The real Princess Diana: sensational facts from her life. Brief biography of Princess Diana Diana princess
Twenty years ago, on August 31, 1997, a car accident occurred in a tunnel in front of the Alma bridge on the Seine embankment, in which Diana Frances Spencer died. Princess Diana was not just a public favorite, but also a public figure and philanthropist. With Dina's participation, hundreds of charitable foundations were created in different countries. Diana supported organizations that helped people with AIDS, the Royal Mardsen Foundation, the Leprosy Mission, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Centerpoint Homeless Centre, the English National Ballet and many others.
Many of Diana's trips around the world were associated with visiting homeless people, refugees, people with disabilities, and people with HIV. In the second half of the 1990s, Princess Diana was active in efforts to ban anti-personnel landmines. To convince governments to abandon this type of weapon, Diana traveled to many countries, from Angola to Bosnia, visiting hospitals and mobile hospitals to see with her own eyes the consequences of using high-explosive mines.
"Philanthropist" recalls Princess Diana's major charitable projects, including her visit to Russia in 1995.
Attitude towards patients with HIV
In April 1987, Princess Diana was invited to Middlesex Hospital to open the UK's first AIDS ward. At that time there was a lot of speculation about AIDS and a lot of fear. Princess Diana wanted to dispel this myth; in the department, she took off her gloves and shook hands with all the patients at the clinic. Photos of Princess Diana shaking hands with an HIV patient have spread all over the world. From that moment on, Diana began to deal with the problems of combating AIDS.
So, in February 1989, the princess visited New York, where she visited the Harlem Hospital for Children with AIDS. She spent an hour and a half there and spent most of the time talking with the children and staff. “Underneath the external shine hides a heart of real gold,” the media wrote after this visit. “She did it spontaneously, tenderly picking up a seven-year-old boy from Harlem who was dying of AIDS. How many of us millions of mothers would do this? We are assured that there is no risk of contracting the world's worst disease through hugs, but babies have wet hands and slobbery kisses. Can we honestly admit that we would not have felt the fear rather than the all-encompassing tenderness that Diana felt when she confessed: “I feel very sad when I think about how I held that little boy in my arms. I still think about him."
In subsequent years, she regularly visited children with AIDS, including visits to a hospice in Toronto and a hospital for HIV orphans in Rio de Janeiro.
After Diana's death, Gavin Hart, founder of the National AIDS Trust, said: "In our opinion, Diana did more to help people with HIV than anyone else, and to this day no one is doing anything like it." .
Help for lepers
Princess Diana often went on missionary trips to countries where leprosy rates remained high. She was a patron of The Leprosy Mission, and visited hospitals in India, Nepal, and Zimbabwe. She easily communicated with patients, spent a lot of time with them, and thus helped fight public opinion and myths about this disease.
“It always seemed important to me to touch lepers, to shake their hands, so I wanted to show people that these patients are the same people, that they are not outcasts. You can touch people with leprosy and not get infected,” said Diana.
Homeless and refugees
In 1992, Princess Diana became a trustee of London's Centerpoint homeless center and helped them a lot until her death. Diana took both her sons, Prince William and Harry, with her to the center. At the age of 23, Prince William continued his mother's work and became a trustee of this organization.
He told The Telegraph: “My mother showed me this side of life many years ago. This was a real revelation for me and I am very grateful to her for this.”
Love for children
Princess Diana loved children very much, loved to play and communicate with them. She was a patron of the Royal Mardsen Hospital, which had a good oncology department, and of the Great Ormond Street Hospital for children. There are many photographs of Princess Diana where she talks to children, hugs or listens to them.
In an interview, she spoke about working at the Royal Brompton Hospital: “I go there at least three times a week, spend several hours with the children, sometimes just holding their hands or talking. Some of them will live, some will not, but each of them needs love here and now. I want to give them this love.”
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The fight to abolish anti-personnel mines
In January 1997, Princess Diana visited Angola as part of a Red Cross mission; the number of mines remaining in the land was then estimated at nine million, out of a population of 10 million people. “I read statistics that in Angola there are more people with amputated body parts than anywhere else in the world,” Diana recalled. “But even knowing all this, I was not prepared for what I saw.”
The princess also visited the most heavily mined city in Angola, Quito. There she walked through a recently cleared field. For safety, she put on a blue bulletproof vest and covered her face behind a special bulletproof screen.
Diana's son Prince Harry, a trustee of The HALO Trust, was also in Angola and wore a suit, in one of his speeches he called on the whole world to get rid of weapons by 2025.
ANGOLA – JANUARY 05: Diana, Princess of Wales wearing protective body armor and a visor visits a landmine minefield being cleared by the charity Halo in Huambo, Angola (Photo by Tim Graham/Getty Images)
Ballet and theater
The princess was very fond of ballet, and after her divorce in 1995, she became even more active in helping non-profit organizations. And the only project not related to social issues was the English National Ballet. She often went to performances and took her sons, William and Harry, with her. She held fundraising balls and galas, which helped raise hundreds of pounds to support the theatre.
Princess Diana and Mother Teresa
In February 1992, Diana came to India and visited a shelter for abandoned children, a leper colony and a hospice founded by Mother Teresa in Calcutta. Inside the hospice, she saw rows of cots on which lay hundreds of sick and dying people.
Upon returning to Kensington Palace, Lady Diana wrote: “Finally, after so many years of searching, I have found my path. When I arrived at Mother Teresa’s hospice, the sisters of mercy sang a solemn hymn especially for me. It was an unforgettable spiritual experience. My spirit literally soared. The emotions were so strong that they could not help but have a huge impact on me. I only now realized that with all my heart, with all my soul I want to do this business on a global scale.”
Princess Diana in Russia
On June 15-16, 1995, Princess Diana flew to Moscow. One of her things to do in the capital was a visit to the Tushino Children's Hospital, to which the princess had previously provided charitable assistance (Diana donated medical equipment to the hospital).
“A very calm and persistent woman. She went into the trauma department, and there were children there after road and train accidents, and she saw all the wounds. Even those accompanying her fainted, but she calmly walked through the department,” recalled Viktor Shein, at that time deputy chief physician for surgery at the Tushino hospital
According to the participants of the visit, during the visit to the hospital, the princess violated the protocol of the meeting: she ignored the offices of the heads of the clinic, passing by, because she was in a hurry to the wards of small patients and the playroom. Diana persistently asked her translator to translate in detail everything that the children told her. In the playroom, the princess surprised everyone: she sat on her knees in front of the kids and started playing with them.
On June 16, 1995, at the British Embassy in Moscow, Princess Diana was awarded the International Leonardo Prize. This public award is awarded to philanthropists and people who have made personal contributions to the development of the humanitarian field.
Inspiration and support
Even after death, the name of Princess Diana continues to help.
In September 1997, the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund was founded using donations and proceeds from the sale of memorabilia, including Elton John's single "Candle In The Wind" dedicated to the princess. ).
In March 1998, it was announced that the foundation would provide grants of £1 million to each of the six charities officially supported by Princess Diana (English National Ballet, Leprosy Mission, National AIDS Society, Centerpoint, Children's Hospital Great Ormond Street, Royal Marsden Hospital).
Now the organization helps hospices and palliative care, homeless people and refugees, prisoners, the fund issues grants to hundreds of organizations around the world.
Since its founding in 1998, the fund has raised and distributed more than £138 million in aid and grants (2012 figures).
Currently, the work of the fund is supervised by the sons of Princess Diana - Prince William and Prince Harry.
Princess Diana always sought to instill in her sons a love of charity and a desire to help people. She took William and Harry with her when she visited patients in hospitals and the homeless. The now grown brothers actively support all the social projects that their mother helped.
Anna
Because her whole life took place with the participation of photographers. Even death. It happened that she was a princess.
Tanto
For some reason, all of Diana’s good deeds took place with the participation of photographers. True charity is not public.
“They say it’s better to be poor and happy than rich and unhappy. Well, what about a compromise – moderately rich and moderately capricious?” - Princess Diana.
Princess Diana Spencer born July 1, 1961, on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk. Diana was perhaps the most beloved and respected member of the British royal family, earning herself the nickname "The People's Princess." She was born into a family of English aristocrats - Edward John Spencer, Viscount Althorp, and Frances Ruth Burke Roche, Viscountess Althorp (later Frances Shand Kydd).
Both of Diana’s parents were close to the royal court, and in Edward’s biography there was even an episode with his marriage proposal to Queen Elizabeth II, which she did not immediately reject, promising to “think about it.” However, to the great disappointment of Diana's father, Elizabeth soon met the Greek Prince Philip, with whom she fell madly in love and whom she eventually married. However, despite unfulfilled hopes, Edward maintained warm, friendly relations with Elizabeth, thanks to which the Spencers always occupied a special position at court.
Diana became the third daughter in the Spencer family, while her father desperately wanted a male heir. Therefore, the birth of another girl was a huge disappointment for both parents. “I should have been born a boy!” - Lady Di admitted with a bitter smile many years later.
However, an heir did appear in the family, but by that time the relationship between the spouses was so undermined by mutual discontent that the marriage soon broke up. Frances remarried wallpaper business owner Peter Shand-Kydd, who, although fabulously rich, did not have a title, which caused her mother's endless displeasure. A true aristocrat and devoted royalist, Frances's mother could not believe that her daughter left her husband and four children for the sake of some “upholsterer.” She confronted her daughter in court, and as a result, Edward received custody of all four children.
Although both parents tried their best to brighten up their children’s lives with trips and entertainment, Diana often lacked simple human attention and participation, and sometimes she felt lonely.
She received an excellent education, first in private school Riddlesworth Hall(Riddlesworth Hall), and then to prestigious boarding school West Heath(West Heath School).
Lady Diana Spencer acquired the title after her father inherited the title of Earl in 1975. Despite the fact that Diana was known as a shy girl, she showed a genuine interest in music and dancing. But, alas, the future princess’s dreams of ballet were not destined to come true, because one day, while on vacation in Switzerland, she seriously injured her knee. However, many years later, Diana demonstrated brilliant dancing skills when she performed a number on the stage of Covent Garden paired with professional dancer Wayne Sleep, on the occasion of her husband's birthday.
In addition to dancing and music, Diana enjoyed spending time with children: she happily looked after her younger brother Charles and took care of her older sisters. Therefore, after graduating from a boarding school for noble maidens in Rougemont, Switzerland, Diana moved to London and began looking for work with children. Eventually, Lady Di received a position as a teacher at the Young England School in Pimlico, London.
Generally speaking, Diana never shunned any, even the most menial, work: she worked as a nanny, a cook and even a cleaner. The future princess cleaned the apartments of her friends and her older sister, Sarah, for $2 an hour.
In the photo: Lady Diana and Prince Charles
Since the Spencer family was close to the royal family, as a child Diana often played with Prince Charles's younger brothers, Princes Andrew and Edward. At that time, the Spencers rented Park House, an estate that belonged to Elizabeth II. And in 1977, Diana’s older sister, Sarah, introduced her to Prince Charles, who was 13 years older than the young lady.
As heir to the British throne, Prince Charles has always been the subject of intense media attention, and his courtship of Diana certainly did not go unnoticed. The press and public were fascinated by this odd couple: a reserved prince, a big fan of gardening, and a shy young girl, passionate about fashion and pop culture. On the day the couple got married - July 29, 1981 - the wedding ceremony was broadcast by television channels around the world. Millions of people watched the event, hailed as the “Wedding of the Century.”
Marriage and divorce
On June 21, 1982, their first child, Prince William Arthur Philip Louis, was born into the family of Diana and Charles. And 2 years later, on September 15, 1984, the couple had a second heir - Prince Henry Charles Albert David, known to the general public as Prince Harry.
Shocked to the core by the pressure that befell her along with her marriage, and the relentless attention of the press to literally her every step, Diana decided to defend the right to her own life.
In the photo: Princess Diana and Prince Charles with their sons Prince William and Prince Harry
She began supporting many charities, helping the homeless, children in need, and people suffering from HIV and AIDS.
Unfortunately, the fairytale wedding of the prince and princess was not the beginning of a happy marriage. Over the years, the couple grew apart and both sides were suspected of infidelity. Being unhappy in her marriage, Diana suffered from bouts of depression and bulimia. Ultimately, in December 1992, British Prime Minister John Major announced the separation of the couple, reading the text of the royal family's address in the House of Commons. The divorce was finalized in 1996.
Death and legacy of Diana
Even after the divorce, Diana remained popular. She devoted herself entirely to her sons, and also participated in humanitarian projects such as the fight against landmines. Lady Di used her worldwide fame to raise public awareness of pressing issues. However, her popularity also had a downside: Diana's affair with Egyptian producer and playboy Dodi Al-Fayed in 1997 caused a real stir and incredible hype in the press. As a tragic result, on the night of August 31, 1997, a loving couple died in a car accident in Paris when the driver tried to break away from the paparazzi pursuing them.
In the photo: Memorial in honor of Princess Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed
at Harrods store in London
Diana did not die immediately, but only a few hours later in a Paris hospital as a result of her injuries. Diana's lover, Dodi Al-Fayed, and his driver were also killed, and the security guard was seriously injured. There are still many rumors surrounding Diana’s death: it was even rumored that she was killed by British intelligence services at the direction of the royal family, which supposedly could not come to terms with the fact that the mother of the heirs to the throne had a relationship with a Muslim. By the way, Diana’s mother, Frances, was also not happy with this relationship, once calling Diana a “whore” for “getting mixed up with Muslim men.”
French authorities conducted their own investigation into the car accident and found a high level of alcohol in the blood of the driver, who was subsequently found to be the main culprit of the accident.
News of Diana's sudden and absurd death shocked the world. Thousands of people wanted to pay their last respects to the “people’s princess” at the farewell ceremony. The ceremony took place in Westminster Abbey and was broadcast on television. Diana's body was later buried at her family estate, Althorp.
In 2007, 10 years after the death of their beloved mother, Diana's sons, Princes William and Harry, organized a concert dedicated to the 46th anniversary of her birth. All proceeds from the event were donated to charities that Diana and her sons supported.
Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton also paid tribute to Diana by naming their daughter, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, who was born on May 2, 2015, after her.
The Memorial Fund in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales continues her endeavors. Established after her death, the foundation provides grants to various organizations and supports many humanitarian causes, including caring for the sick in Africa, helping refugees, and ending the use of landmines.
The memory of the Princess of Wales and her good deeds still lives in the hearts of millions of people. And no other title in the world has such high value as the title " Queens of people's hearts", forever assigned to Diana.
In the photo: Princess Diana devoted a lot of time to charitable work
Based on materials from biography.com. Part of the photo taken from biography.com.
The beautiful Princess Diana, who passed away so suddenly and tragically... People still remember and love her. The biography of Princess Diana sheds light on why she became an ideal for many people. Her story is an illustration of a person's collision with such a powerful force as the royal family, duty, monarchy.
In the list of one hundred great Britons, Princess Diana surpassed Darwin, Newton and even Shakespeare, taking third place after Churchill and Brunel. Who is she? And why is Princess Diana's death still controversial? What difficulties did the wife of the heir to the throne of Great Britain encounter? How did she manage to earn such respect from citizens as to surpass Shakespeare himself?
Aristocracy
The Princess of Wales (nee Diana Spencer) was married to Prince Charles, the son of the Queen of Great Britain, for fifteen years. Her birthday is July 1, 1961. On this day, in the county of Norfolk, a girl was born into the family of Viscount Althorp, who had an unusual fate awaiting her. She was the third daughter in the family (her older sisters were Jane and Sarah).
Later, Diana's parents had a son, Charles. Three years after her birth, at Charles's baptism, fate had already crossed the little Spencers with the Queen of England: she became godmother to Diana's brother.
Life at Sandrigham Castle, where Diana spent her childhood, would seem like paradise to most people: six servants, garages, a swimming pool, a tennis court, many bedrooms. An ordinary aristocratic family. The girl was also raised in full accordance with traditions.
Perhaps the kindness and generosity of the adult Diana is a positive consequence of such upbringing and, of course, the result of the influence of her paternal grandmother, whom the future princess loved very much. She helped those in need and did charity work. When the princess was still just Diana, her biography had already added a sad page: her parents’ divorce hit the girl at the age of six. The children remained to live with their father.
Since childhood, Diana preferred dancing (she studied ballet at the boarding school) and swimming, and she was successful in drawing. Diana had difficulty in exact sciences, but liked history and literature. Her achievements in ballet aroused the admiration of others.
London and adult life
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After graduating from school, Diana decided to live an independent life in London. She worked in low-paid jobs: as a nanny, as a waitress. At the same time, she learned to drive, and subsequently to cook. The girl did not drink alcohol or smoke, did not like noisy entertainment, and spent her free time in solitude.
Then Diana competed for a position as a ballet teacher for primary school students, but a lower leg injury soon put an end to this activity. Then she went to work as a kindergarten teacher, and also worked as a housekeeper for her sister.
Life in London was distinguished by both the girl’s great employment and pleasant, easy and cheerful entertainment. She had her own apartment, which her parents gave her. She lived there with her friends, they often had tea parties, played pranks like children, and played pranks on their friends. For example, once a “cocktail” of flour and eggs was smeared on the car of a young man who did not arrive at the appointed time.
Dating and marriage
“You shouldn’t expect much from life, it leads to disappointment. Accept her for who she is, life is much easier this way.”
Initially, the one who, more than thirty years later, would set a record for waiting for the British crown, entered Diana’s life as a friend of her sister Sarah. The story of young Spencer and the thirty-year-old heir to the throne did not begin immediately.
Perhaps the prince himself would have preferred to remain free, but the situation obliged. And he decided to choose his wife for purely rational reasons, knowing about the impossibility of divorce, but at the same time wanting to keep his lifestyle unchanged.
From mid-1980, the prince began to show increased attention to Diana. And after him, reporters began to pay increased attention to her, and the boundaries of private life disappeared. Even then, Diana saw how close the Parker-Bowles family was to Charles.
Six months later, on February 6, 1981, the prince proposed to Diana. Diana began to immerse herself in the life of the royal court, which meant she had a need to look impeccable, and besides, she was now one of those who personified the monarchy. Then Princess Diana's style began to take shape. She realized that her outfit should always satisfy the tastes of the most picky and be impeccable in any conditions.
In Buckingham Palace she was deprived of everything: independence, privacy, the possibility of self-realization, sincerity - in fact, the status of the prince's bride deprived her of freedom. Noisy gatherings with friends, spontaneity, a lot of communication and work - now all this is a thing of the past.
More and more hints about the prince’s close relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles added fuel to the fire. Andrew Morton, in his book about Diana, said that right on the eve of the wedding, she wanted to break off the engagement because of the discovery of a bracelet that was bought by the prince as a gift to Camilla.
On July 29, 1981, Diana became a princess. Her husband, even during the honeymoon, gave cause for concern. Princess Diana discovered photographs of Camilla, and then cufflinks, according to Charles, given to the one he once loved.
The story of Princess Diana was turning into a tragedy. She developed bulimia nervosa. Her married life was not all smooth sailing: her husband’s attitude left much to be desired, and the inability to have a heart-to-heart talk with anyone made the situation hopeless. But these are the rules of the court, where duty is above all, and feelings must be kept in check. She had no one to turn to, she was left alone and faced with the need to live up to the image of a beautiful princess and an exemplary wife in a love triangle situation.
Gradual disappearance of illusions
“Don’t try to look serious – it won’t help anyway”
Princess Diana's children were to be raised in the traditions of the English court - under the supervision of nannies and governesses. But their mother insisted that her sons not be cut off from her and from a normal lifestyle. Princess Diana had a surprisingly strong position on children and their upbringing. She breastfed them herself and actively participated in the process of their development and education.
As Diana herself later said, the Queen said almost directly in conversations with her that perhaps Diana’s problems were not the result of an unsuccessful marriage, but the unsuccessful marriage was the result of the girl’s mental problems. Depression, deliberate self-harm, bulimia nervosa - could these all be symptoms of the same disorder?
Diana became pregnant again. The husband wanted a girl, but on September 15, 1984, “Princess Diana’s daughter” turned out to be a boy. Diana hid the ultrasound results until the birth of the child.
Did Princess Diana have any lovers? It is noteworthy that the press and society looked at any friendly relationship between the princess, and even just an acquaintance, as a reason for censure, but no one seemed to notice the obvious connection between Prince Charles and Camilla.
Complete break
“There are more important problems than ballet. For example, people dying on the street"
The fairy tale of Princess Diana and Prince Charles ended before it began, but their tragedy lasted ten years. Her husband was not interested in Diana’s inner life, her experiences and fears; she could not count on his support.
When Princess Diana found herself, she began to pay a lot of attention to people who were not lucky in life. She visited hospitals for the seriously ill, homeless shelters, and an AIDS department. Count Spencer, Diana's brother, in a conversation with biographer Morton, spoke of the princess as a strong-willed, purposeful and firm person who knows what she lives for, namely, to be a conduit for good, using her high position.
Later, when William suffered a head injury, the whole world could see his father's indifference as he went first to Covent Garden and then on an expedition related to environmental issues. How this resonated with the behavior of a mother who was ready to help many people!
Does the Lord protect the righteous?
“I want to be with those who suffer, wherever I see them, and help them.”
The scandal, apparently, was inevitable. At the end of August 1996, the ill-fated prince and princess received their freedom. After the divorce, Diana retained the title of Princess of Wales and received large compensation (17 million pounds and 400 thousand every year).
The princess died as a result of an accident at the age of 36: on August 31, 1997, a car accident occurred in a tunnel. In the car was not only Princess Diana, but also Dodi al-Fayed, the son of an influential billionaire. Subsequently, Mohammed Fayed spent a lot of effort to shed light on the death of Princess Diana and his son. Many still believe that the tragedy was planned by the royal court to stop the princess's "indecent" behavior.
A short biography of Diana seems to be a story not about a princess, but about an ordinary woman whose life was far from simple. There is no doubt that Diana had a big, generous soul, and this woman deserves the fondest memory. After a difficult day, Diana always told herself that she did everything she could. It seems the same can be said about her earthly life. Author: Ekaterina Volkova
Diana Frances Spencer, Princess of Wales is the first wife of Prince Charles of Wales (from 1981 to 1996), heir to the British throne. Also known as Lady Diana or Lady Di.
So, here is a short biography of Princess Diana.
Biography of Princess Diana
Princess Diana was born on July 1, 1961 in Norfolk. She grew up and was brought up in an English aristocratic family. Her father John Spencer, holder of the title Viscount Althorp, was a military and political figure. Frances Shand Kydd's mother also came from an aristocratic family.
An interesting fact is that Princess Diana belonged to the same family as.
Childhood and youth
Diana spent her entire childhood in Sandringham, where she was educated at home. She then studied at the elite Sealfield School, after which she continued her studies at Riddlesworth Hall.
The future princess had a rather flexible character, but was somewhat stubborn. The teachers recalled that Diana really liked and. In her drawings, she often depicted her father and mother, who decided to divorce when she was only 8 years old.
Princess Diana as a child Diana suffered the separation of her parents very painfully. Having reached the age of 12, she was sent to study at the prestigious West Hill School for Girls.
During this period of her biography, Diana became seriously interested in music and dancing, but her studies did not cause much enthusiasm. According to some sources, exact sciences were difficult for her, which is why she repeatedly failed exams.
In 1977, Diana met Prince Charles for the first time. It is curious that at this meeting the young people did not show any interest in each other.
In the same year, the girl was sent to study in. However, after staying in this country for a short time, the future princess returned home because she experienced strong nostalgia for her homeland.
In 1978, Diana received an apartment as a gift from her mother, in which she began to live with 3 friends. The future princess loved children very much, as a result of which she later got a job in a local kindergarten as a teacher’s assistant. She always remained simple and friendly, and was not afraid to take on any job.
Prince Charles and the wedding
In 1980, Diana met again with Prince Charles, whose parents wanted to find him a worthy wife. It is worth noting that Queen Elizabeth was very concerned that her son had a romantic relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles, who was legally married.
However, when romantic feelings flared up between Diana and Charles, the prince's relatives were delighted. They say that even Camilla was sincerely happy about this.
Diana Spencer and Prince Charles Initially, the prince invited Diana on his yacht, after which he took her to Balmoral Palace to meet her relatives. Later, Charles proposed to his beloved, to which she agreed.
The engagement was officially announced on February 24, 1981. At the same time, the British were able to see the bride’s famous ring - an expensive sapphire encrusted with 14 diamonds.
The wedding of Charles and Diana became the most expensive wedding ceremony in history. It took place in St. Paul's Cathedral on July 29, 1981. Before the wedding, a parade was organized through the capital's streets.
Members of the royal family rode in carriages, accompanied by cavalry. Along the road along which the wedding procession passed, about 600 thousand British people gathered, wanting to see the bride and groom. An interesting fact is that Lady Diana was the first Englishwoman in the last 3 centuries to become the wife of the heir to the throne.
Wedding of Diana and Charles The groom was dressed in the full uniform of a naval commander, while the bride wore a luxurious white dress with an 8-meter veil. On Diana's head was a tiara decorated with precious stones.
The wedding ceremony was watched by about 750 million television viewers around the world. In total, more than £3 million was spent on the wedding.
Divorce
Initially, there was complete idyll between Prince Charles and Princess Diana, but later the family union cracked. Articles began to appear in the press talking about Charles's love affairs.
In particular, he continued to date Camilla Parker-Bowles, as a result of which Diana found it increasingly difficult to maintain a family hearth.
An interesting fact is that the prince did not even try to hide his connections with his mistress. At the same time, Queen Elizabeth supported her son in every possible way, which further complicated the situation. This led to Diana also having a favorite in James Hewitt, who was a riding coach.
In 1995, there were rumors that Princess Diana was having an affair with heart surgeon Hasnat Khan, whom she met by chance in the hospital. However, due to different social status and Diana’s official marriage, their relationship could not continue.
In 1996, Queen Elizabeth insisted on a divorce between her son and Princess Diana. Thus, their marriage lasted only 5 years. In this union they had two boys - William and Harry.
After the divorce, Diana was repeatedly spotted in the company of film producer and son of Egyptian billionaire Dodi al-Fayed. However, it is difficult to say how close their relationship was.
Death
On August 31, 1997, while visiting Princess Diana, she died in a car accident. Besides her, there were three other people in the car, including the driver. The car crashed into a concrete support while driving under the Alma Bridge.
Princess Diana's wrecked car Princess Diana died 2 hours later in a local hospital. Other passengers also died, except the princess's bodyguard, who suffered serious head injuries.
Lady Di's death was a real shock not only for the British, but also for people around the world. The princess's funeral ceremony took place on September 6. Diana Frances Spencer found peace on the Spencer family estate of Althorp in Northamptonshire, on a small island.
Sea of flowers at Princess Diana's palace At the moment, experts cannot agree on the true cause of the car accident.
- Some investigators suggest that Diana's driver tried to break away from the car with the paparazzi.
- According to another version, the accident could have been faked.
In fact, there are many assumptions and theories regarding the tragedy that occurred.
10 years after the terrible accident, Scotland Yard police confirmed the fact of twice the speed limit on this section of the highway. In addition, investigators announced that the driver had alcohol in his blood that was three times the legal limit.
Today, a copy of the torch of the New York Statue of Liberty, located near the site of the tragedy, has been turned into a spontaneous memorial to Princess Diana.
Memory
Lady Di, as many called the princess, was greatly loved by her compatriots. She devoted a lot of energy and time to charity.
The woman periodically transferred large sums of money to various funds. In addition, she repeatedly provided material and moral assistance to ordinary people.
In 1998, Time named Diana one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. In 2002, according to a BBC poll, Diana was ranked 3rd on the list of the greatest Britons. Thanks to this, she was ahead of Queen Elizabeth and other monarchs.
The deceased princess was sung in songs by various famous performers, including Elton John, Depeche Mode and others. 10 years after the tragedy, the premiere of a film took place, which told about the last day of Diana’s life.
Perhaps in the future we will learn the true cause of the car accident that claimed the life of the beloved Princess Diana.
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Diana, Princess of Wales, née Lady Diana Frances Spencer was born on July 1, 1961 in Sandringham, Norfolk.
She was born into the famous, well-born family of Johnny Spencer and Frances Ruth Burke Roche. Diana's family was very glorious on both sides. Father is Viscount Althorp, a branch of the same Spencer-Churchill family as the Duke of Marlborough and Winston Churchill. Her paternal ancestors were of royal blood through the illegitimate sons of King Charles II and the illegitimate daughter of his brother and successor, King James II. The Earls Spencer have long lived in the very center of London, in Spencer House. “This ancient and noble blood happily combined pride and honor, mercy and dignity, a sense of duty and the need to follow one’s own path. Always and everywhere. To have in the chest a small heart and the spirit of a king, intertwining in it tightly, inextricably: femininity and lion’s courage, wisdom and composure..." - this is what the biographer wrote about them.
But despite all the innate nobility of the Viscount and Viscountess Althorp, their marriage cracked, and they were unable to save the family - even the birth of the desired heir to the earldom, Diana’s younger brother, Charles Spencer, did not save the situation. By the time Charles turned five (Diana was then just over six years old), their mother could no longer live with her father, and the Spencers performed a shameful and rare “procedure” at that time - they divorced. Her mother moved to London and began a whirlwind romance with American businessman Peter Shand-Kyd, who left his family and three children for her sake. In 1969 they got married. 
1963 Two-year-old Diana relaxes in a chair in her home. 
1964 Three-year-old Diana walks around her house with a stroller. 
1965
Diana spent her childhood in Sandringham, where she received her primary education at home. Her teacher was governess Gertrude Allen, who also taught Diana's mother. Lady Diana, already an adult, recalled with bitterness that her mother did not really care about the care of her children. The princess said: “The parents were busy settling scores. I often saw my mother crying, and my dad didn’t even try to explain anything to us. We didn't dare ask questions. Nannies replaced one another. Everything seemed so unsteady..."
Later, relatives would say that parting with her mother was a huge stress for Diana. But the little girl withstood this situation with truly royal calm and childish fortitude, moreover, it was she who most helped her little brother recover from this blow.
1967 Diana plays with her younger brother Charles outside their home.
Viscount Spencer, as far as possible, tried to mitigate the consequences of the loss and in every possible way entertained the depressed, confused, and shocked children: he organized children's parties and balls, invited dancing and singing teachers, and personally selected the best nannies and servants. But this still did not completely save the kids from mental trauma.
1970 A little athlete on holiday in Itchenor, West Sussex. 
1970 Diana with her sisters, father and brother.
After the parents divorce, the children remain to live with their father. Soon a stepmother appeared in the house, who disliked the children. Diana began to do worse at school and ultimately did not graduate. The only activity she loved was dancing. Diana's education continued in Sealfield, at a private school near King's Line, then at Riddlesworth Hall preparatory school. At the age of twelve she was accepted into the exclusive girls' school at West Hill, in Sevenoaks, Kent. 
She became "Lady Diana" (a courtesy title for daughters of high peers) in 1975, after the death of her grandfather, when her father inherited the earldom and became the 8th Earl Spencer. During this period, the family moved to the ancient ancestral castle of Althorp House in Notthrogtonshire.
After graduating from youth school in West Heth, Diana lived in Switzerland. Her father sent her to learn housekeeping, cooking, sewing, as well as French and other skills of a well-bred girl. Dee, apparently, did not like the learning process very much, she was exhausted from boredom, besides, she did not like French and wanted to become independent as quickly as possible.
Diana in Scotland.
In the winter of 1977, shortly before leaving to study in Switzerland, sixteen-year-old Lady Diana meets Prince Charles for the first time when he comes to Althorp on a hunting trip. At that time, the impeccably brought up, intelligent Charles seemed to the girl only “very funny.”
Since Diana sought independence, Charles Spencer Sr. provided her with this opportunity. When she came of age, her father gave the future princess an apartment in London. Diana did not show any aristocratic stiffness and willingly and confidently began her independent adult life. She worked part-time as a kindergarten teacher and babysat children at home. Interestingly, the hourly rate of the future princess was only one pound.
Diana as a nanny, a year before she marries Prince Charles.
At this time, the heir to the English throne was courting Diana's older sister, Sarah Spencer. Diana simply idolized Lady Sarah Spencer - charming, witty, proud, although a little harsh in her manners and behavior. Therefore, she was glad to see how the relationship between the eldest of the Spurser sisters and such an enviable groom was developing. Charles at that time was passionate about his studies, reserved, and cold, but his high status aroused an exaggerated interest in girls. Among the contenders for the prince's heart was even the granddaughter of the legendary Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Lady Charlotte. And yet, he clearly singled out the Spencer house for himself.
The cheerful Diana, who knew why the future king of Great Britain was visiting their house, smiled joyfully at her guest during meetings and muttered something embarrassed in French - she really loved her sister and wished her happiness. Having showered Sarah with attention, Charles was also very kind to Diana; he liked the girl, but nothing special came of it. In November 1979, Diana was invited to the royal hunt. She was to spend the weekend at Earl Spencer's estate with her family and Prince Charles. Athletic, graceful, Diana rode her horse like an Amazon, and during the fox hunt, despite her simple outfit and modest behavior, she was irresistible.
It was then that the Prince of Wales first realized that Diana was an incredibly “charming, lively and witty girl who was interesting to be with.” Sarah Spencer later said that she played “the role of Cupid” at this meeting. Charles spoke for a long time with Dee for the first time and could not help but admit that she was simply lovely. However, at that moment that was all over. 
In the summer, in July 1980, Diana learned that Prince Charles had suffered a great misfortune: his uncle, Lord Mountbatten, whom the prince considered one of his closest people, his best adviser and confidant, had died. As Diana later recalled, “I saw the prince sitting alone in a haystack, thoughtful; she turned off the path, sat down next to him and simply said that she saw him in the church at the funeral service. He seemed so lost, with an incredibly sad look... This is unfair,” I thought then, “He is so lonely, someone should be there at this moment!” That evening, Charles openly and publicly showered Lady Diana Francis with the attentions befitting a prince's chosen one. Sarah Spencer was completely forgotten. 
At the time Charles “found” Diana, the prince was 33 years old. He was the most eligible bachelor in Great Britain and was considered an incredible womanizer, a conqueror of girls, although this title should rather be attributed to his title. In particular, since 1972, Charles had an affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles, the wife of army officer Andrew Parker-Bowles, by the way, a good “friend” of some members of the royal family. However, Camilla was in no way suitable for the role of the future queen, and Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip racked their brains a lot about how to “slip” a better candidate for their son. But then Diana appeared and, in general, saved the situation. They say that Prince Philip himself proposed that Charles marry Diana. She was well-born, young, healthy, beautiful and well-mannered. What else is needed for a good royal marriage?
In the fall of 1980, rumors first circulated about her affair with the Prince of Wales. It all started when a reporter specializing in covering the private life of the royal family photographed Prince Charles walking along the shallows of the River Dee at Balmoral in the company of a young, shy girl. The attention of the world press instantly turned to this unknown person, whom everyone would soon begin to call nothing more than “timid Dee.” Diana suddenly felt that she was plunging into a new life that was completely unfamiliar to her before. From now on, as soon as she left the apartment, numerous cameras began to click around her. And even the little red car was always followed by paparazzi wherever she went. 
Prince Charles formally proposed to Lady Diana on February 6, 1981, after returning from a three-month naval cruise on the ship Invincible, which he was supposed to oversee as the future king. The couple met for a romantic candlelit dinner at Buckingham Palace. After dinner, Charles finally asked the girl the most important question, and Diana gave the most important answer.
Future princess under an umbrella, 1981.
Soon all rumors and speculation were put to an end. On February 24, the engagement of the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer was officially announced. The wedding was scheduled for July 29 and was to take place at St. Paul's Cathedral. The whole of Great Britain was excited by the news: it lifted the spirit of the nation during a period of rather gloomy economic recession. Apparently, the timing for the wedding was very opportune.
Romantic moments from the life of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
Meanwhile, across the UK, preparations for the “wedding of the century” were in full swing.
It was Diana's idea to sew a romantic wedding dress in the Victorian style, chastely closed, with lots of frills and flounces. She entrusts such a responsible task to little-known designers David and Elizabeth Emmanuel and does not lose. The dress becomes legendary. 
On July 29, 1981, young Diana Spencer, in a chic wedding dress with an almost eight-meter white silk train, walked to the altar of St. Cathedral. Paul to become one of the members of the British royal family. Seven hundred and fifty million viewers around the world were glued to their television screens as one of the most beautiful women in Europe married one of the richest grooms in Europe. As the Archbishop of Canterbury put it in his speech, “It is in such magical moments that fairy tales are born.” This day, as journalists rightly noted, began a new page in the history of the Windsor family and the whole of Great Britain. 
The wedding was fabulous. And not only because it was the most expensive event of its kind (costs were estimated at 2,859 million pounds sterling). It’s just that the groom is a real prince, and the bride is fabulously beautiful and charming. 
Now they will take oaths of allegiance to each other. Moreover, Diana, who had barely turned 20, without flinching, contrary to tradition, crossed out the promise to obey her husband from the text of her oath. Therefore, later journalists will call their marriage “Marriage of equals” 
After the wedding, the girlfriends received a souvenir from Diana. For each, a rose from the bride's luxurious bouquet was prepared in plastic.
Honeymoon in Scotland at Balmoral on the River Dee.
The first official trip of Prince Charles and his young wife around the country began with their titular possessions - Wales. In just three days, the prince and princess held eighteen meetings! On the first day, their route included Caernarfon Castle, where Prince Charles, twelve years ago, was solemnly given the title Prince of Wales. On the third day of her trip to Wales, Diana received the title of "Freedom of the City of Cardiff". In gratitude for the honor, she made her first public speech, part of which was in the Welsh dialect.
Diana said that she was proud to be the princess of such a wonderful country. Diana later admitted what fear and embarrassment she felt before this visit and her first public appearance, but it was this trip that became Diana’s real triumph and served as a kind of springboard into the future. 
Princess Diana dozed off at an event at the Albert and Victoria Museum in 1981. The next day, her pregnancy was officially announced. 
On July 21, 1982, at half past five in the morning, Prince William of Wales was born at St. Mary's Hospital in Padington. 
Diana and Charles with their son Prince William. The child was baptized on August 4 and given the name Arthur Philip Louis.
In February 1984, Buckingham Palace officially announced that the prince and princess were expecting their second child. The boy, who was born on September 15, 1984, was named Henry Charles Albert David. He will henceforth be known as Prince Harry. 
Understanding the inevitability of intrusive press attention that the young princes would experience in the future, Charles and Diana decided to protect them from this as much as possible. The parents succeeded in this.
When it came to the primary education of her sons, Diana opposed William and Harry being raised in the closed world of the royal house and they began to attend preschool classes and regular school. On vacation, Diana allowed her boys to wear jeans, sweatpants and T-shirts. They ate hamburgers and popcorn, went to the cinema and to the attractions, where the princes stood in a general line among their peers. She later introduced William and Harry to her charity work and often took the children with her when she went to meet hospital patients or the homeless. 
Diana was actively involved in charitable and peacekeeping activities. During her public appearances, Diana, whenever possible, stopped to talk to people and listen to them. She could talk completely freely with representatives of different social strata, parties, and religious movements. With an unerring instinct, she always noticed those who most needed her attention. 
Diana used this gift, as well as her growing importance as a global figure, in her charitable work. It was this aspect of her life that gradually became her true calling. Diana personally participated in the transfer of donations - to the AIDS Foundation, the Royal Mardsen Foundation, the Leprosy Mission, the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, Centropoint, and the English National Ballet. Her latest mission was to rid the world of landmines. Diana traveled to many countries, from Angola to Bosnia, to see firsthand the monstrous consequences of the use of this terrible weapon. 
In the early 90s, a blank wall of misunderstanding grew between the most famous spouses in the world. In 1992, the tension in their relationship reached its climax, Diana began to suffer from depression and bouts of bulimia (painful hunger). Soon, Prime Minister John Major announced the decision of the Prince and Princess of Wales to separate and lead separate lives. There was no talk of divorce at that time, but the following year the first of those sensational interviews that shocked the British took place - then Prince Charles admitted to host Jonathan Dimbleby that he had been unfaithful to Diana.
In December 1995, Diana appeared on the BBC's Panorama, a popular show watched by several million viewers. She said that Camilla Parker-Bowles appeared in the prince’s life even before their marriage, and continued to be “invisibly present” (or even quite visibly!) throughout it. “There were always three of us in that marriage,” Diana said. - It's too much". The marriage of Charles and Diana ended in divorce on August 28, 1996, at the initiative of Queen Elizabeth II.
Despite this, interest in Diana did not decrease at all; on the contrary, the public showed more and more attention to the proud Lady Di. Reporters continued to seek insight into the princess's personal life, especially after her romantic relationship with Dodi Al-Fayed, the forty-one-year-old son of Arab millionaire Mohammed Al-Fayed, the owner of fashionable hotels, became public in the summer of 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. 
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.
On Saturday evening, Diana and Dodi decided to have dinner at the restaurant of the Ritz Hotel, which Dodi owned. 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 paparazzi crowding the front entrance, they left the hotel through the service exit. There they got into a Mercedes S-280, accompanied by bodyguard Trevor-Rees Jones and driver Henri Paul.
Last photo.
The night before the fatal accident, Princess Diana and Dodi al-Fayed were filmed on camera at the Ritz Hotel in Paris on August 31, 1997.
The accident occurred in Paris on August 31, 1997 in a tunnel located near the Pont Alma. The black Mercedes-Benz S280 crashed into a column dividing oncoming lanes, then hit the tunnel wall, flew several meters and stopped. 
The injuries suffered by Princess Diana, Dodi al-Fayed and the bodyguard were fatal. True, Diana managed to be taken alive to the Pite Salpêtrière hospital, but all attempts to save her life were in vain. She was only 36 years old.
While doctors fought for the life of the favorite of millions of Englishmen, criminologists worked to clarify the circumstances of the accident.
The following versions of the reasons for her death gradually emerged:
. the death of the Princess of Wales as a result of a road traffic accident is nothing more than an ordinary car accident, a tragic accident;
Henri Paul, the driver of the Mercedes, is to blame for everything - an examination showed that he was heavily intoxicated while driving;
The car accident was provoked by annoying paparazzi who were literally on the heels of Diana’s car;
The British royal family was involved in the death of the princess, who never forgave Diana for her divorce from Prince Charles;
The car lost control due to a malfunction of the brake system;
. The Mercedes at high speed collided with another car - a white Fiat, after which Diana's driver was unable to control the car;
The English secret services had a hand in the death of the princess, who intended to disrupt the marriage of the mother of the future British king to a Muslim.
Which version is the most plausible and closest to the truth? French experts were supposed to answer this question.
A commission created at the Institute of Criminal Research of the French Gendarmerie worked out all versions of what happened. As a result, several paparazzi were brought to justice. True, no one took it upon themselves to accuse them of provoking the death of Princess Diana. The charges related mainly to violations of journalistic ethics and failure to provide timely assistance to victims. Indeed, photographers first of all sought to capture the dying Diana and only then tried to do anything to save her. The assumption that the Mercedes brake system was faulty was also not confirmed.
Experts, who carefully examined what was left of the car for several months, came to the conclusion that at the time of the disaster the car’s brakes were in working order. The investigation team also refuted claims that a drunk driver was to blame. Of course, Paul Henri's drunken state played a role in what happened. However, not only (and not so much) this led to tragedy. During the investigation, it turned out that before crashing into the 13th column of the tunnel, Diana’s car collided with a white Fiat Uno. According to the testimony of one of the witnesses, the latter was driven by a brown-haired man in his forties, who fled the scene of the crime. After this collision, the Mercedes lost control, and then what happened was what was already described above.
The French police literally shook up all the owners of white Unos, but they never found the car they needed. In 2004, the results of the investigation by the commission of the Institute of Criminal Research of the French Gendarmerie were transferred to “more competent authorities”, which, apparently, were supposed to decide whether enough facts had been collected and research had been conducted to justifiably close the case. At the same time, the search for the mythical “Fiat” continues. French law enforcement agencies are still hoping that the driver of the mysterious car will show up and provide details of the collision that became the prologue to the tragic accident. In the Parisian prefecture they even opened a special entrance for him. But so far no one has responded to the police call.
If the collision of the Mercedes with the Fiat really took place, and the mysterious driver exists, then he is unlikely to voluntarily take full responsibility for what happened, as well as the full brunt of the anger of those who still remember Diana and sincerely mourn her death. her. It is unknown when the investigation into the circumstances of the death of the “People’s Princess” will be completed. But whenever this happens, in England, and in many other countries, the life and death of Lady Di will be discussed for a long time. Moreover, regardless of what the final conclusion of the mentioned “competent authorities” will be.
Probability of murder
The father of Diana's lover, billionaire Mohammed al-Fayed, is sure that the British intelligence services were involved in the death of Diana and his son. It was he who insisted on a state investigation into the car accident, which lasted from 2002 to 2008. According to al-Fayed Sr., the driver Henri Paul was sober during the fatal trip. “There are recordings from video cameras of the Ritz Hotel, where Henri Paul’s gait is normal,” he says, “although, in theory, he should have just been crawling. Doctors found a wild amount of an antidepressant in his body. Most likely, this man was poisoned. In addition "In addition, I have documents that he worked for the British intelligence services. Later they found his secret bank accounts, to which 200 thousand dollars were transferred. The origin of this money is unclear."
And Mohammed, contrary to official reports about the results of the study, claims that Diana died while pregnant:
“At first the authorities refused to do the test, and when they did it under pressure, many years passed. During this time, traces can simply be lost. But on the eve of the tragedy, Dodi and Diana visited the villa in Paris that I bought for them. They chose a room there for their child, overlooking the garden.”
Paul Burrell, Diana's former butler, also agrees with the version of a conspiracy against Diana and Dodi with the participation of the intelligence services and the royal court. He has a letter from Lady Di in which she wrote 10 months before her death: “My life is in danger. The ex-husband plans to organize an accident. My car's brakes will fail and there will be a car accident."
“Her death was brilliantly orchestrated,” says Burrell, “in trademark English style. Our intelligence always “removed” people not with the help of poison or a sniper, but in such a way that it looked like an accident.”
A similar opinion is shared by intelligence officers themselves, for example, the notorious former officer of the British counterintelligence service MI6, Richard Tomlison. He was arrested twice for disclosing state secrets in his books about British intelligence, left Britain and now lives in France. Tomlison openly stated that Diana was killed by MI6 agents in a “mirror” “accidental car accident” plan that was prepared for Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic 15 years ago.
The only survivor of the car accident in Paris is Dodie and Diana's bodyguard Trevor Rhys-Jones. He, unlike the driver and passengers, survived because he was wearing a seat belt. The crushed bones in his body are held together with 150 titanium plates, and he has undergone ten surgeries.
Here is his opinion about the situation before the disaster:
“Henri Paul was not drunk that evening. He did not smell of alcohol, he communicated and walked normally. I didn't drink anything at the table. I don’t know where alcohol ended up in his blood after his death. Unfortunately, I cannot explain why I was buckled up in the car, but Diana and Dodi were not. I am brain damaged and suffer from partial memory loss. My memories end at the moment when we left the Ritz Hotel.”
Parting
Her ex-husband, Prince Charles, flew to Paris to pick up Princess Diana's body. Butler Paul Burrell brought clothes and asked that the rosary given to her by Mother Teresa be placed in the princess's hands.
In London, the oak coffin containing the princess's body stood in the Royal Chapel of St. James's Palace for four nights. People from all over the world gathered at the walls of the palace. They lit candles and laid flowers. 
The farewell ceremony for Princess Diana took place at Westminster Abbey. 
Princess Diana was buried on September 6 at the Spencer family estate of Althorp in Northamptonshire, on a secluded island in the middle of a lake.
Diana was one of the most popular women of her time in the world. In Great Britain, she has always been considered the most popular member of the royal family; she was called the “Queen of Hearts” or the “Queen of Hearts.”
High, high in the heavens, the stars sing her name: “Diana.” 
