Diana, Princess of Wales, nee Lady Diana Francis Spencer was born July 1, 1961 in Sandringham, Norfolk.

She was born into the famous, well-born family of Johnny Spencer and Frances Ruth Burke Roche. The family of Diana was very glorious on both sides. Father Viscount Althorpe, a branch of the same Spencer-Churchill family as the Duke of Marlborough, and Winston Churchill. Her paternal ancestors were carriers of royal blood through the illegitimate sons of King Charles II and illegitimate daughter his brother and successor, King James II. Earls Spencers have long lived in the very center of London, in Spencer House. "In this ancient and well-born blood, pride and honor, mercy and dignity, a sense of duty and the need to follow one's own path were happily combined. Always and everywhere. To have a small heart and the spirit of the king in the chest, intertwining in it firmly, inextricably: femininity and lion's courage, wisdom and composure ... "- this is how the biographer wrote about them.

But despite all the innate nobility of the viscount and viscountess of Althorp, their marriage cracked, and they failed to save the family - even the birth of the desired heir to the earl title, Diana's younger brother, Charles Spencer, did not save the situation. By the time Charles was five years old (Diana was then six years old), their mother could no longer live with her father, and the Spencers underwent a shameful and rare “procedure” for those times - they divorced. The mother moved to London, she began a stormy romance with the American businessman Peter Shand-Kid, who left his family and three children for her sake. In 1969 they got married.


1963 Two-year-old Diana rests 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 home education. Her teacher was the governess Gertrude Allen, who taught Diana's mother. Lady Diana, already an adult, bitterly recalled that her mother did not really care about the custody of her babies. The princess said: “My parents were busy settling scores. I often saw my mother crying, and my father did not even try to explain anything to us. We didn't dare ask questions. Nannies replaced one another. Everything seemed so shaky…”

Later, relatives will say that parting with her mother was a huge stress for Diana. But the little girl withstood this situation with truly royal calm and unchildish stamina, moreover, it was she who most of all helped her younger brother recover from this blow.

1967 Diana plays with her younger brother Charles outside their house.


Viscount Spencer did his best to mitigate the consequences of the loss and by all possible ways entertained depressed, bewildered, shocked children: arranged children's parties and balls, invited dance and singing teachers, personally chose the best nannies and servants. But this still did not completely save the kids from mental trauma.

1970 Little sportswoman on holiday in Itchenor, West Sussex.


1970 Diana with her sisters, father and brother.


After the parents divorce, the children stay with their father. Soon a stepmother appeared in the house, who disliked children. Diana began to study worse at school and eventually did not finish it. The only thing she loved was dancing. Diana's education continued at Sealfield, at a private school near King's Line, then at preparatory school Riddlesworth Hall. At the age of twelve, she was admitted to a privileged school for girls at West Hill, in Sevenoaks, Kent.


"Lady Diana" (a courtesy title for daughters of high peers) she became 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 Nottrogtonshire.

After graduating from youth school in West Heth, Diana lived in Switzerland. Her father sent her to learn to drive household, cooking, sewing, as well as French and other skills of a well-bred girl. Dee, apparently, did not like the process of learning very much, she was languishing from boredom, besides, she did not like French and wanted to become independent as soon 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 to hunt. At that time, impeccably educated, intelligent Charles seemed to the girl just "very funny."

Since Diana strove for independence, Charles Spencer Sr. gave her such an opportunity. When she came of age, her father gave the future princess an apartment in London. Diana did not show aristocratic stiffness and willingly and confidently began her independent, adult life. She worked as a kindergarten teacher and took care of 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 courted older sister Diana, Sarah Spencer. Diana simply idolized Lady Sarah Spencer - charming, witty, proud, though a little harsh in manners and behavior. Therefore, she was glad to see how the relations of the eldest of the Spurser sisters with such an enviable groom were developing. Charles at that time was passionate about his studies, closed, a bit cold, but his high status aroused an exaggerated interest in girls. Among the contenders for the heart of the prince was even the granddaughter of the legendary Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Lady Charlotte. And yet, he clearly singled out the Spencer house for himself.

Cheerful Diana, who knew why the future king of Great Britain was coming to their house, smiled happily at the guest and muttered something embarrassedly in French - she really loved her sister and wished her happiness. Showering Sarah with signs of 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. At the Earl Spencer's estate, she was to spend the weekend with her family and Prince Charles. Athletic, graceful, Diana carried herself like an Amazon on a horse, and during the fox hunt, despite her simple dress and modest demeanor, she was irresistible.

It was then that the Prince of Wales first realized that Diana was an incredibly "charming, lively and witty girl who is interesting." Sarah Spencer later said that she played "the role of Cupid" at this meeting. For the first time, Charles had a long conversation with Dee and could not help but admit that she was simply lovely. However, at that moment it 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, the best adviser and confidant, had died. As Diana later recalled, “I saw the prince sitting alone in a haystack, thoughtful; turned off the path, sat down beside him and simply said that she had seen him in 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! In the evening of the same day, Charles frankly and publicly showered Lady Diana Francis with signs of attention befitting the chosen one of the prince. Sarah Spencer was completely forgotten.

At the time of the "acquisition" by Charles of Diana, the prince was 33 years old. He was the most enviable suitor in Great Britain and was considered an incredible womanizer, 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 an 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 broke their heads a lot over how to "slip" a better candidate to their son. But then Diana appeared, and in general, saved the situation. They say that Prince Philip himself proposed to Charles to marry Diana. She was well-born, young, healthy, beautiful and well-bred. What else is needed for a good royal marriage?

In the autumn of 1980, there was a rumor about her affair with the Prince of Wales for the first time. It all started when a reporter specializing in covering the private life of the royal family filmed Prince Charles walking along the shallows of the River Dee in Balmoral in the company of a young shy girl. The attention of the world press instantly turned to this unknown person, whom everyone will soon begin to call nothing more than "timid Dee." Diana suddenly felt that she was immersed in a certain new life who had previously been completely unfamiliar to her. From now on, as soon as she left the apartment, numerous cameras began to click around. And even the little red car was always followed by the paparazzi wherever she went.


Prince Charles formally proposed to Lady Diana on February 6, 1981, after returning from a three-month naval voyage on the Invincible, which he was supposed to oversee as the future king. The couple met for a romantic candlelight dinner at Buckingham Palace. After dinner, Charles finally asked the girl the most important question, and Diana gave him the most important answer.

Future princess under an umbrella, 1981.

Soon all the rumors and speculation were put to rest. 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 be held at St. Paul's Cathedral. The whole of Britain was excited by the news: it lifted the spirit of the nation during a rather grim economic downturn. Apparently, the time for the wedding was chosen very opportunely.

Romantic moments from the life of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.



Meanwhile, preparations for the "wedding of the century" were in full swing throughout the UK.
To sew a romantic Victorian wedding dress, chastely closed, with many frills and frills, was Diana's idea. 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 went to the altar of St. Paul to become one of the members of the British royal family. Seven hundred and fifty million viewers around the world did not tear themselves away from the TV screens, where one of the most beautiful women Europe with one of the richest suitors in Europe. As the Archbishop of Canterbury put it in his speech, “In such magical moments, 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 bring each other an oath of allegiance. Moreover, Diana, who was barely 20, with an unshakable hand, 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 filled in plastic from a luxurious bouquet of the bride was prepared.

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 itinerary included Caernarfon Castle, where Prince Charles, twelve years earlier, had been solemnly conferred the title of Prince of Wales. On the third day of her trip to Wales, Diana received the title "Freedom of the City of Cardiff". In gratitude for the honor done to her, she uttered her first public speech, part of which was in the Welsh dialect.

Diana said she was proud to be the princess of such a wonderful country. Diana later admitted what fear and embarrassment she experienced before this visit and her first public speaking, but it was this trip that became a real triumph for Diana and served as a kind of springboard to 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 Paddington.

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. In the future, he will be known as Prince Harry.


Realizing the inevitability of the press attention that the young princes will experience in the future, Charles and Diana decided to protect them from this as much as possible. In this, the parents succeeded.

When it came to primary education sons, Diana opposed the fact that William and Harry were brought up in the closed world of the royal house and they began to attend preschool classes and a regular school. On vacation, Diana allowed her boys to wear jeans, sweatpants and T-shirts. They ate hamburgers and popcorn, went to the movies and rides, where the princes stood in a general line among their peers. She later introduced William and Harry to her charity work, and when she went to see hospital patients or the homeless, she often took her children with her.



Diana was actively involved in charitable and peacemaking activities. During her public appearances, Diana, whenever possible, stopped to talk to people and listen to them. She was completely free to talk with representatives of different social strata, parties, religious movements. With an unerring instinct, she always noticed exactly those who most needed her attention.


Diana used this gift, and her growing importance as a world figure, in her charitable activities. It was this aspect of her life that gradually became her true calling. Diana personally participated in the transfer of donations - to the AIDS Relief Fund, to the Royal Mardsen Foundation, to the leprosy mission, to the children's hospital "Great Ormond Street Hospital", "Centropoint", to the English National Ballet. Her latest mission was to work to rid the world of anti-personnel mines. Diana traveled to many countries, from Angola to Bosnia, to see firsthand the horrendous consequences of the use of this terrible weapon.


In the early 1990s, between the most famous spouses a blank wall of misunderstanding has grown in the world. In 1992, the tension in their relationship reached a 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 a separate life. There was no talk of divorce then, but in next year the first of those sensational interviews that shocked the British took place - then Prince Charles admitted to the host Jonathan Dimbleby that he was unfaithful to Diana.

In December 1995, Diana appeared on the BBC's Panorama, a popular show that was watched by several million viewers. She talked about the fact that Camilla Parker-Bowles appeared in the life of the prince even before their marriage, and continued to be “invisibly present” (or even quite visible!) 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 were still eager to get into the princess's private life, especially after her romantic relationship with Dodi Al-Fayed, the forty-one-year-old son of Arab millionaire Mohammed Al-Fayed, owner of fashionable hotels, became public in the summer of 1997. In July, they spent 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 Mediterranean cruise aboard the luxury yacht Jonical.

By the end of August, the Jonical approached Portofino in Italy, and then sailed for Sardinia. August 30, Saturday, the couple went to Paris. The next day, Diana was to fly to London to meet her sons on the last day of their summer vacation.

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 it 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 were going to go to Dodi's apartment on the Champs Elysees. Wanting to avoid the paparazzi crowding the front door, they left the hotel through a service exit. There they boarded a Mercedes S-280, accompanied by bodyguard Trevor-Reese 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 Alma bridge. A black Mercedes-Benz S280 crashed into a convoy separating oncoming traffic lanes, then hit the tunnel wall, flew several meters and stopped.




The injuries sustained by Princess Diana, Dodi al-Fayed and a bodyguard were fatal. True, they managed to take Diana alive to the Pite Salpêtrière hospital, but all attempts to save her life were in vain. She was only 36 years old.
While the doctors were fighting for the life of the favorite of millions of Englishmen, forensics were working 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 in a 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 - the examination showed that he was in a state of extreme intoxication while driving;

The car accident was provoked by annoying paparazzi, who literally followed 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;

. "Mercedes" at high speed collided with another car - a white "Fiat", after which Diana's driver could not manage to control;

British 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 with a Muslim.

Which version is the most plausible and close to the truth? The answer to this question should have been given by French experts.

The commission, created at the Institute of Criminal Studies of the French Gendarmerie, worked out all the versions of what happened. As a result, several paparazzi were brought to justice. True, no one took the liberty of accusing them of provoking the death of Princess Diana. The accusations related mainly to violations of journalistic ethics and failure to provide timely assistance to the victims. Indeed, photographers first of all sought to capture the dying Diana and only then tried to do something to save her. The assumption about the malfunction of the brake system of the Mercedes was not confirmed either.

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 condition. The investigation team also denied allegations that a drunk driver was at fault. Of course, the drunken state of Paul Henri played a role in what happened. However, not only (and not so much) it led to the 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 already described above.

The French police literally shook up all the owners of the white "Uno", but they did not find the right car. In 2004, the results of the investigation of the Commission of the Institute of Criminal Studies of the French Gendarmerie were transferred to the "more competent authorities", which, apparently, should have decided whether enough facts had been collected and research had been conducted to close this case with good reason. However, the search for the mythical "fiat" continues. Law enforcement agencies in France are still hoping that the driver of the mysterious car will still show up and report the details of the collision, which became the prologue to the tragic disaster. In the Parisian prefecture, a special entrance was even opened for him. But so far no one has responded to the call of the police.

If the collision of the Mercedes with the Fiat really took place, and the mysterious driver exists, then it is unlikely that he will voluntarily take full responsibility for what happened, as well as the full weight of the anger of those who still remember Diana and sincerely mourn for her. It is not known when the investigation into the circumstances of the death of the "People's Princess" will be brought to an end. But whenever this happens, in England, and in many other countries, the life and death of Lady Dee will be discussed for a long time. Moreover, regardless of what the final conclusion of the mentioned “competent authorities” will be.

Probability of killing
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 of the car accident, which lasted from 2002 to 2008. According to al-Fayed Sr., the driver, Henri Paul, was sober during the fateful trip. “There is video footage from the Ritz Hotel where Henri Paul walks normally,” he says, “although, in theory, he should have just crawled. Doctors found a wild amount of antidepressant in his system. Most likely, this man was poisoned. Except "Moreover, 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 on 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 after all, on the eve of the tragedy, Dodi and Diana visited a villa in Paris that I bought for them. They chose a room for their child there, 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 special services and the royal court. He has a letter to Lady Dee in which she wrote 10 months before her death: “My life is in danger. The ex-husband plans to stage an accident. The brakes will fail in my car, there will be a car accident.

"Her death was brilliantly orchestrated," Burrell says. English style. Our intelligence has always “removed” people not with the help of poison or a sniper, but in such a way that it looks like an accident.”

A similar opinion is shared by the secret services themselves, for example, the infamous former officer of the British counterintelligence service MI6 Richard Tomlinson. He was arrested twice for revealing state secrets in his books on British intelligence, left Britain and now lives in France. Tomlinson openly stated that Diana was killed by MI6 agents under a "mirror" plan of a "random car accident" that was being prepared 15 years ago for Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic.

The only survivor of a car crash in Paris is Dodi and Diana's bodyguard Trevor Rhys-Jones. He, unlike the driver and passengers, survived because he was wearing a seat belt. The shattered 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 the alcohol came from in his blood after his death. Unfortunately, I cannot explain why I was wearing seat belts in the car, but Diana and Dodi were not. My brain is damaged, I suffer from partial memory loss. My memories end when we left the Ritz Hotel”…

Parting
Her body flew to Paris for the body of Princess Diana ex-husband Prince Charles. Butler Paul Burrell brought clothes and asked that the rosary, given to her by Mother Teresa, be placed in the hands of the princess.
In London, an oak coffin with the body of a princess 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 with Princess Diana was held 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 the UK, she has always been considered the most popular member of the royal family, she was called the "Queen of Hearts" or "Queen of Hearts".
High, high, in heaven, the stars sing her name: "Diana."




Autograph: Monogram : Awards:

Diana, Princess of Wales(English) Diana, Princess of Wales), born Diana Frances Spencer(English) Diana France Spencer; July 1, Sandringham, Norfolk - August 31, Paris) - from 1981 to 1996, the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne. Widely known as princess Diana , lady diana or lady di. According to a poll conducted in 2002 by the BBC broadcaster, Diana took 3rd place in the list of the 100 Greatest Britons in history.

Biography

Diana spent her childhood in Sandringham, where she received her primary home education. Her teacher was the governess Gertrude Allen, who taught Diana's mother. She continued her education at Sealfield, at a private school near King's Line, then at Riddlesworth Hall Preparatory School.

When Diana was 8 years old, her parents divorced. She stayed with her father, along with her sisters and brother. The divorce had a strong influence on the girl, and soon a stepmother appeared in the house, who disliked children.

In 1975, after her grandfather's death, Diana's father became the 8th Earl Spencer and she received the courtesy title of "lady", reserved for daughters of high peers. During this period, the family moves to the ancient ancestral castle of Althorp House in Northamptonshire.

At the age of 12, the future princess was admitted to a privileged girls' school at West Hill, in Sevenoaks, Kent. Here she turned out to be a bad student and could not finish it. At the same time, her musical abilities were not in doubt. The girl was also fascinated by dancing. In 1977 a short time attended school in the Swiss city of Rougemont. Once in Switzerland, Diana soon began to feel homesick and returned to England ahead of schedule.

In the winter of 1977, before leaving for training, she first met her future husband, Prince Charles, when he came to Althorp to hunt.

In 1978 she moved to London, where she initially stayed in her mother's apartment (who then spent most of her time in Scotland). As a gift for her 18th birthday, she received her own apartment worth 100,000 pounds in Earl's Court, where she lived with three friends. During this period, Diana, who previously adored children, began working as an assistant teacher at Young England Nursery School in Pimiliko.

Family life

Shortly before her death, in June 1997, Diana began dating film producer Dodi al-Fayed, the son of the Egyptian billionaire Mohamed al-Fayed, but apart from the press, none of her friends confirmed this fact, and this is also denied in the book of Lady Diana's butler - Paul Barrela, who was a close friend of the princess.

public role

Diana was actively involved in charitable and peacekeeping activities (in particular, she was an activist in the fight against AIDS and the movement to stop the production of anti-personnel mines).

She was one of the most popular women in the world of her time. In the UK, she has always been considered the most popular member of the royal family, she was called the "queen of hearts" or " queen of hearts"(Eng. Queen of Hearts).

Visit to Moscow

Doom

On August 31, 1997, Diana died in a car accident in Paris, along with Dodi al-Fayed and driver Henri Paul. Al-Fayed and Paul died instantly, Diana, taken from the scene (in the tunnel in front of the Alma bridge on the Seine embankment) to the Salpêtrière hospital, died two hours later.

The cause of the accident is not entirely clear, there are a number of versions (the driver was drunk, the need to escape at speed from paparazzi harassment, as well as various conspiracy theories). The only surviving passenger of the car "Mercedes S280" with the number "688 LTV 75", bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones (English)Russian, who was seriously injured (his face had to be restored by surgeons), does not remember the events.

Celebrity ratings

In 1998, Diana was named one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century by Time magazine.

In 2002, Diana was ranked third on the Great Britons list, ahead of the Queen and other British monarchs, in a BBC poll.

In literature

Many books have been written about Diana in various languages. Almost all of her friends and close collaborators spoke with reminiscences; there are several documentaries and even feature films. There are both fanatical fans of the memory of the princess, insisting even on her holiness, and criticism of her personality and the pop cult that has arisen around her.

In music

In 2007, 10 years after her death, on the day when Princess Diana would have turned 46 years old, a commemorative concert called “Concert for Diana” was held, the founders were Princes Harry and William, world music and film stars performed at the concert. The concert took place at the famous Wembley Stadium in London, opened by Diana's favorite band, Duran Duran.

In 2012, American singer Lady Gaga performed a song dedicated to Princess Diana during one of her shows on The Born This Way Ball world tour. The song is called "Princess Die"

In cinema

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Diana's death, the film "Princess Diana. Last Day in Paris, which describes the last hours of Lady Diana's life.

In 2006, the biopic The Queen was filmed, which describes the life of the British royal family immediately after the death of Princess Diana.

In philately

In honor of Princess Diana, postage stamps were issued in Albania, Armenia, North Korea, Pitcairn, Tuvalu.

Write a review on the article "Diana, Princess of Wales"

Literature

  • Yauza-Press. Princess Diana. Life, told by herself. (A woman of the era. A unique autobiography) 2014- ISBN 978-5-9955-0550-1
  • D. L. Medvedev. Diana: A lonely princess. - M .: RIPOL classic, 2010. - ISBN 978-5-386-02465-9.
  • N. Ya. Nadezhdin. Princess Diana: "The Tale of Cinderella": Biographical Stories. - M.: Major, Osipenko, 2011. - 192 p. - ISBN 978-5-98551-199-4.

Notes

  1. After her divorce in 1996, Diana ceased to be Her Royal Highness and Princess of Wales, but, as is customary among divorced peerage wives, her personal name was supplemented by a reference to the lost title of Princess of Wales.
  2. Officially, she never had such a title, since only members of the royal house by birth have the title of "prince / princess + name" with rare exceptions.
  4. (July 15, 1981). Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  5. Newspaper "Izvestia", May 13
  6. , March 12, 1994
  7. Article on the site celtica.ru
  8. (Russian). dni.ru (16:42 / 12/14/2006). Retrieved October 4, 2009. .
  9. Faulkner, Larissa J.. Iowa Journal of Cultural Studies.
  10. . Am Ia Annoying.com.
  11. . wayback machine.
  12. (Russian). onuz.net. Retrieved October 4, 2009. .
  13. Alexandra Zakharova.(Russian). Russian newspaper. rg.ru (December 2, 2013). Retrieved 26 January 2014.

Links

An excerpt characterizing Diana, Princess of Wales

If the goal of the European wars of the beginning of this century was the greatness of Russia, then this goal could be achieved without all the previous wars and without invasion. If the goal is the greatness of France, then this goal could be achieved without a revolution, and without an empire. If the goal is to spread ideas, then printing would do it much better than soldiers. If the goal is the progress of civilization, then it is quite easy to assume that, in addition to the destruction of people and their wealth, there are other more expedient ways for the spread of civilization.
Why did it happen this way and not otherwise?
Because that's how it happened. “Chance made the situation; genius took advantage of it,” says history.
But what is a case? What is a genius?
The words chance and genius do not designate anything really existing and therefore cannot be defined. These words only denote a certain degree of understanding of phenomena. I don't know why such a phenomenon occurs; I think I can't know; therefore I do not want to know and I say: chance. I see a force producing an action disproportionate to universal human properties; I don’t understand why this is happening, and I say: genius.
For a herd of rams, that ram, which every evening is driven off by a shepherd into a special stall to feed and becomes twice as thick as the others, must seem like a genius. And the fact that every evening this very ram ends up not in a common sheepfold, but in a special stall for oats, and that this very same ram, drenched in fat, is killed for meat, must seem like an amazing combination of genius with a whole series of extraordinary accidents. .
But sheep need only stop thinking that everything that is done to them is only to achieve their sheep goals; it is worth admitting that the events happening to them may have goals that are incomprehensible to them - and they will immediately see unity, consistency in what happens to the fattened ram. If they do not know for what purpose he was fattening, then at least they will know that everything that happened to the ram did not happen by accident, and they will no longer need the concept of either chance or genius.
Only by renouncing the knowledge of a close, understandable goal and recognizing that the ultimate goal is inaccessible to us, we will see consistency and expediency in the life of historical figures; we will discover the reason for the action that they produce, disproportionate to universal human properties, and we will not need the words chance and genius.
One has only to admit that the purpose of the unrest of the European peoples is unknown to us, and only the facts are known, consisting in murders, first in France, then in Italy, in Africa, in Prussia, in Austria, in Spain, in Russia, and that movements from the west to east and from east to west constitute the essence and purpose of these events, and not only will we not need to see the exclusivity and genius in the characters of Napoleon and Alexander, but it will be impossible to imagine these faces otherwise than as the same people as everyone else; and not only will it not be necessary to explain by chance those small events that made these people what they were, but it will be clear that all these small events were necessary.
Having renounced the knowledge of the ultimate goal, we will clearly understand that just as it is impossible to invent for any plant other colors and seeds more appropriate to it than those that it produces, in the same way it is impossible to invent two other people, with everything their past, which would correspond to such an extent, to such smallest details, to the appointment that they were supposed to fulfill.

The basic, essential meaning of the European events at the beginning of this century is the militant movement of the masses of the European peoples from west to east and then from east to west. The first instigator of this movement was the movement from west to east. In order for the peoples of the West to be able to make that militant movement to Moscow, which they did, it was necessary: ​​1) that they should be formed into a militant group of such a size that would be able to endure a clash with the militant group of the East; 2) that they renounce all established traditions and habits, and 3) that, in making their militant movement, they should have at their head a man who, both for himself and for them, could justify the deceptions, robberies and murders that accompanied this movement.
And starting from french revolution the old, insufficiently large group is destroyed; old habits and traditions are destroyed; step by step, a group of new dimensions, new habits and traditions are worked out, and that person is being prepared who must stand at the head of the future movement and bear all the responsibility of those who have to be accomplished.
A man without convictions, without habits, without traditions, without a name, not even a Frenchman, by the most strange accidents, it seems, moves between all the parties that excite France and, without sticking to any of them, is brought to a conspicuous place.
The ignorance of his comrades, the weakness and insignificance of opponents, the sincerity of lies and the brilliant and self-confident narrow-mindedness of this man put him at the head of the army. The brilliant composition of the soldiers of the Italian army, the unwillingness to fight opponents, childish audacity and self-confidence gain him military glory. An innumerable number of so-called accidents accompanies him everywhere. The disfavor into which he falls with the rulers of France serves him well. His attempts to change the path destined for him fail: he is not accepted for service in Russia, and his assignment to Turkey fails. During the wars in Italy, he is several times on the verge of death and each time he is saved in an unexpected way. Russian troops, the very ones that can destroy his glory, for various diplomatic reasons, do not enter Europe as long as he is there.
On his return from Italy, he finds the government in Paris in the process of decay, in which people who fall into this government are inevitably erased and destroyed. And by itself for him is a way out of this precarious position, consisting in a senseless, causeless expedition to Africa. Again, the same so-called accidents accompany him. Impregnable Malta surrenders without a shot being fired; the most careless orders are crowned with success. The enemy fleet, which will not let a single boat through after, lets the whole army through. In Africa, a whole series of atrocities is committed against almost unarmed inhabitants. And the people who commit these atrocities, and especially their leader, assure themselves that this is wonderful, that this is glory, that this is similar to Caesar and Alexander the Great, and that this is good.
That ideal of glory and greatness, which consists in not only considering nothing bad for oneself, but taking pride in every one of one's crimes, attributing to it an incomprehensible supernatural significance - this ideal, which should guide this person and people associated with him, is being developed in the open space in Africa. Everything he does, he succeeds. The plague doesn't get to him. The cruelty of killing prisoners is not blamed on him. His childishly careless, causeless and ignoble departure from Africa, from comrades in trouble, is credited to him, and again the enemy fleet misses him twice. While he, already completely intoxicated by the happy crimes he had committed, and ready for his role, came to Paris without any purpose, that decay of the republican government, which could have ruined him a year ago, now reached an extreme degree, and the presence of his fresh from the parties of man, now only can exalt him.
He has no plan; he is afraid of everything; but the parties seize upon him and demand his participation.
He alone, with his ideal of glory and greatness worked out in Italy and Egypt, with his madness of self-adoration, with his audacity of crimes, with his sincerity of lies, he alone can justify what has to be done.
He is needed for the place that awaits him, and therefore, almost independently of his will and despite his indecision, in spite of the lack of a plan, in spite of all the mistakes that he makes, he is drawn into a conspiracy aimed at seizing power, and the conspiracy is crowned with success. .
He is pushed into the meeting of the rulers. Frightened, he wants to run, believing himself dead; pretends to faint; says meaningless things that should have ruined him. But the rulers of France, formerly sharp-witted and proud, now, feeling that their role has been played, are even more embarrassed than he is, they do not say the words that they should have spoken in order to retain power and destroy him.
Accident, millions of accidents give him power, and all people, as if by agreement, contribute to the establishment of this power. Accidents make the characters of the then rulers of France subordinate to him; accidents make the character of Paul I, recognizing his authority; chance makes a conspiracy against him, not only not harming him, but asserting his power. Chance sends Enghiensky into his hands and inadvertently forces him to kill, thus, stronger than all other means, convincing the crowd that he has the right, since he has the power. What happens by chance is that he exerts all his strength on an expedition to England, which, obviously, would destroy him, and never fulfills this intention, but inadvertently attacks Mack with the Austrians, who surrender without a fight. Chance and genius give him victory at Austerlitz, and by chance all people, not only the French, but all of Europe, with the exception of England, which will not take part in the events that are about to take place, all people, despite the former horror and disgust for his crimes, now they recognize him for his power, the name that he gave himself, and his ideal of greatness and glory, which seems to everyone to be something beautiful and reasonable.
As if trying on and preparing for the upcoming movement, the forces of the west several times in 1805, 6, 7, 9 years tend to the east, growing stronger and stronger. In 1811, the group of people that had taken shape in France merges into one huge group with the middle peoples. Along with an increasing group of people, the power of justification of the person at the head of the movement further develops. In the ten-year preparatory period of time preceding the great movement, this man comes into contact with all the crowned heads of Europe. The unmasked rulers of the world cannot oppose any reasonable ideal to the Napoleonic ideal of glory and greatness, which has no meaning. One before the other, they strive to show him their insignificance. The King of Prussia sends his wife to seek favors from the great man; the emperor of Austria considers it a mercy that this man receives the daughter of the Caesars in his bed; The pope, guardian of the holy things of the nations, serves with his religion to exalt the great man. Not so much Napoleon himself prepares himself for the performance of his role, but everything around him prepares him to take on all the responsibility of what is being done and has to be done. There is no deed, no crime or petty deceit that he would commit and which would not immediately be reflected in the mouths of those around him in the form of a great deed. The best holiday that the Germans can come up with for him is the celebration of Jena and Auerstät. Not only is he great, but his ancestors are great, his brothers, his stepsons, sons-in-law. Everything is done in order to deprive him of the last power of reason and prepare him for his terrible role. And when he is ready, the forces are ready.
The invasion is heading east, reaching its final goal - Moscow. The capital is taken; the Russian army is more destroyed than the enemy troops were ever destroyed in previous wars from Austerlitz to Wagram. But suddenly, instead of those accidents and genius that have so consistently led him until now by an uninterrupted series of successes to the intended goal, there is an innumerable number of reverse accidents, from a cold in Borodino to frost and a spark that ignited Moscow; and instead of genius there are stupidity and meanness, which have no examples.
The invasion is running, coming back, running again, and all accidents are now constantly not for, but against it.
A countermovement from east to west takes place, with a remarkable resemblance to the previous movement from west to east. The same attempts to move from east to west in 1805-1807-1809 precede the great movement; the same clutch and a group of huge sizes; the same pestering of the middle peoples to the movement; the same hesitation in the middle of the journey and the same speed as it approaches the goal.
Paris - the ultimate goal achieved. The Napoleonic government and troops are destroyed. Napoleon himself no longer makes sense; all his actions are obviously pathetic and vile; but again an inexplicable accident happens: the allies hate Napoleon, in whom they see the cause of their disasters; deprived of strength and power, convicted of villainy and deceit, he should have appeared to them the way he seemed to them ten years ago and a year after, a robber outside the law. But by some strange chance, no one sees it. His role is not over yet. A man who ten years ago and a year after was considered an outlaw robber is sent on a two-day journey from France to an island given to him for possession with guards and millions who pay him for something.

The movement of nations is beginning to take its course. The waves of great movement have receded, and circles form on the calm sea, along which diplomats rush about, imagining that it is they who produce a lull in the movement.
But the calm sea suddenly rises. It seems to diplomats that they, their disagreements, are the cause of this new onslaught of forces; they expect war between their sovereigns; their position seems insurmountable. But the wave they feel rising is not coming from where they are waiting for it. The same wave rises, from the same starting point of movement - Paris. The last splash of movement from the west is being made; a splash that should solve the seemingly insoluble diplomatic difficulties and put an end to the militant movement of this period.
The man who devastated France, alone, without a conspiracy, without soldiers, comes to France. Every watchman can take it; but, by a strange chance, not only does no one take it, but everyone greets with delight that person who was cursed a day ago and will be cursed in a month.
This person is also needed to justify the last cumulative action.
The action has been completed. The last part has been played. The actor is ordered to undress and wash off the antimony and rouge: he will no longer be needed.
And several years pass in that this man, alone on his island, plays a miserable comedy in front of himself, petty intrigues and lies, justifying his deeds, when this justification is no longer needed, and shows the whole world what it was what people took for strength when an invisible hand led them.
The steward, having finished the drama and undressed the actor, showed him to us.
“Look what you believed! Here he is! Do you see now that it was not he but I who moved you?
But, blinded by the force of the movement, people did not understand this for a long time.
Still greater consistency and necessity is the life of Alexander I, the person who stood at the head of the countermovement from east to west.
What is needed for that person who, overshadowing others, would be at the head of this movement from east to west?

Frances Ruth, was also not easy. Diana's grandmother, Lady Fermoy, was a lady-in-waiting to the Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. In addition to Diana, the family had three more children. All four Spencer children received great attention, they grew up surrounded by numerous governesses, servants and tutors.

When the future princess was only eight years old, her parents divorced. The divorce process was very complicated and lengthy, as a result, all four children stayed with their father. Mother moved to London, where she quickly found a man and got married. The divorce had a strong effect on Diana, besides, the father brought into the house a woman who became the stepmother to the children, and with all the "quirks" that are described in fairy tales. The stepmother hated Spencer's children, annoyed them in every possible way and wanted to get rid of them by sending them to a boarding school.

She was homeschooled for a long time, Gertrude Allen, the former governess of Diana's mother, helped her to gnaw the granite of sciences. At the age of 12, Dee was admitted to a privileged girls' school at West Hill, in Sevenoaks, Kent. Here, the future princess showed all her wayward character, often skipped classes, was rude to teachers and studied poorly. As a result, the girl was expelled. At the same time, Diana's musical abilities were revealed, and she was also fascinated by dancing.

In 1977, Dee went to school in Switzerland, but unable to bear the separation from her home and loved ones, the girl quickly returned to her native England. In the same year, an acquaintance took place in Althorp, but the young people did not pay any attention to each other.

In 1978, she nevertheless graduated, moved to London, where she first stayed in her mother's apartment. On her 18th birthday, the girl was presented with her own apartment in the Earls Court area, where she lived with three friends. At the same time, Diana got a job as an assistant in Kindergarten"Young England" in Pimlico.

In 1980, the future. At that time, the heir to the throne was 32 years old and his parents were very worried about the fate of their son, who did not want to settle down. In addition, Queen Elizabeth was especially worried about Charles' relationship with a married lady, whose marriage was considered impossible at that time. Diana, distinguished by modesty, decency and noble origin, liked her, she approved her candidacy and literally forced her son to take the poor girl as his wife.

At first, Charles invited Diana to the royal yacht, then to Balmoral Castle to meet royal family. The marriage proposal itself followed on February 6, 1981 at Windsor Castle. The wedding of Prince Spencer has become the most expensive ceremony in British history. The celebration took place on July 29, 1981 at St. Paul's Cathedral in London, after which the newlyweds went on a Mediterranean cruise.

But happiness did not last long ... Charles did not love his wife, while he tried with all his might to save the marriage, but in vain. The only outlet for the princess was her beloved sons - in the private wing of St. Mary's Hospital in the London district of Paddington and Harry, who was born on September 15, 1984 in the same hospital. Diana spent more time with her sons than a princess should. She refused nannies and governesses, took care of their own upbringing, chose schools and clothes for them, planned their excursions, and took them to school herself, as far as her busy schedule allowed.

End of 1980. Life has become a real nightmare. Charles did not hide his, ignored his wife's requests to settle down. It was getting harder and harder for the princess to remain calm in public, to hide her emotions at solemn ceremonies. She began to quarrel with Elizabeth II, who took the side of her son and did not want to listen to the reproaches of her daughter-in-law. The more passions ran high in the royal family, the closer Lady Di became to the people. She switched her attention from her husband's betrayal to charity, helped those in need not only financially, but also morally.

In 1990, she stopped hiding problems with her husband from the public, for which she became enemy No. 1 for the queen. The divorce was a serious step and promised many problems for the royal family, but Diana could not come to terms with the betrayal and did not consider it necessary to follow the lead of Charles and the queen. Wanting to take revenge on her husband and put everyone in their place, Diana decided to tarnish her impeccable reputation, began to turn novels right and left, not hiding them from anyone.

The couple broke up only in 1992, but only in 1996, having received official permission from Elizabeth, they divorced. Having gained freedom, Diana managed to retain not only her title of Princess of Wales, but also the right to raise children. She continued her charitable and peacemaking activities, took a deep breath and got the opportunity to start all over again, to find a person who would truly love her.

After several short romances, in June 1997, Diana met the son of an Egyptian billionaire, film producer Dodi al-Fayed. Only two months will pass and the paparazzi will be able to capture the lovers together, making regular photo real sensation. Diana thought that her life would finally get better, that she would become Dodi's beloved wife and join the most powerful Muslim family in the world. But these dreams were not destined to come true.

On August 31, 1997, in Paris, a car in which Dodi al-Fayed tried to escape the persecution of the paparazzi flew at high speed into a tunnel in front of the Alma bridge on the Seine embankment and crashed into a support. Dodi died instantly, and Diana, taken from the scene to the Salpêtrière hospital, died two hours later.

The only survivor of this accident was bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones. He was seriously injured and does not remember the events. This tragedy shocked not only the people of Great Britain, but the whole world. The princess was buried on September 6 at the Spencer family estate of Althorp in Northamptonshire, on a secluded island.

Interesting facts about Princess Diana

Before starting romantic relationship with Diana, Prince Charles met with her own older sister, Sarah Spencer.

For some time, Diana worked as a cleaner.

Diana crossed out from her wedding oaths about unquestioning obedience to her husband.


Diana had sharp mood swings: the servant repeatedly said that the princess could give gifts service staff, and reprimand to the fullest extent for the slightest offense, or even for nothing - depending on your mood.

In an interview, the princess said that she made two suicide attempts, one of which was during her first pregnancy.

Diana seriously considered for herself the possibility of converting to Islam and moving to Pakistan, to the heart surgeon Hasnat Khan, whom she met and was going to marry.


More than a million people attended, lined up from Kensington Palace to Westminster Abbey. And more than 2.5 billion viewers around the world watched the funeral procedure on TV.

In 1991, Diana became the first member of the royal family to come into direct contact with people infected with HIV - then it was considered a valor, because people did not yet know that HIV was not transmitted by shaking hands.

During the divorce, Diana received a record settlement - $ 37 million.


There are at least 50 various versions death of Princess Diana. The official blames its driver, Henri Paul, who was intoxicated.

More than 100 different songs are dedicated to Diana.

With actors John Travolta and Jack Nicholson and writer John Fowles.

The princess's favorite dish was cream pudding.


Diana often violated royal etiquette and dress code.

Lady Diana was afraid of horses.

In honor of Princess Diana, postage stamps were issued in Azerbaijan, Albania, Armenia, North Korea, Moldova, Romania, on the Pitcairn Islands, Tuvalu.

Many books have been written about Diana in various languages. Almost all of her friends and close collaborators spoke with reminiscences; there are several documentaries and even feature films.

In 2002, according to the results of a BBC poll, Diana was ranked third in the list of great Britons, ahead of the Queen and other British monarchs.

In the 2000s in London was created memorial Complex dedicated to Diana and includes a walking route, a memorial fountain and a playground.

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 been living separately since 1992. The initiator of the divorce was the Queen of England Elizabeth II. It took place in 1996, and a year later the princess died in a car accident. This woman was very 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 poll to rank the best Britons. In this list, consisting of 100 eminent surnames, our heroine took 3rd place.

Charles, Diana and their children: younger Harry and older William, 1987

Charles and Diana had 2 sons - Prince William (b. 1982) and Prince Harry (b. 1984). These are adults now. The eldest is married, and his marriage is very successful. He married Catherine Middleton. She was born in 1982, so the spouses are the same age. The wedding ceremony took place on April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey. The ceremony was attended by 2000 people. It was not a simple wedding, but a historical event. It is not at all excluded that Catherine will eventually become Queen of England. After the wedding, she received the title of Duchess of Cambridge.

I must say that the children of Princess Diana with early years were uncontrollable. But after the mother and father divorced, the boys became softer and more docile. The death of their mother that followed had a very hard effect on their psyche. However, the father always tried to surround his sons with attention and care.

Left to right: Elizabeth II, Prince William, his wife Catherine Middleton and Prince Harry, 2012

After 8 years, he married Camille Parker-Bowles. The stepmother's relationship with William and Harry from the first days was established quite friendly. Camilla always tried to be kind and affectionate. As for Katherine, she is remarkable not only for her beauty. This woman is distinguished by sanity and in everything subordinates personal interests to the requirements of the royal court. Elizabeth II loves her very much. At least no less than Diana once loved.

Friendship between William and his future wife started in 2002. But they were friends, then they cooled off towards each other. Only since 2007, their relationship has become stable. On November 16, 2010, the couple announced their engagement. Thus, the eldest of the children of Princess Diana found his other half. Family life young people flows calmly and happily.

A huge event not only for the country, but 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, the good news in Buckingham Palace delivered a special messenger. But in the 21st century, he no longer rides a hot horse, but drives a car.

The weight of the baby was 3.8 kg. He was given the title of Prince of Cambridge, named George. Full name— George Alexander Louis. Again, in accordance with custom, all children of Great Britain born on the same day as the heir to the throne receive a silver coin. It symbolizes memory and happiness. About historical event informs the city crier, and the sensational news immediately spreads around the world. England strictly honors ancient traditions, which causes great respect among the inhabitants of the planet.

But the crowned couple was not limited 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 got it wrong quite a bit. On May 2, 2015, at 8:34 local time, a girl was born. The weight of the newborn 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. It's a boy named Louis. Full name is Louis Arthur Charles. He was born at St. Mary's Hospital at 11:01 local time. The weight of the newborn was 3.8 kg. His full official title is HRH Prince Louis of Cambridge.

As for the youngest son Harry, he has proven himself in public life from the very best side. He is a good athlete and played for the junior team in a polo championship in faraway Australia. Graduated military academy was in Africa. In 2007-2008 he took part in the fighting in Afghanistan. Since September 2012, he again ended up in this country. He fought bravely, flew combat helicopters. In January 2013 he returned to England. But this applies to public affairs, but in his personal life, the prince could not decide on the lady of his seat for a long time.

From 2004 to 2010, Harry was friends with Chelsea Davey (b. 1985). This is the daughter of a millionaire from Zimbabwe. She looks like a fragile blonde, but she is great with horses. Can ride without a saddle. Easily deal with poisonous snakes- Strangles them with his hands. That is, the lady is desperate and is not afraid of the devil or the devil. At the same time, she received a great legal education and works in a prestigious law office.

Cressida Bonas

Everything seemed to be going to 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. Harry met Cressida Bonas after the breakup. This is a legacy model. Her mother Mary Gay shone on the catwalk in the 70s of the last century and did not get out of nightclubs. She married 4 times, and the apple, as you know, does not fall far from the tree.

This is to the fact that Cressida inherited from her mother all the main character traits. Friends call her "wild thing". Harry's life with her would hardly have been quiet and peaceful. But, fortunately, the children of Princess Diana 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 had fallback options until the summer of 2016. This is Melissa Percy and Flea-Brudenell-Bruce.

Harry and Melissa Percy. The girl can't even buy herself shoes, but Harry is a nice guy: money is not the main thing for him

But all these relationships died, as in August 2016, Harry started an affair with 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 has long dreamed of a family and has said more than once that he wants the same wife as his older brother. Catherine Middleton is like an older sister to him. She even replaced his mother in some ways. This is ideal for the offspring of the royal family. Beautiful appearance, sanity, 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 mess around with children and wants his wife to give birth to many children for him. And this desire began to come true on May 6, 2019. Early that morning, Megan gave birth to a boy. He became the 7th pretender to the British throne. They named him Archie Harrison. But it seems that the couple will not be limited to one child. There will be other charming kids 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 royal dynasty. In this matter, the proud British 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

On July 1, Diana would have turned 55 years old. The famous princess became a breath of fresh air in the royal palace with her open demeanor.

When she married Prince Charles at St. Paul's Cathedral, the wedding ceremony (according to Wikipedia) was watched by 750 million viewers around the world. Diana was in the center of public attention throughout her life. Everything related to her, from clothes to hair, immediately became an international trend. And even after almost two decades since her tragic death, public interest in the personality of the Princess of Wales does not fade away. In memory of the popularly beloved princess, we present twenty-six little known facts about her life.

1. Studying at school

Diana was not good at science, and after failing two exams at West Heath Girls' School at the age of 16, her studies ended. Her father intended to send her to study in Sweden, but she insisted on returning home.

2. Acquaintance with Charles and engagement

Prince Charles and Diana met when he dated Sarah, Diana's older sister. Sarah and Charles' relationship hit a dead end after she announced publicly that she did not love the prince. Diana, on the other hand, really liked Charles, and she even hung his picture above her bed at boarding school. “I want to be a dancer or the Princess of Wales,” she once confided to a classmate.


Diana was only 16 when she first saw Charles (who was then 28) hunting in Norfolk. According to the recollections of her former music teacher, Diana was very excited and could not talk about anything else: “Finally, I met him!” Two years later, their engagement was officially announced, then Sarah proudly declared: "I introduced them, I'm Cupid."


After leaving school and until the official announcement of the engagement, the young aristocrat worked first as a nanny and then as a kindergarten teacher in Knightsbridge, one of the most prestigious areas of London.

4. An Englishwoman among royal wives

No matter how surprising it may sound, but over the past 300 years, Lady Diana Frances Spencer was the first English woman to become the wife of the heir to the British throne. Before her, the wives of the English kings were mainly representatives of the German royal dynasties, there was also a Dane (Alexandra of Denmark, wife of Edward VII), and even the queen mother, the wife of George VI and Charles's grandmother, was a Scot.


Princess Diana's wedding dress was adorned with 10,000 pearls and ended in an 8-meter train - the longest in the history of royal weddings. To support the English fashion industry, Diana turned to young designers David and Elizabeth Emanuel, whom she met by chance through the editor of Vogue. “We knew that the dress should go down in history and at the same time please Diana. The ceremony was scheduled at St. Paul's Cathedral, so something had to be done that would fill the center aisle and look impressive." For five months, the windows of the Emanuel boutique in central London were tightly shuttered, and the boutique itself was carefully guarded so that no one could see the creation of silk taffeta ahead of time. On the day of the wedding, it was delivered in a sealed envelope. But, just in case, a spare dress was sewn. “We didn’t try it on Diana, we didn’t even discuss it,” Elizabeth admitted in 2011, when the second dress became known.

6. Commoner's Sapphire


Diana chose a sapphire ring from the Garrard catalog for her engagement, rather than ordering it, as was customary in royal environments. The 12-carat sapphire, surrounded by 14 diamonds in white gold, was called the "commoner's sapphire" because, despite the price of $60,000, anyone could buy it. “Many wanted a ring like Diana's,” a Cartier spokesperson told The New York Times. Since then, the "commoner's sapphire" has become associated with Princess Diana. After her death, Prince Harry inherited the ring, but gave it to Prince William before his engagement to Kate Middleton in 2010. According to rumors, William took the sapphire from the royal safe and carried it in his backpack during a three-week trip to Africa before giving it to Kate. The ring is now valued at ten times its original value.

7. Oath at the altar


Diana, for the first time in history, arbitrarily changed the words of her wedding vow, deliberately omitting the phrase “obey her husband.” Thirty years later, this oath was repeated by William and Kate.

8. Favorite dish


Diana's personal chef Darren McGrady recalls that one of her favorite foods was cream pudding, and when he made it, she would often go into the kitchen and take the raisins off the top. Diana liked stuffed peppers and eggplants; when dining alone, she preferred lean meats, a large bowl of salad, and yogurt for dessert.



Some biographers claim that Diana's favorite color was pink, and she often wore outfits of various shades of it, from pale pink to deep crimson.

10. Favorite perfume

Her favorite perfume after the divorce was the French perfume 24 Faubourg by Hermès - a delicate solemn fragrance with a bouquet of jasmine and gardenia, iris and vanilla, reeking of peach, bergamot, sandalwood and patchouli.

Diana herself chose the names for her children and insisted that the eldest son be named William, despite the fact that Charles chose the name Arthur, and the youngest - Henry (so he was christened, although everyone calls him Harry), while the father wanted name your son Albert. Diana breastfed her children, although this is not customary in the royal family. Diana and Charles were the first royal parents who, contrary to established tradition, traveled with their young children. During their six-week tour of Australia and New Zealand, they took nine-month-old William with them. Royal biographer Christopher Warwick claims that William and Harry were very happy with Diana, as her approach to raising children was radically different from that adopted at court.

12 William Is The First Prince To Attend Kindergarten


preschool education royal children were traditionally cared for by private teachers and governesses. Princess Diana reversed this order by insisting that Prince William be sent to a regular kindergarten. He thus became the first heir to the throne to attend a preschool outside the palace. And although Diana, who was extremely attached to children, considered it important to create, if possible, the usual conditions for their upbringing, there were exceptions. One day for dinner at Buckingham Palace, she invited Cindy Crawford, because 13-year-old Prince William was crazy about the model. “It was a little awkward, he was still very young, and I didn’t want to look too self-confident, but at the same time I had to be stylish so that the child felt that he was in front of a supermodel,” Cindy later admitted.

13. The usual childhood of the heirs to the throne


Diana tried to show the children all the diversity of life outside the palace. They ate hamburgers together at McDonald's, rode the subway and bus, wore jeans and baseball caps, went down inflatable boats on mountain rivers and rode bikes. At Disneyland, like ordinary visitors, they stood in line for tickets.

Diana showed children the other side of life when she took them with her to hospitals and homeless shelters. “She really wanted to show us all the hardships of ordinary life, and I am very grateful to her, it was a good lesson, that's when I realized how far away many of us are from real life, especially myself,” William said in an interview with ABC News in 2012 .

14. Not a royal demeanor


Diana preferred round tables to large royal banquets, so she could interact more closely with her guests. However, if she was alone, she would often dine in the kitchen, which is completely out of character for royalty. “No one else did it,” admitted her personal chef Darren McGrady in 2014. Elizabeth II visited the kitchen of Buckingham Palace once a year, everything had to be cleaned to a shine by her solemn tour, and the chefs lined up to greet queen. If anyone else from the royal family entered the kitchen, everyone had to immediately stop working, put the pots and pans on the stove, take three steps back and bow. Diana was easier. “Darren, I want coffee. Ah, you're busy, then I'm on my own. Should you do it? True, she did not like to cook, and why should she? McGrady cooked for her all week and stocked up the fridge on weekends so she could reheat meals in the microwave.

15. Diana and fashion

When Diana first met Charles, she was very shy, blushing easily and often. But gradually she gained self-confidence, and in 1994 her photo in a tight-fitting low-cut minidress at an exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery blew up the covers of the world tabloids, because this is a small black dress was a clear violation of the royal dress code.

16. Lady Dee against formalities


When Diana talked to the children, she always squatted down to be level with their eyes (now her son and daughter-in-law do the same). "Diana was the first of the royal family to communicate with children in this way," - said the editor of Majesty magazine Ingrid Seward. “Usually the royal family considered themselves superior to the rest, but Diana said: “If someone is nervous in your presence, or if you are talking to a small child or a sick person, sink to their level.”


17. Change in the Queen's attitude towards her daughter-in-law

The bright emotional Diana caused a lot of anxiety to the royal court, her manner of being in public did not at all correspond to how it was customary to behave to members of the royal family. This has irritated the queen more than once. But today, having crossed the threshold of her ninetieth birthday, looking at how people perceive her wonderful grandchildren, the sons of Diana - William and Harry - Elizabeth is forced to admit that they see Diana in them, her sincerity and love of life. Unlike their father and other members of the royal family, William and Harry always attract everyone's attention and are very popular. "It's probably all thanks to Diana in the end," the queen says with a smile.

18. Diana's role in the AIDS approach


When Diana told the Queen that she wanted to work on AIDS and approached her to help fund vaccine research, Elizabeth advised her to do something more befitting. It must be admitted that in the mid-80s, when this conversation took place, they tried to hush up the problem of AIDS and not notice it, the infected were often treated as if they were plagued. Nevertheless, Diana did not back down, and largely due to the fact that she was one of the first to draw attention to the AIDS problem, publicly shaking hands with HIV-infected people and calling for funding for research, the attitude towards AIDS in society has changed, drugs have appeared that allow patients to lead relatively normal life.

19. Fear of horses


In all the aristocratic families of England, and especially in the royal family, horse riding is not only very popular, but also mandatory. The ability to stay in the saddle is taught from an early age, and this is included in the rules of good form even for the most impoverished baronets. Lady Diana, of course, was properly trained in riding, but she was such a clumsy rider and so afraid of horses that even the queen had to back down and stop taking her on horseback rides to Sadnringham.

20. "Refresher courses" for a young aristocrat

Despite the nobility of the Spencer family, to which Diana belonged, when she married Charles, she was still too young and inexperienced in palace protocol. So Elizabeth asked her sister, Princess Margaret, Diana's neighbor at Kensington Palace, to take her daughter-in-law under her wing. Margaret enthusiastically accepted this request. She saw herself in her youth in the young creation and enjoyed communication, sharing with Diana a love for theater and ballet. Margaret told who to shake hands with and what to say. They got along well, although sometimes the mentor could be quite harsh with her protégé. One day, Diana addressed the driver by name, although the strict royal protocol implies addressing the servants exclusively by their last names. Margaret hit her on the wrist and made a stern remark. And yet they warm relationship lasted quite a long time and changed dramatically only after the official break with Charles, when Margaret unconditionally took the side of her nephew.

21. Deliberate violation of royal protocol

To celebrate Queen's 67th birthday, Diana arrived at Windsor Castle with William and Harry, carrying balloons and paper crowns. Everything would be fine, but only Elizabeth cannot stand either one or the other, and after 12 years of close communication, Diana should have known about this. However, she nevertheless decorated the hall with balloons and distributed paper crowns to the guests.

22. Official end of relations with Charles


Elizabeth tried to do everything in her power to save the marriage of Diana and Charles. This concerned, first of all, her relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles, Charles' mistress. By the unspoken order of the queen, Camilla was excommunicated from the court, all the servants knew that "that woman" should not cross the threshold of the palace. Obviously, this did not change anything, the relationship between Charles and Camilla continued, and the marriage with Diana was rapidly collapsing.

Shortly after it was officially announced in December 1992 that the royal couple had separated, the princess asked for an audience with the queen. But upon arrival at Buckingham Palace, it turned out that the queen was busy, and Diana had to wait in the lobby. When Elizabeth finally accepted her, Diana was on the verge of a breakdown and burst into tears right in front of the queen. She complained that everyone was against her. The fact is that as much as Lady Dee was popular among the masses, she was just as much an unwanted person in royal circles. After the break with Charles, the court unanimously sided with the heir, and Diana was isolated. Being unable to influence the attitude of the family towards the former daughter-in-law, the Queen could only promise that the divorce would not affect the status of William and Harry.

23. Diana and the Taj Mahal


During an official visit to India in 1992, when the royal couple were still considered married couple, Diana was pictured sitting alone near the Taj Mahal, that majestic monument to a husband's love for his wife. It was a visual message that, being officially together, Diana and Charles actually broke up.

24. Divorce

Despite all the Queen's attempts to reconcile her son with her daughter-in-law, including her invitation to Diana for an official reception in honor of the President of Portugal at the end of 1992, or at Christmas 1993, the parties continued to speak unflatteringly and publicly accuse each other of infidelity, so that there is no restoration of relations could be out of the question. Therefore, in the end, Elizabeth wrote letters to them asking them to consider a divorce. Both knew that this was tantamount to an order. And if the princess reply letter asked for time to think, Charles immediately asked Diana for a divorce. In the summer of 1996, a year before the tragic death of Lady Dee, their marriage was annulled.

25. "Queen of Human Hearts"

In her BBC interview in November 1995, Diana made several candid confessions about her postpartum depression, her broken marriage, and her strained relationship with the royal family. Of Camille's constant presence in her marriage, she said: “There were three of us. Too much for a marriage, isn't it?" But her most shocking statement was that Charles did not want to be king.

Developing her thought, she suggested that she herself would never become a queen, but instead expressed the possibility of becoming a queen "in the hearts of people." And she confirmed this fictitious status, leading an active community service and doing charity work. In June 1997, two months before her death, Diana put up for auction 79 ball gowns, which at one time appeared on the covers of glossy magazines around the world. Thus, she kind of broke with the past, and the $ 5.76 million received at the auction was spent on funding research on AIDS and breast cancer.

26. Life after divorce

Experiencing a break with Charles, Diana did not withdraw into herself and did not fence herself off from society, she began to enjoy a free life. Shortly before her tragic death, she met producer Dodi Al-Fayed, the eldest son of an Egyptian billionaire, owner of the Paris Ritz Hotel and the London department store Harrods. They spent several days together near Sardinia on his yacht, and then went to Paris, where on August 31, 1997 they were in a fatal car accident. There is still controversy over the true causes of the accident, ranging from a race with paparazzi chasing and the driver's blood alcohol content to a mysterious white car whose paint marks were found on the door of the Mercedes in which Diana died. The accident was allegedly the result of a collision with this car. And it doesn't matter that this mysterious car that appeared out of nowhere, disappeared into nowhere, and no one saw it. But for fans of conspiracy theories, this is not an argument. They insist that it was a murder planned by the British secret services. This version is supported by Dodi's father, Mohammed Al-Fayed, indicating as the basis Dodi and Diana's plans to get married, which did not suit the royal family at all. As it was in reality, we are unlikely to ever know. One thing is certain - the world has lost one of the best and brightest women of all time, who forever changed the life of the royal family and the attitude towards the monarchy in society. The memory of the "Queen of Hearts" will forever remain with us.