Diana, Princess of Wales - Updated Oct 2024

Diana, Princess of Wales

Diana, Princess of Wales, is a late British royal family member. Diana, Princess of Wales, was the first wife of Charles III and the mother of Princes William and Harry.

Early Life

Diana, Princess of Wales, was born on 1 July 1961 and she was only 36 years old at the time of her demise on 31 August 1997. She hailed from Park House, Sandringham, Norfolk, England, UK, and her zodiac sign was Cancer. Likewise, her full name is Diana Frances Spencer.

Talking about her family, her parents were John Spencer, Viscount Althorp, and Frances Spencer, Viscountess Althorp (née Roche). She had four siblings and Diana was 4th of five children.

Her siblings are namely Charles Spencer, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, Jane Fellowes, Baroness Fellowes, and John Spencer. Her brother John passed away shortly after his birth one year before Diana was born. She has a step-brother namely Johnnie Shand Kydd.

Similarly, Princess Diana’s grandmothers Cynthia Spencer, Countess Spencer, and Ruth Roche, Baroness Fermoy, had served as ladies-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mothe.

Regarding her education, Princess Diana was initially home-schooled under the supervision of her governess – Gertrude Allen. She later started her formal education at Silfield Private School in King’s Lynn, Norfolk. Later on, she moved to Riddlesworth Hall School at the age of 9 years.

Likewise, Diana joined her sisters at West Heath Girls’ School in Sevenoaks, Kent, in 1973. Although she didn’t perform well academically and failed her O-levels twice, Diana’s outstanding community spirit was recognized with an award from West Heath.

Diana, Princess of Wales

Caption: Diana, Princess of Wales, in a photo with her sisters. Source: Reader’s Digest

Untimely Demise

Diana, Princess of Wales, died in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997. This incident led to extensive public mourning and global media attention. While fleeing the paparazzi, Princess Diana along with her romantic partner Dodi Fayed died in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris. On the other hand, the driver – Henri Paul – survived the crash and suffered a serious head injury.

This sudden and unexpected death of an extraordinarily popular royal figure brought statements from senior figures worldwide and many tributes from members of the public. For many months, people left flowers, candles, cards, and personal messages outside Kensington Palace.

Similarly, Princess Diana’s coffin was draped with the royal flag and was brought to London from Paris by Prince Charles and her two sisters on 31 August 1997. Then on 5 September, Queen Elizabeth II paid tribute to Princess Diana in a live TV broadcast. Her funeral took place in Westminster Abbey on 6 September. ‘

Both of her sons walked in the funeral procession behind her coffin, along with her ex-husband the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Edinburgh, Diana’s brother Lord Spencer, and representatives of some of her charities.

Diana, Princess of Wales – Net Worth 2024

Diana, Princess of Wales, left a £21 million estate in the hands of trustees, her mother, and her sister, Lady Sarah. Her estate netted £17 million after estate taxes. Moreover, Princess Diana had a net worth of around 25 million dollars.

Career

Diana, Princess of Wales, was a member of the British royal family. Princess Diana was the 1st wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales). Moreover, she is also the mother of Princes William and Harry. Princess Diana’s activism and glamour made her an international icon and also earned her enduring popularity and almost unprecedented public scrutiny.

In 1981, while working as a nursery teacher’s assistant, Princess Diana became engaged to the Prince of Wales – the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II. Diana and the then Prince of Wales’s wedding took place at St Paul’s Cathedral in 1981 and made her Princess of Wales. It was a role in which Diana was enthusiastically received by the public.

As Princess of Wales, this personality undertook royal duties on behalf of the Queen and represented her at functions across the Commonwealth realms. Likewise, Princess Diana was also celebrated in the media for her unconventional approach to charity work.

Further, Princess Diana’s patronages initially centered on children and the elderly but later became known for her involvement in two particular campaigns. These two campaigns were her involvement in the social attitudes towards and the acceptance of AIDS patients and her involvement in the removal of landmines, promoted through the International Red Cross.

Moreover, Princess Diana also raised awareness and advocated for ways to help people affected by cancer and mental illness. Although initially noted for her shyness, Princess Diana’s charisma and friendliness endeared her to the public and helped her reputation survive the acrimonious collapse of her marriage. Considered photogenic, Princess Diana was a leader in fashion in the 1980s and 1990s.

Diana, Princess of Wales

Caption: Diana, Princess of Wales, in a photo with her ex-husband Charles, Prince of Wales, and the late Queen Elizabeth II. Source: History

Brand Endorsements

Diana, Princess of Wales, was a fashion icon in the 80s and 90s. As such, every accessory, dress, shoe, or anything she wore became a huge trend. However, there is no mention of whose designs she endorsed or used during her public appearances.

Relationship Status

Diana, Princess of Wales, and King Charles III’s engagement became official on 24 February 1981. They later tied the knot on 29 July 1981 at St Paul’s Cathedral.

The royal couple has two sons namely William and Harry. From her son William, she has three grandchildren – Princess Charlotte of Wales, Prince Louis of Wales, and Prince George of Wales. Likewise, from her son Harry, she has two grandchildren Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor.

Her marriage to Charles suffered due to their incompatibility and extramarital affairs. Diana and Charles separated in 1992 soon after the breakdown of their relationship became public knowledge. Their marital difficulties were widely publicized and the couple divorced in 1996.

After the divorce, Diana dated Hasnat Khan, a British-Pakistani heart surgeon, and a relative of the Pakistani politician and the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan – Imran Khan. However, Diana and Hasnat separated in the summer of 1997. Following this, Diana dated Dodi Fayed – the son of her summer host Mohamed Al-Fayed. Further, she also had a four-month relationship with Gulu Lalvani.

Diana, Princess of Wales

Caption: Diana, Princess of Wales, in a photo with her sons Prince Harry and Prince William of Wales. Source: The New Yorker

Body Measurements

Diana, Princess of Wales stood tall at an approximate height of 5 feet 10 inches or 178 cm and her weight was around 128 lbs or 58 kg. Likewise, Princess Diana had blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes.

Diana, Princess of Wales – Social Media

Diana, Princess of Wales, didn’t have a profile on any social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc. At the time Princess Diana was alive, there was no widespread use of the internet and social media like it is today.