her sons. At her insistence, they were sent to simple kindergartens, then attended an average English school.
After the birth of Prince Henry, known today as Harry, Diana and Charles' marriage began to crack. It is known that before the wedding, Charles told his friend that he did not love Diana yet, but perhaps he would be able to love her in the future.
Apparently, Charles, who was 13 years older than her, failed to fall in love with the girl. Then the couple began to live separately. After this event, Andrew Morton’s book “Diana: Her True Story” was published. The manuscript was published with the consent of the princess herself and with the participation of her friends.
This is how the world learned about Lady Di’s suicide attempts, about her experiences, loneliness, and also about the fact that she struggled with bulimia for many years. This book provided evidence that Charles was still interested in his former girlfriend Camilla Parker. This hurt the Princess of Wales, and ultimately led to the couple's divorce.
The Prince and Princess of Wales officially divorced in 1996.
The couple's divorce turned into a confrontation when Diana gave a frank interview to the BBC channel. In it, she sincerely spoke about how Charles never wanted to be king and about how difficult it was for her to live in the royal family. After the divorce, Diana devoted a lot of time to her children. She appeared with them at all social events.
Diana Spencer always said that she wanted to become a queen, but she did not want the English throne, but wanted to be the queen of people's hearts. Her reputation after the divorce was slightly damaged by information about affairs with other men. So Officer Hewitt vilely made his relationship with the princess public by writing a book about it.
When the divorce proceedings ended, the princess switched from direct charitable activities to other work. She put all her dresses up for auction. The proceeds from the sale amounted to more than £3.5 million. Diana also visited her sick mother Teresa. After the divorce, the media tirelessly followed Lady Di's activities, discussing her every step and every decision she made.
Divorce: before and after
Formally, the marriage of Princess Diana and Prince Charles broke up much earlier than the divorce proceedings began. Evil tongues said that even after marrying Diana, Charles did not end his relationship with his former girlfriend Camilla.
And Diana herself soon began an affair with cardiac surgeon Hasnat Khan. There is information that they really loved each other, but could not withstand public pressure and broke up. In addition, Khan’s parents were also against this relationship. Diana and Hasnat tried to save their relationship by leaving for Pakistan, but nothing worked out for the lovers there either.
Diana Frances Spencer's next relationship was the last in her life. So she was credited with an affair with Egyptian billionaire Dodi al-Fayed. The couple was allegedly even seen on the same yacht. But it was never possible to confirm this connection with indisputable facts.
Cause of death of Princess Diana
The Princess of Wales died from injuries acquired in a car accident on August 31, 1997. Diana was traveling in the car with her bodyguard and her “tabloid” lover Dodi al-Fayed. Everyone who was driving around Paris in that ill-fated car, except for the bodyguard, died.
Even after a lengthy investigation, the police were unable to convincingly explain why the car accident occurred..
The disaster occurred when the driver attempted to break away from reporters on motorcycles pursuing Diana. In the tunnel, he lost control, and according to one version, a collision occurred.
Princess Diana was hospitalized, but she died after two hours in the hospital. Trevor Rea Jones (Lady Di's bodyguard), having recovered from his injuries, claimed that he did not remember anything about the accident. After the incident, his face had to be restored almost completely using plastic surgery. The fatal scene took place in a tunnel under the Parisian Pont Alma. Diana's car collided with a concrete support.
At the age of 36, the people's favorite Lady Di passed away. A wave of grief swept across Britain and France. Memorials were erected in honor of the princess, to which people laid flowers.
The princess was buried in her native Elthorp on a secluded island. Versions of her death excited the hearts and minds of people for a long time. Some believed that Diana's death was a direct consequence of a conspiracy against her. Others blamed it on the paparazzi who followed the princess. Scotland Yard also published its version, which said that the driver's blood alcohol was three times the limit, and the speed in the tunnel was also greatly exceeded.
Many songs and poems were written in memory of Diana. Elton John and Michael Jackson also dedicated their works to her. 10 years after the accident, a film was made about Princess Diana and the last hours of her life. In addition, today stamps with her image are issued in many countries. According to inexorable statistics, Princess Diana has broken all records of popularity among British monarchs. She remained in the hearts of people as their true unofficial queen.
Diana Frances Spencer was born on July 1, 1960. The third girl in the family, she became another disappointment for Count John Spencer, who was expecting a son - the heir to titles and estates. But as a child, Diana was surrounded by love: as the youngest, she was pampered by both her family and servants.
The idyll did not last long: caught in adultery, Countess Spencer left for London, taking her younger children. The divorce process was accompanied by a scandal - at the trial, Diana’s grandmother testified against her daughter. For Diana, family discord remained forever associated with the terrible word “divorce.” The relationship with her stepmother did not work out, and for the rest of her childhood Diana rushed between her mother’s mansion in Scotland and her father’s in England, not feeling at home anywhere.
Diana (far right) with her father, sisters Sarah and Jane and brother Charles
Popular
Diana was not particularly diligent, and teachers spoke of her as an intelligent, but not very gifted girl. The real reason for her indifference to science was that she was already absorbed in another passion - ballet, but her high growth prevented her passion from becoming her life's work. Deprived of the opportunity to become a ballerina, Diana turned to social activities. Her enthusiastic nature and ability to infect others with her enthusiasm were noted by everyone around her.
Not just a friend
Prince Charles and Diana met when she was 16. Diana's sister Sarah was then dating the heir to the British throne, but the romance ended after a careless interview with the girl. Soon after the breakup, Charles began to look closely at the one in whom he had previously seen only the younger sister of his girlfriend, and soon came to the conclusion: Diana is perfection itself! The girl was flattered by the prince's attention, and everything went to a happy ending.
A weekend at a friends' country house was followed by a cruise on the yacht Britannia, and then an invitation to Balmoral Castle, the summer residence of the English monarchs, where Diana was officially introduced to the royal family. To marry, the future monarch requires permission from the current monarch. Formally, Diana was the ideal candidate for the role of the bride. Possessing all the advantages of a less fortunate sister (noble birth, excellent upbringing and attractive appearance), she could boast of innocence and modesty, which the lively Sarah clearly lacked. And only one thing confused Elizabeth II - Diana seemed too unadapted to palace life. But Charles was over thirty, the search for the best candidate could drag on, and after much hesitation, the queen finally gave her blessing.
On February 6, 1981, Diana accepted the prince's proposal, and on July 29 they got married in St. Paul's Cathedral. The broadcast of the ceremony was watched by 750,000,000 people, and the wedding itself was like a fairy tale: Diana in a fluffy white dress with an eight-meter train drove up to the church in a carriage, surrounded by an escort of officers of the royal horse guards. The word “obey” was removed from the marriage vows, which created a sensation - indeed, even the Queen of England herself promised to obey her husband in everything.
Just a year after the wedding, Diana cradled her son and heir, Prince William. A couple of years later, Harry was born. Diana later admitted that these years were the best in her relationship with Charles. They spent all their free time with their children. “Family is the most important thing,” a beaming Diana told reporters.
At this time, Lady Di demonstrated her decisive character for the first time. Disregarding customs, she herself chose the names for the princes, refused the help of the royal nanny (hiring her own) and tried in every possible way to protect the highest interference in the life of her family. A devoted and affectionate mother, she organized her affairs so that they did not interfere with her picking up her children from school. And there was an incredible amount to do!
Royal affairs...
Princess Diana's duties as stipulated by the ceremony included attending charity events. Traditionally, charity is the activity of every member of the royal family. Princes and princesses have a long history of patronizing hospitals, orphanages, hospices, orphanages and non-profit organizations, but no British monarch has done so with such passion as Diana.
She greatly expanded the list of institutions visited, including hospitals for AIDS patients and leper colonies. The princess devoted a lot of time to the problems of children and youth, but among her wards were also nursing homes and rehabilitation centers for alcoholics and drug addicts. She also supported the campaign to ban landmines in Africa.
Princess Diana generously spent her money and the royal family's wealth on good causes, and also attracted friends from high society as sponsors. It was impossible to resist her soft but indestructible charm. All her compatriots adored her, and Lady Di had many fans abroad. “The most serious disease of the world is that there is little love in it,” she constantly repeated. At the same time, Diana unsuccessfully struggled with her own hereditary disease - bulimia (eating disorder), and against the backdrop of nervous experiences and stress, it was torture to restrain herself.
...and family matters
Family life turned out to be unhappy. Charles's long-term affair with a married woman, Lady Camilla Parker-Bowles, which Diana learned about after the wedding, resumed in the mid-80s. Insulted, Diana became close to James Hewitt, a riding instructor. Tensions increased when recordings of compromising telephone conversations between both spouses and lovers were leaked to the press. Numerous interviews followed, during which Charles and Diana blamed each other for the breakdown of their union. “There were too many people in my marriage,” the princess joked sadly.
The outraged queen tried to speed up her son's divorce. The papers were signed on August 28, 1996, and from that moment on, Princess Diana lost all rights to address Your Royal Highness. She herself always said that she only wanted to be the queen of people’s hearts, and not the wife of the reigning monarch. After the divorce, Diana felt a little freer, although her life was still governed by protocol: she was the former wife of the crown prince and the mother of two heirs. It was her love for her sons that forced her to maintain the appearance of a family and tolerate her husband’s infidelities: “Any normal woman would have left long ago. But I couldn't. I have sons." Even at the height of the scandal, Lady Di did not stop doing charity work.
After the divorce, Diana did not give up charity, and she really managed to change the world for the better. She directed her energies to the fight against AIDS, cancer, and provided her assistance to children with heart defects.
At this time, the princess experienced a passionate affair with a surgeon of Pakistani origin, Hasnat Khan. Khan came from a very religious family, and Diana, in love, seriously considered converting to Islam in order to be able to marry her lover. Unfortunately, the contradictions between the two cultures were too great, and in June 1997 the couple separated. Just a few weeks later, Lady Di began dating Dodi Al-Fayed, a producer and son of an Egyptian multimillionaire.
You lived your life like a candle burns in the wind...
On August 31, 1997, Diana and Dodi were in Paris. They left the hotel by car when cars with paparazzi followed them. Trying to escape the pursuit, the driver lost control and crashed into a concrete bridge support. He himself and Dodi Al-Fayed died on the spot, Diana was taken to the hospital, where she died two hours later. The only survivor of the accident, bodyguard Trevor Rhys-Jones, has no memory of the events.
The police conducted a thorough investigation, as a result of which the cause of the princess's death was declared an accident caused by the carelessness of the driver and the carelessness of the car's passengers (none of them were wearing seat belts).
Elizabeth II was against declaring national mourning, insisting that Lady Diana no longer belonged to the royal family at the time of her death. However, ignoring Diana's death caused popular anger. A crowd of people wishing to say goodbye to Diana held the line near Buckingham Palace for several days, demanding that the flags be lowered to half-staff as a sign of the national tragedy. Then Elizabeth gave in, but the Queen still refuses to restore Diana’s title, although Princes William and Harry insist on it.
A bright, amazing woman, an extraordinary personality, one of the most famous people of her time - that’s exactly what Diana, Princess of Wales was. The people of Great Britain adored her, calling her the Queen of Hearts, and the sympathy of the whole world was manifested in the short but warm nickname Lady Di, which also went down in history. A number of films have been made about her, many books have been written in all languages. But the answer to the most important question - whether Diana was ever really happy in her bright, but very difficult and such a short life - will forever remain hidden behind a veil of secrecy...
Princess Diana: biography of her early years
On July 1, 1963, their third daughter was born in the house of Viscount and Viscountess Althorp, rented by them in the royal estate of Sandrigham (Norfolk).
The birth of a girl somewhat disappointed her father, Edward John Spencer, the heir to an ancient earl's family. Two daughters, Sarah and Jane, were already growing up in the family, and the title of nobility could only be passed on to the son. The baby was named Diana Francis - and it was she who was later destined to become her father's favorite. And soon after the birth of Diana, the family was replenished with the long-awaited boy, Charles.
Earl Spencer's wife, Frances Ruth (Roche), also came from a noble Fermoy family; her mother was a lady-in-waiting at the queen's court. The future English princess Diana spent her childhood in Sandrigham. The children of the aristocratic couple were brought up in strict rules, more typical of old England than of the country of the mid-twentieth century: governesses and nannies, strict schedules, walks in the park, riding lessons...
Diana grew up as a kind and open child. However, when she was only six years old, life caused the girl serious mental trauma: her father and mother filed for divorce. Countess Spencer moved to London to live with businessman Peter Shand-Kyd, who left his wife and three children for her. About a year later they got married.
After a lengthy legal battle, the Spencer children remained in the care of their father. He also took the incident very hard, but tried to support the children in every possible way - he occupied himself with singing and dancing, organized holidays, and personally hired tutors and servants. He meticulously selected an educational institution for his eldest daughters and, when the time came, sent them to Sealfield Primary School in King Lees.
At school, Diana was loved for her responsiveness and kind character. She was not the best in her studies, but she made great progress in history and literature, was fond of drawing, dancing, singing, swimming, and was always ready to help her fellow students. Close people noted her tendency to fantasize - obviously, this made it easier for the girl to deal with her experiences. “I will definitely become someone outstanding!” - she liked to repeat.
Meeting Prince Charles
In 1975, the story of Princess Diana moves to a new stage. Her father accepts the hereditary title of Earl and moves the family to Northamptonshire, where the Spencer family estate, Althorp House, is located. It was here that Diana first met Prince Charles when he came to these places to hunt. However, they did not make an impression on each other then. Sixteen-year-old Diana found the intelligent Charles with impeccable manners “cute and funny.” The Prince of Wales seemed completely infatuated with Sarah, her older sister. And soon Diana went to continue her studies in Switzerland.
However, she quickly grew tired of the boarding house. Having begged her parents to take her away from there, at the age of eighteen she returns home. Her father gave Diana an apartment in the capital, and the future princess plunged into an independent life. Earning money to support herself, she worked for wealthy friends, cleaning their apartments and babysitting children, and then got a job as a teacher at the Young England kindergarten.
In 1980, at a picnic at Althorp House, fate again confronted her with the Prince of Wales, and this meeting became fateful. Diana expressed sincere sympathy to Charles in connection with the recent death of his grandfather, Earl Mountbaden. The Prince of Wales was touched; a conversation ensued. All evening after that, Charles did not leave Diana’s side...
They continued to meet, and soon Charles secretly told one of his friends that he seemed to have met the girl he would like to marry. From that time on, the press drew attention to Diana. Photojournalists began a real hunt for her.
Wedding
In February 1981, Prince Charles made an official proposal to Lady Diana, to which she agreed. And almost six months later, in July, the young Countess Diana Spencer was already walking down the aisle with the heir to the British throne in St. Paul's Cathedral.
A married couple of designers - David and Elizabeth Emmanuel - created a masterpiece outfit in which Diana walked to the altar. The princess was dressed in a snow-white dress made from three hundred and fifty meters of silk. About ten thousand pearls, thousands of rhinestones, and tens of meters of gold threads were used to decorate it. To avoid misunderstandings, three copies of the wedding dress were made at once, one of which is now kept in Madame Tussauds.
Twenty-eight cakes were prepared for the festive banquet, which were baked over fourteen weeks.
The newlyweds received many valuable and memorable gifts. Among them were twenty silver dishes presented by the Australian government and silver jewelry from the heir to the throne of Saudi Arabia. A New Zealand representative presented the couple with a luxurious carpet.
Journalists dubbed the wedding of Diana and Charles “the greatest and loudest in the history of the twentieth century.” Seven hundred and fifty million people around the world had the opportunity to watch the magnificent ceremony on television. It was one of the most widely broadcast events in television history.
Princess of Wales: first steps
Almost from the very beginning, married life turned out to be not at all what Diana dreamed of. Princess of Wales - the high-profile title she acquired after her marriage - was cold and prim, like the whole atmosphere in the royal family's house. The crowned mother-in-law, Elizabeth the Second, did not take any steps to ensure that the young daughter-in-law fit into the family more easily.
Open, emotional and sincere, it was very difficult for Diana to accept the external isolation, hypocrisy, flattery and impenetrability of emotions that govern life in Kensington Palace.
Princess Diana's love for music, dancing and fashion was at odds with the way people in the palace used to spend their leisure time. But hunting, horse riding, fishing and shooting - the recognized entertainment of crowned persons - interested her little. In her desire to be closer to ordinary Britons, she often violated the unspoken rules that dictate how a member of the royal family should behave.
She was different - people saw it and accepted her with admiration and joy. Diana's popularity among the country's population grew steadily. But in the royal family they often did not understand her - and, most likely, they did not really strive to understand.
Birth of sons
Diana's main passion was her sons. William, the future heir to the British throne, was born on June 21, 1982. Two years later, on September 15, 1984, his younger brother Harry was born.
From the very beginning, Princess Diana tried to do everything to prevent her sons from becoming unhappy hostages of their own origin. She tried in every possible way to ensure that the little princes had as much contact as possible with simple, ordinary life, filled with impressions and joys familiar to all children.
She spent much more time with her sons than the etiquette of the royal house prescribed. On vacation, she allowed them to wear jeans, sweatpants and T-shirts. She took them to the cinemas and to the park, where the princes had fun and ran around, ate hamburgers and popcorn, and stood in line for their favorite rides just like other little Britons.
When the time came for William and Harry to begin their primary education, it was Diana who strongly opposed their being brought up in the closed world of the royal house. The princes began attending preschool classes and then went to a regular British school.
Divorce
The dissimilarity of the characters of Prince Charles and Princess Diana manifested itself from the very beginning of their life together. By the beginning of the 1990s, a final discord occurred between the spouses. A significant role in this was played by the prince’s relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles, which began even before his marriage to Diana.
At the end of 1992, Prime Minister John Major made an official statement in the British Parliament that Diana and Charles were living separately, but had no plans to divorce. However, three and a half years later, their marriage was officially dissolved by a court order.
Diana, Princess of Wales, officially retained her lifelong right to this title, although she ceased to be Her Highness. She continued to live and work at Kensington Palace, remaining mother to the heirs to the throne, and her business schedule was officially included in the official routine of the royal family.
Social activities
After the divorce, Princess Diana devoted almost entirely her time to charity and social activities. Her ideal was Mother Teresa, whom the princess considered her spiritual mentor.
Taking advantage of her enormous popularity, she focused people's attention on the really important problems of modern society: AIDS, leukemia, the lives of people with incurable spinal injuries, children with heart defects. On her charity trips she visited almost the whole world.
She was recognized everywhere, greeted warmly, and thousands of letters were written to her, answering which the princess sometimes went to bed long after midnight. Diana's film about anti-personnel mines in the fields of Angola prompted diplomats from many countries to prepare reports for their governments to ban the purchase of these weapons. At the invitation of Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary-General, Diana made a report on Angola at the assembly of this organization. And in her native country, many suggested that she become a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF.
Trendsetter
For many years, Diana, Princess of Wales, was also considered a style icon in Great Britain. Being a crowned person, she traditionally wore outfits exclusively from British designers, but later significantly expanded the geography of her own wardrobe.
Her style, makeup and hairstyle instantly became popular not only among ordinary British women, but also among designers, as well as movie and pop stars. Stories about Princess Diana's outfits and interesting incidents related to them still appear in the press.
So, back in 1985, Diana appeared at the White House at a reception with the presidential couple Reagan in a luxurious dark blue silk velvet dress. It was in it that she danced together with John Travolta.
And the magnificent black evening dress, in which Diana visited the Palace of Versailles in 1994, awarded her the title “Sun Princess”, which sounded from the lips of the famous designer Pierre Cardin.
Diana's hats, handbags, gloves, and accessories have always been evidence of her impeccable taste. The princess sold a significant part of her clothes at auctions, donating the money to charity.
Dodi Al-Fayed and Princess Diana: a love story with a tragic end
Lady Di's personal life was also constantly under the radar of reporters' cameras. Their intrusive attention did not leave such an extraordinary personality as Princess Diana alone for a moment. The love story of her and Dodi Al-Fayed, the son of an Arab millionaire, instantly became the topic of numerous newspaper articles.
By the time they became close in 1997, Diana and Dodi had already known each other for several years. It was Dodi who became the first man with whom the English princess openly went out into the world after her divorce. She visited him at his villa in St. Tropez with his sons, and later met him in London. Some time later, the Al-Fayeds' luxury yacht, Jonicap, set off on a cruise in the Mediterranean. On board were Dodi and Diana.
The princess's last days coincided with the weekend that marked the end of their romantic trip. On August 30, 1997, the couple went to Paris. After dinner at the restaurant of the Ritz Hotel, owned by Dodi, at one o'clock in the morning they got ready to go home. Not wanting to be the center of attention of the paparazzi crowding at the doors of the establishment, Diana and Dodi left the hotel through the service entrance and, accompanied by a bodyguard and driver, hurried away from the hotel...
The details of what happened a few minutes later are still not clear enough. However, in an underground tunnel under Delalma Square, the car had a terrible accident, crashing into one of the supporting columns. The driver and Dodi al-Fayed died on the spot. Diana was taken to the Salpêtrière hospital in an unconscious state. Doctors fought for her life for several hours, but could not save the princess.
Funeral
The death of Princess Diana shook the whole world. On the day of her funeral, national mourning was declared and national flags were flown at half-mast throughout the UK. Two huge screens were installed in Hyde Park for those who could not attend the funeral ceremony and memorial service. For young couples who had a wedding scheduled for this date, English insurance companies paid significant amounts of compensation for its cancellation. The square in front of Buckingham Palace was littered with flowers, and thousands of memorial candles burned on the asphalt.
Princess Diana's funeral took place at Althorp House, the family estate of the Spencer family. Lady Di found her last refuge in the middle of a small secluded island on the lake, which she loved to visit during her lifetime. By personal order of Prince Charles, Princess Diana's coffin was covered with the royal standard - an honor reserved exclusively for members of the royal family...
Investigation and causes of death
Court hearings to establish the circumstances of Princess Diana's death took place in 2004. They were then temporarily postponed while an investigation into the circumstances of the car accident in Paris was carried out and resumed three years later at the Royal Court in London. The jury heard testimony from more than two hundred and fifty witnesses from eight countries.
As a result of the hearings, the court came to the conclusion that the cause of death of Diana, her companion Dodi Al-Fayed and driver Henri Paul was the illegal actions of the paparazzi pursuing their car, and Paul driving the vehicle while intoxicated.
These days, there are several versions of why Princess Diana actually died. However, none of them have been proven.
Real, kind, alive, generously giving people the warmth of her soul - that’s how she was, Princess Diana. The biography and life path of this extraordinary woman still remains a subject of undying interest to millions of people. In the memory of descendants, she is destined to forever remain the Queen of Hearts, not only in her native country, but throughout the world...
Princess Diana (1961-1997) was the first wife of Charles, heir to the British throne. Her family life officially lasted from 1981 to 1996. But the couple have lived separately since 1992. The divorce was initiated by Queen Elizabeth II of England. It took place in 1996, and a year later the princess died in a car accident. This woman was extremely popular all over the world. More than 20 years have passed since her death, but people remember Diana and speak warmly of her. In 2002, the BBC conducted a survey to determine the ranking of the best Britons. In this list, consisting of 100 famous names, our heroine took 3rd place.
Charles, Diana and their children: younger Harry and older William, 1987
Charles and Diana had 2 sons - Prince William (born 1982) and Prince Harry (born 1984). Currently these are adults. The eldest is married, and his marriage is very successful. He married Catherine Middleton. She was born in 1982, so the couple are the same age. The wedding ceremony took place on April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey. 2000 people took part in the ceremony. This was not a simple wedding, but a historical event. It is not at all impossible that Catherine will eventually become Queen of England. After the wedding, she received the title of Duchess of Cambridge.
It must be said that Princess Diana's children were distinguished by uncontrollable characters from an early age. But after their mother and father divorced, the boys became softer and more flexible. The subsequent death of their mother had a very difficult effect on their psyche. However, the father always tried to surround his sons with attention and care.
From left to right: Elizabeth II, Prince William, his wife Catherine Middleton and Prince Harry, 2012.
Eight years later he married Camilla Parker Bowles. The stepmother's relationship with William and Harry was quite friendly from the first days. Camilla always tried to be kind and affectionate. As for Katherine, she is notable not only for her beauty. This woman is distinguished by common sense and in everything she subordinates her personal interests to the requirements of the royal court. Elizabeth II loves her very much. At least no less than she loved Diana in her time.
The friendship between William and his future wife began in 2002. But they were sometimes friends, sometimes they grew cold towards each other. Only since 2007 did their relationship become stable. On November 16, 2010, this couple announced their engagement. Thus, the eldest of Princess Diana's children has found his other half. The family life of young people is calm and happy.
A huge event not only for the country, but also for the whole world was the birth of a son to this crowned couple. The boy was born on July 22, 2013 at 16:24 local time. He was born at St Mary's Hospital in London, where his father was born 31 years ago. In accordance with ancient custom, a special messenger delivered the good news to Buckingham Palace. But in the 21st century, he no longer rides a hot horse, but rides a car.
The baby's weight was 3.8 kg. He was given the title of Prince of Cambridge and named George. Full name: George Alexander Louis. Again, according to custom, all British children born on the same day as the heir to the throne receive a silver coin. It symbolizes memory and happiness. The town crier reports the historical event, and the sensational news immediately spreads throughout the world. England strictly honors ancient traditions, which evokes great respect among the inhabitants of the planet.
But the crowned couple did not limit themselves to one child. In October 2014, it was officially announced that the second child would be born in April 2015. Catherine Middleton and her husband were very wrong. On May 2, 2015, at 8:34 a.m. local time, a girl was born. The newborn's weight was 3.71 kg. The charming baby was named Charlotte. Her full name is Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge. Thus, the heirs of the English crown had a girl.
The third child was born on April 23, 2018. This is a boy named Louis. Full name: Louis Arthur Charles. He was born at St. Mary's Hospital at 11:01 a.m. local time. The weight of the newborn was 3.8 kg. His full official title is His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge.
As for Harry’s youngest son, he has proven himself to be the best in public life. He is a good athlete and played for the junior team in the polo championship in distant Australia. He graduated from the military academy and was in Africa. In 2007-2008 he took part in combat operations in Afghanistan. Since September 2012, I found myself in this country again. He fought bravely and flew combat helicopters. In January 2013 he returned to England. But this concerns public affairs, but in his personal life the prince for a long time could not decide on the lady of his heart.
From 2004 to 2010, Harry was friends with Chelsea Davy (b. 1985). This is the daughter of a millionaire from Zimbabwe. She looks fragile and blonde, but she is great with horses. Can ride horseback without a saddle. Easily deals with poisonous snakes - strangles them with his hands. That is, the lady is desperate and is not afraid of either the devil or the devil. At the same time, she received an excellent legal education and works in a prestigious law office.
Cressida Bonas
Everything seemed to be going towards the wedding, but then Chelsea changed her mind. The officialdom of the royal court was not to the liking of a woman accustomed to a simpler life. After the breakup, Harry met Cressida Bonas. This is a hereditary model. Her mother Mary-Gay shone on the catwalk in the 70s of the last century and did not leave nightclubs. She got married 4 times, and as you know, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
This means that Cressida inherited all the main character traits from her mother. Friends call her “a wild thing.” Harry's life with her would hardly be quiet and calm. But, fortunately, Princess Diana's children have always had prudence. The relationship between the model and the prince was never serious. In addition to the “wild thing,” the youngest member of the royal family also had backup options until the summer of 2016. This is Melissa Percy and Flea-Brudenell-Bruce.
Harry and Melissa Percy. The girl can't even buy shoes for herself, but Harry is a nice guy: money is not the main thing for him
But all these relationships died out for a long time, since in August 2016 Harry began an affair with the American actress and model Meghan Markle. This information was officially confirmed in November of the same year. And on November 27, 2017, the 36-year-old actress and Harry officially announced their engagement. The wedding took place on May 19, 2018 at Windsor Castle in St. George's Chapel.
The prince had long dreamed of a family and more than once said that he wanted a wife like his older brother. Catherine Middleton is like an older sister to him. She even replaced his mother in some ways. This is an ideal option for the scion of the royal family. Beautiful appearance, common sense, willingness to subordinate his personal life to the interests of the reigning dynasty.
Prince Harry with his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex
According to Harry himself, he loves to tinker with children and wants his wife to give him many children. And this desire began to come true on May 6, 2019. Early that morning, Megan gave birth to a boy. He became the 7th claimant to the British throne. They named him Archie Harrison. But it seems that the couple will not limit themselves to one child. There will be other adorable babies in the royal family.
In conclusion, I would like to say that the children of Princess Diana and the grandchildren of Elizabeth II are worthy successors to the royal dynasty. In this matter, proud British people can be absolutely calm. Over time, the throne will be occupied by self-sufficient and noble people who care about the good of their nation.
The article was written by Vyacheslav Semenyuk