Diana, Princess of Wales - The People's Princess

Princess Diana; Lady Di; The Princess of Hearts; whatever she was called, she was one name above all else, "The People's Princess". Unfortunately she didn't live to see how accurate this title was. It is hoped, however, that she realised that although the British Royal Family may have tried to downgrade her "Royal" status, the people would not, and will not still, allow that to happen. So how did this phenomenon come about?

Born 1st July 1961, Diana Frances Spencer was the third child of Edward John Spencer (heir to the 7th Earl Spencer) and his first wife, Frances Ruth Burke. As a child she played with Princes Andrew and Edward at the Queen's Estate at Sandringham. She completed her schooling by attending finishing school in Switzerland and the then, Lady Diana Spencer, took up a profession as a kindergarten teacher. Her forthcoming marriage to Charles, Prince of Wales, was announced on 24th February 1981 and they married at St. Paul's Cathedral on 29th July of the same year. To the on-looking public it was a fairytale romance followed by a fairytale wedding and the people immediately took this shy young, and until then unknown, girl to their hearts. Always immaculately dressed, and setting fashion trends, she quickly became the ideal ambassador for the Royal Family, showing that you didn't have to be remote in order to be a Royal. As she said, "It's vital the monarchy keeps in touch with the people. It's what I try and do." And touching is the one thing, above all else that the people loved her for. That physical connection, that transcended the barriers of class and privilege that let people feel that they were special. Despite the birth of her two sons, Princes William and Harry, she maintained a rigorous charity schedule. Behind these events, was the secret that her marriage was not the fairytale that everyone had thought. In 1992, when their youngest son Harry was only 8 years old, Charles and Diana separated. A divorce followed in 1996. A fight with bulimia and emotional wear and tear following her break-up with Charles meant having to cut down on the amount of work she did for charities, but she still supported issues from the Arts to the homeless. She especially highlighted the need for compassion with AIDS victims. Towards her death, she took up the case for banning land mines, risking her own life in order to bring the point across of how innocent children were often the victims of these toys of war. Throughout all of this, the media took turns to cast her in the role of saint or sinner, depending on what sold most papers that week. Those who loved Diana spurned them. Those who wanted to make money from her, wrote articles and books telling of her secret life, adding to the anguish she already shouldered. It looked as if she was about to find happiness again, when a car accident in Paris took her life, and that of her friend.

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