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177-397: Princess Charles may refer to: Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–1997), first wife of King Charles III Queen Camilla (born 1947), second and current wife of King Charles III See also [ edit ] Princess of Wales Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with

354-559: A Daimler hearse . Mourners cast flowers at the funeral procession for almost the entire length of its journey and vehicles even stopped on the opposite carriageway of the M1 motorway as the cars passed. In a private ceremony, Diana was buried on an island in the middle of a lake called The Oval, which is part of the Pleasure Garden at Althorp. The coffin bore a weight of a quarter of a tonne (250 kg / approx. 550 lb) as it

531-741: A newly opened cancer hospital built by Imran Khan, travelled to Pakistan to visit its children's cancer wards and attend a fundraising dinner in aid of the charity in Lahore . She later visited the hospital again in May 1997. In June 1996, she travelled to Chicago in her capacity as president of the Royal Marsden Hospital in order to attend a fundraising event at the Field Museum of Natural History and raised more than £1 million for cancer research. She additionally visited patients at

708-452: A rewritten version of his song " Candle in the Wind " that was dedicated to her, known as "Goodbye England's Rose" or " Candle in the Wind 1997 "; the single became the best-selling single since UK and US singles charts began in the 1950s, with total sales exceeding 33 million units. Protocol was disregarded when the guests applauded the speech by Earl Spencer, who strongly criticised

885-532: A Muslim man. By the time of Diana's death in 1997, she had not spoken to her mother in four months. By contrast, her relationship with her estranged stepmother had reportedly improved. Within a month, Diana began a relationship with Dodi Fayed , the son of her summer host, Mohamed Al-Fayed . That summer, Diana had considered taking her sons on a holiday to the Hamptons on Long Island, New York , but security officials had prevented it. After deciding against

1062-779: A baseball field into a candle-lit altar in a memorial service prepared by an AIDS organisation. In Paris, thousands of people visited the site of the crash and the hospital where Diana died, leaving bouquets, candles and messages. People brought flowers and also attempted to visit the Hotel Ritz. On the eve of the funeral, 300 members of the British community in Paris took part in a service of commemoration. Landmine victims in Angola and Bosnia also honoured Diana with separate services, pointing out how her efforts had helped raise awareness about

1239-566: A bearer party from the Queen's Colour Squadron transferred her coffin to the hearse. The coffin was draped with the royal standard with an ermine border. Her body was finally taken to the Hammersmith and Fulham mortuary in London for a post-mortem examination later that day. Initial media reports stated that Diana's car had collided with the pillar at 190 km/h (120 mph), and that

1416-418: A boy to carry on the family line, and no name was chosen for a week until they settled on Diana Frances after her mother and Lady Diana Spencer , a many-times-great-aunt who was also a prospective Princess of Wales as a potential bride for Frederick, Prince of Wales . Within the family, she was also known informally as "Duch", a reference to her duchess-like attitude in childhood. On 30 August 1961, Diana

1593-665: A car with Charles near the Sydney Opera House , Diana burst into tears for a few minutes, which their office stated was due to jet lag and the heat. In New Zealand, the couple met with representatives of the Māori people . Their visit to Canada in June and July 1983 included a trip to Edmonton to open the 1983 Summer Universiade and a stop in Newfoundland to commemorate the 400th anniversary of that island's acquisition by

1770-477: A church that was generally used for royal weddings. The service was widely described as a "fairytale wedding" and was watched by a global television audience of 750   million people while 600,000 spectators lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the couple en route to the ceremony. At the altar, Diana inadvertently reversed the order of his first two names, saying "Philip Charles" Arthur George instead. She did not say she would "obey" him; that traditional vow

1947-438: A constructive adjustment". Another research described Diana's death and funeral as traumatic stressors with psychological impacts that could "be equated with traditional stressors identified in the trauma research literature". In the days after her funeral, an increase in the number of inappropriate hospital admissions was observed, whereas the number of admissions for traumatic injuries decreased for at least three months, showing

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2124-436: A decent start in life". "We, as a part of society, must ensure that young people—who are our future—are given the chance they deserve", she said. Diana used to take young William and Harry for private visits to Centrepoint services and homeless shelters. "The young people at Centrepoint were always really touched by her visits and by her genuine feelings for them", said one of the charity's staff members. William later became

2301-588: A fatal car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris , France. Dodi Fayed (Diana's partner) and the driver of the Mercedes-Benz W140 , Henri Paul, were found dead inside the car. Dodi's bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones , was seriously injured but was the only survivor of the crash. In 1999, a French investigation found that Paul lost control of the vehicle at high speed while intoxicated by alcohol and under

2478-871: A few months before her death, expressed her sorrow and prayers were held at the Missionaries of Charity for Diana. The Bishop of Bradford David Smith and the Bradford Council of Mosques held prayers by the Christian and Muslim communities. Jonathan Sacks led prayers by the Jewish community at the Western Marble Arch Synagogue , and Cardinal Basil Hume presided over the Roman Catholic requiem mass held at Westminster Cathedral . Mother Teresa died on 5 September 1997,

2655-541: A four-day trip to Argentina to attend a charity event. She visited many other countries, including Belgium, Switzerland, and Zimbabwe, alongside numerous others. During her separation from Charles, which lasted for almost four years, Diana participated in major national occasions as a senior member of the royal family, notably including "the commemorations of the 50th anniversaries of Victory in Europe Day and Victory over Japan Day " in 1995. In 1983 Diana confided to

2832-633: A friend. She was also linked by the press to the rugby union player Will Carling and private equity investor Theodore J. Forstmann , yet these claims were neither confirmed nor proven. The journalist Martin Bashir interviewed Diana for the BBC current affairs show Panorama . The interview was broadcast on 20 November 1995. Diana discussed her own and her husband's extramarital affairs. Referring to Charles's relationship with Parker Bowles, she said: "Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it

3009-503: A further £8 million was spent on the Metropolitan Police investigation. It lasted 6 months and heard 250 witnesses, with the cost heavily criticised in the media. In his memoir, Diana's younger son Prince Harry mentions how the summary conclusion of investigations into his mother's death was "simplistic and absurd." He writes that even if the driver "had been drunk, he wouldn't have had any problem driving through such

3186-656: A hostess at parties. She spent time working as a nanny for the Robertsons, an American family living in London, and worked as a nursery teacher's assistant at the Young England School in Pimlico . In July 1979, her mother bought her a flat at Coleherne Court in Earl's Court as an 18th birthday present. She lived there with three flatmates until 25 February 1981. Diana first met Charles, Prince of Wales ,

3363-531: A lengthy opening statement giving general instructions to the jury and introducing the evidence. The BBC reported that Mohamed Al-Fayed, having earlier reiterated his claim that his son and Diana were murdered by the Royal Family, immediately criticised the opening statement as biased. The inquest heard evidence from people connected with Diana and the events leading to her death, including Rees-Jones, Mohamed Al-Fayed, Paul Burrell , Diana's stepmother, and

3540-605: A leprosy hospital in Indonesia. Following her visit, she became patron of the Leprosy Mission, an organisation dedicated to providing medicine, treatment, and other support services to those who are afflicted with the disease. She remained the patron of this charity and visited several of its hospitals around the world, especially in India, Nepal, Zimbabwe and Nigeria until her death in 1997. She touched those affected by

3717-583: A leprosy hospital in Nepal where she met and came into contact with some patients, marking the first time they had ever been touched by a dignitary who had come to visit. In December 1993, she announced that she would withdraw from public life, but in November 1994 she said she wished to "make a partial return". In her capacity as the vice-president of British Red Cross , she was interested in playing an important role for its 125th anniversary celebrations. Later,

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3894-411: A lump sum settlement of £17   million (equivalent to £40   million in 2023) as well as £400,000 per year. The couple signed a confidentiality agreement that prohibited them from discussing the details of the divorce or of their married life. Days before, letters patent were issued with general rules to regulate royal titles after divorce. Diana lost the style " Her Royal Highness " and instead

4071-558: A member of the Millennium Dome 's board suggested the project be refashioned and extended "to accommodate, for example, a hospital, businesses, charities, private residences, and the whole thing named 'the Princess Diana Centre ' ". The idea was later scrapped. Under English law , an inquest is required in cases of sudden or unexplained death. A French judicial investigation had already been carried out, but

4248-506: A nursery teacher's assistant and temporarily lived at the Queen Mother's residence, Clarence House . She subsequently resided at Buckingham Palace until the wedding, where, according to the biographer Ingrid Seward, her life was "incredibly lonely". Diana was the first Englishwoman to marry the first in line to the throne since Anne Hyde married James, Duke of York and Albany (later James VII and II ), over 300 years earlier, and she

4425-586: A nursery teacher's assistant, she became engaged to Charles, the eldest son of Elizabeth II . Their wedding took place at St Paul's Cathedral in July 1981 and made her Princess of Wales , a role in which she was enthusiastically received by the public. The couple had two sons, William and Harry, who were then respectively second and third in the line of succession to the British throne . Diana's marriage to Charles suffered due to their incompatibility and extramarital affairs. They separated in 1992, soon after

4602-526: A ploy "to inflame the true object of her affections, Hasnat Khan". In the years after her death, Burrell, journalist Richard Kay, and voice coach Stewart Pierce have claimed that Diana was also thinking about buying a property in the United States. Following her engagement to Charles, Diana made her first official public appearance in March 1981 in a charity event at Goldsmiths' Hall . She attended

4779-457: A possible change in people's driving habits. Her death was also associated with "30% reduction in calls to the police and a 28% drop in public order offences", yet despite its effect on increasing depression and traumatic stress, no significant increase was observed in the number of psychiatric emergencies in Edinburgh. The national grieving for Diana had economic effects. In the short term,

4956-416: A reconciliation. Philip wrote to Diana and expressed his disappointment at the extramarital affairs of both her and Charles; he asked her to examine their behaviour from the other's point of view. Diana reportedly found the letters difficult, but nevertheless appreciated that he was acting with good intent. It was alleged by some people, including Diana's close friend Simone Simmons, that Diana and Philip had

5133-571: A short tunnel." He questions why the paparazzi that had been following her and the people who sent them were not in prison, unless it was all due to "corruption and cover-ups being the order of the day?" Harry claims that he and his brother were planning on issuing a statement to ask jointly for the investigation to be reopened but "those who decided dissuaded us." Nine photographers, who had been following Diana and Dodi in 1997, were charged with manslaughter in France. France's "highest court" dropped

5310-667: A significant effect on the royal family and British society . Diana Frances Spencer was born on 1 July 1961, the fourth of five children of John Spencer, Viscount Althorp (1924–1992), and Frances Spencer, Viscountess Althorp (née Roche ; 1936–2004). She was delivered at Park House, Sandringham , Norfolk. The Spencer family had been closely allied with the British royal family for several generations; her grandmothers, Cynthia Spencer, Countess Spencer , and Ruth Roche, Baroness Fermoy , had served as ladies-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother . Her parents were hoping for

5487-520: A source for Morton's book. During her lifetime, both Diana and Morton denied her direct involvement in the writing process and maintained that family and friends were the book's main source; however, after her death Morton acknowledged Diana's role in writing the tell-all in the book's updated edition, Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words . The Queen and Prince Philip hosted a meeting between Charles and Diana and unsuccessfully tried to effect

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5664-563: A statement saying, "All know of Princess Diana's big contribution to charitable work, and not only in Great Britain". Among other politicians who sent messages of condolences were Australian Prime Minister John Howard , South African President Nelson Mandela , Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien , New Zealand Prime Minister Jim Bolger , and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu . The Australian House of Representatives and

5841-472: A telegram of condolences, German Chancellor Helmut Kohl expressed the view that Diana had also become the victim of an "increasingly brutal and unscrupulous competition on the part of some of the media." In Australia, the Deputy Prime Minister, Tim Fischer , condemned the paparazzi for their overzealous coverage of Diana. Russian President Boris Yeltsin praised Diana's charity work in

6018-476: A televised interview with Jonathan Dimbleby on 29 June 1994. In the interview, he said he had rekindled his relationship with Parker Bowles in 1986 only after his marriage to Diana had "irretrievably broken down". In the same year, Diana's affair with Hewitt was exposed in detail in the book Princess in Love by Anna Pasternak, with Hewitt acting as the main source. Diana was evidently disturbed and outraged when

6195-471: A tense relationship; however, other observers said their letters provided no sign of friction between them. Philip later issued a statement, publicly denying allegations of his insulting Diana. During 1992 and 1993, leaked tapes of telephone conversations reflected negatively on both Charles and Diana. Tape recordings of Diana and James Gilbey were made public in August 1992, and transcripts were published

6372-602: A trip to Thailand, she accepted Fayed's invitation to join his family in the south of France, where his compound and large security detail would not cause concern to the Royal Protection squad. Mohamed Al-Fayed bought the Jonikal , a 60-metre multimillion-pound yacht on which to entertain Diana and her sons. Tina Brown later claimed that Diana's romance with Fayed and her four-month relationship with Gulu Lalvani were

6549-470: A verdict of unlawful killing through grossly negligent driving by Paul and the following paparazzi vehicles. Some media reports concluded that Rees-Jones survived because he was wearing a seat belt, but other investigations revealed that none of the occupants of the car were wearing one. Diana was 36 years old when she died. Her death sparked an outpouring of public grief in the United Kingdom and

6726-566: A videotape recorded by Settelen in 1992, Diana said that in 1984 through to 1986, she had been "deeply in love with someone who worked in this environment." It is thought she was referring to Barry Mannakee , who was transferred to the Diplomatic Protection Squad in 1986 after his managers had determined that his relationship with Diana had been inappropriate. Diana said in the tape that Mannakee had been "chucked out" from his role as her bodyguard following suspicion that

6903-485: Is named after one of Diana's royal titles, could raise over £1 million with her help. In 1994, she helped her friend Julia Samuel launch the charity Child Bereavement UK which supports children "of military families, those of suicide victims, [and] terminally-ill parents", and became its patron. Her son William later became the charity's royal patron. In 1987 Diana was awarded the Honorary Freedom of

7080-632: The American Red Cross 's anti-landmine initiative. From 7 to 10 August 1997, just days before her death, she visited Bosnia and Herzegovina with Jerry White and Ken Rutherford of the Landmine Survivors Network . Diana's work on the landmines issue has been described as influential in the signing of the Ottawa Treaty , which created an international ban on the use of anti-personnel landmines. Introducing

7257-510: The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) estimated that retail sales dropped 1% that week. Traffic congestion in central London as crowds went to the palaces to pay homage likewise adversely affected productivity , and the CEBR estimated that would cost businesses £200 million, or a total loss of 0.1% of gross domestic product for the third quarter of 1997. However, in the long run

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7434-702: The Cook County Hospital and delivered remarks at a conference on breast cancer at the Northwestern University Chicago campus after meeting a group of breast cancer researchers. In September 1996, after being asked by Katharine Graham , Diana went to Washington and appeared at a White House breakfast in respect of the Nina Hyde Center for Breast Cancer Research. She also attended an annual fund-raiser for breast cancer research organised by The Washington Post at

7611-463: The Earl Spencer , also blamed tabloid media for her death. An 18-month French judicial investigation concluded in 1999 that the crash was caused by Paul, who lost control at high speed while intoxicated. None of the photographers were charged. Members of the public were invited to sign a book of condolence at St James's Palace . A book of condolence was also set up by the British embassy in

7788-673: The Holy See included a private audience with Pope John Paul II . In autumn 1985, they returned to Australia, and their tour was well received by the public and the media, who referred to Diana as "Di-amond Princess" and the "Jewel in the Crown". In November 1985, the couple visited the United States, meeting Ronald and Nancy Reagan at the White House. Diana had a busy year in 1986 as she and Charles toured Japan, Spain, and Canada. In Canada, they visited Expo 86 , where Diana fainted in

7965-582: The Nelson Mandela Children's Fund would be teaming up with the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund to help people with AIDS. They had planned the combination of the two charities a few months before her death. Mandela later praised Diana for her efforts surrounding the issue of HIV/AIDS: "When she stroked the limbs of someone with leprosy or sat on the bed of a man with HIV/AIDS and held his hand, she transformed public attitudes and improved

8142-543: The New Zealand House of Representatives also passed parliamentary motions of condolence. The Government of Canada , as well as individual provinces in the country, set up online and in-person books of condolences in their parliament buildings and memorial services were held across the country. Following her death, delegates at an international conference in Oslo to ban landmines paid their tributes to Diana, who

8319-705: The Royal Standard at half-mast provoked angry headlines in newspapers. The Palace's stance was one of royal protocol: no flag could fly over Buckingham Palace, as the Royal Standard is only flown when the monarch is in residence, and the Queen was then in Scotland. The Royal Standard never flies at half-mast as it is the Sovereign's flag and there is never an interregnum or vacancy in the monarchy, as

8496-733: The Second Reading of the Landmines Bill 1998 to the British House of Commons , the Foreign Secretary , Robin Cook , paid tribute to Diana's work on landmines: All Honourable Members will be aware from their postbags of the immense contribution made by Diana, Princess of Wales to bringing home to many of our constituents the human costs of landmines. The best way in which to record our appreciation of her work, and

8673-680: The Statue of Liberty to the US. The messages of condolence have since been removed and its use as a Diana memorial has discontinued, though visitors still leave messages in her memory. A permanent memorial, the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain , was opened by the Queen in Hyde Park in London on 6 July 2004, followed by a statue in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace, which was unveiled by her sons on 1 July 2021. Following her death,

8850-803: The Terrence Higgins Trust ). In 1991, she hugged one patient during a visit to the AIDS ward of the Middlesex Hospital , which she had opened in 1987 as the first hospital unit dedicated to this cause in the UK. As the patron of Turning Point , a health and social care organisation, Diana visited its project in London for people with HIV/AIDS in 1992. She later established and led fundraising campaigns for AIDS research. In March 1997, Diana visited South Africa, where she met with Nelson Mandela . On 2 November 2002, Mandela announced that

9027-736: The Trooping the Colour for the first time in June 1981, making her appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace afterwards. In October 1981, Charles and Diana visited Wales. She attended the State Opening of Parliament for the first time on 4 November 1981. Her first solo engagement was a visit to Regent Street on 18 November 1981 to switch on the Christmas lights. Diana made her inaugural overseas tour in September 1982, to attend

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9204-472: The enthronement of Emperor Akihito . In her desire to play an encouraging role during the Gulf War , Diana visited Germany in December 1990 to meet with the families of soldiers. She subsequently travelled to Germany in January 1991 to visit RAF Bruggen , and later wrote an encouraging letter which was published in Soldier , Navy News and RAF News . In 1991, Charles and Diana visited Queen's University at Kingston , Ontario, where they presented

9381-451: The funeral of Princess Grace of Monaco . Also in 1982, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands created Diana a Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown . In 1983, Diana accompanied Charles and William on a tour of Australia and New Zealand. The tour was a success and the couple drew immense crowds, though the press focused more on Diana rather than Charles, coining the term 'Dianamania' as a reference to people's obsession with her. While sitting in

9558-555: The premier of Newfoundland , Brian Peckford , "I am finding it very difficult to cope with the pressures of being Princess of Wales, but I am learning to cope with it". She was expected to make regular public appearances at hospitals, schools, and other facilities, in the 20th-century model of royal patronage. From the mid-1980s, she became increasingly associated with numerous charities. She carried out 191 official engagements in 1988 and 397 in 1991. Diana developed an intense interest in serious illnesses and health-related matters outside

9735-412: The "difference in the self-discipline of the people and their attitudes" at the two historical events, with them being more restrained at Churchill's funeral but "un-English" at Diana's. Some cultural analysts disagreed. Sociologist Deborah Steinberg pointed out that many Britons associated Diana not with the Royal Family but with social change and a more liberal society: "I don't think it was hysteria,

9912-535: The 1980s. Contrary to the prevailing stigmatization of AIDS patients , she was not averse to making physical contact with patients, and was the first British royal to do so. In 1987, she held hands with an AIDS patient in one of her early efforts to destigmatise the condition. Diana noted: "HIV does not make people dangerous to know. You can shake their hands and give them a hug. Heaven knows they need it. What's more, you can share their homes, their workplaces, and their playgrounds and toys". To Diana's disappointment,

10089-433: The 50 km/h (31 mph) speed limit of the tunnel. It then spun, hit the stone wall of the tunnel backwards and finally came to a stop. The impact caused substantial damage, particularly to the front half of the vehicle, as there was no guard rail to prevent this. Witnesses arriving shortly after the crash reported smoke. They also reported that photographers on motorcycles "swarmed the Mercedes sedan before it entered

10266-399: The 6,000-page report was never published. On 6 January 2004, six years after Diana's death, an inquest into the crash opened in London held by Michael Burgess , the coroner of the Queen's Household . The coroner asked the Metropolitan Police commissioner, Sir John Stevens , to make inquiries in response to speculation that the deaths were not an accident. Forensic scientist Angela Gallop

10443-447: The Abbey and in Hyde Park crowds watched and listened to proceedings on large outdoor screens and speakers as guests filed in, including representatives of the many charities of which Diana was patron. Attendees included US First Lady Hillary Clinton and French First Lady Bernadette Chirac , as well as celebrities including Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti and two friends of Diana, George Michael and Elton John . John performed

10620-408: The British Red Cross Anti-Personnel Land Mines Campaign, but was no longer listed as patron. In May 1997, Diana opened the Richard Attenborough Centre for Disability and the Arts in Leicester, after being asked by her friend Richard Attenborough . In June 1997 and at the suggestion of her son William, some of her dresses and suits were sold at Christie's auction houses in London and New York, and

10797-442: The British Red Cross and supported its organisations in other countries such as Australia and Canada. She made several lengthy visits each week to Royal Brompton Hospital , where she worked to comfort seriously ill or dying patients. From 1991 to 1996, she was a patron of Headway, a brain injury association. In 1992, she became the first patron of Chester Childbirth Appeal, a charity she had supported since 1984. The charity, which

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10974-460: The British media of playing an essential role in creating a national, unchallengeable, and at times hysterical cult of personality surrounding Diana, whereas previously they had been extremely critical of her and the monarchy after she had separated and divorced from Charles, and was having an affair with Dodi Fayed. Hitchens claimed the public were behaving irrationally and that many appeared to not even know why they were mourning. He also scrutinised

11151-445: The British-Pakistani heart surgeon Hasnat Khan , who was called "the love of her life" by many of her closest friends after her death, and she is said to have described him as "Mr. Wonderful". In May 1996, Diana visited Lahore upon invitation of Imran Khan , a relative of Hasnat Khan, and visited the latter's family in secret. Khan was intensely private and the relationship was conducted in secrecy, with Diana lying to members of

11328-430: The CEBR expected that to be offset by increased tourism and memorabilia sales. Some criticised the reaction to Diana's death at the time as being " hysterical " and "irrational". As early as 1998, philosopher Anthony O'Hear identified the mourning as a defining point in the "sentimentalisation of Britain", a media-fuelled phenomenon where image and reality become blurred. Oasis bandleader Noel Gallagher responded to

11505-430: The California Pavilion. In November 1986, she went on a six-day tour to Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, where she met King Fahd of Saudi Arabia and Sultan Qaboos of Oman . In 1988, Charles and Diana visited Thailand and toured Australia for the bicentenary celebrations . In February 1989, she spent a few days in New York as a solo visit, mainly to promote the works of the Welsh National Opera , of which she

11682-439: The City of London , the highest honour which is in the power of the City of London to bestow on someone. In June 1995, she travelled to Moscow. She paid a visit to a children's hospital she had previously supported when she provided them with medical equipment. In December 1995, Diana received the United Cerebral Palsy Humanitarian of the Year Award in New York City for her philanthropic efforts. In October 1996, for her works on

11859-429: The Crown. In 1983, she was targeted by the Scottish National Liberation Army who tried to deliver a letter bomb to her. In February 1984, Diana was the patron of London City Ballet when she travelled to Norway on her own to attend a performance organised by the company. In April 1985, Charles and Diana visited Italy, and were later joined by their sons. They met with President Alessandro Pertini . Their visit to

12036-430: The Earl offered the Princess of Wales a number of properties including Wormleighton Manor , the Spencer family's original ancestral home". However, he could not offer Garden House cottage on the Althorp estate to Diana as the home was intended for a member of staff. Diana was also given an allowance to run her private office, which was responsible for her charity work and royal duties, but from September 1996 onwards she

12213-459: The Easter term of 1978, Diana returned to London, where she shared her mother's flat with two school friends. In London, she took an advanced cooking course and worked at a series of low-paying jobs; she worked as a dance instructor for youth until a skiing accident caused her to miss three months of work. She then found employment as a playgroup pre-school assistant, did some cleaning work for her sister Sarah and several of her friends, and acted as

12390-442: The Fayed inquest. Butler-Sloss originally intended to sit without a jury; this decision was later overturned by the High Court of Justice , as well as the jurisdiction of the coroner of the Queen's Household. On 24 April 2007, Butler-Sloss stepped down, saying she lacked the experience required to deal with an inquest with a jury. The role of coroner for the inquests was transferred to Lord Justice Scott Baker , who formally took up

12567-426: The Mercedes driver Henri Paul". Princes William and Harry released a statement in which they said that they "agree with their verdicts and are both hugely grateful". Mohamed Al-Fayed also said that he would accept the verdict and "abandon his 10-year campaign to prove that Diana and Dodi were murdered in a conspiracy". The cost of the inquiry exceeded £12.5 million, the coroner's inquest cost £4.5 million;

12744-634: The Queen did not support this type of charity work, suggesting she get involved in "something more pleasant". In July 1989, she opened Landmark Aids Centre in South London. In October 1990, Diana opened Grandma's House, a home for young AIDS patients in Washington, DC. She was also a patron of the National AIDS Trust and regularly visited London Lighthouse , which provided residential care for HIV patients (it has since merged with

12921-689: The Queen formally invited her to attend the anniversary celebrations of D-Day . In February 1995, Diana visited Japan. She paid a formal visit to Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko , and visited the National Children's Hospital in Tokyo. In June 1995, Diana went to the Venice Biennale art festival, and also visited Moscow where she received the International Leonardo Prize. In November 1995, Diana undertook

13098-509: The Queen's eldest son and heir apparent , when she was 16 in November 1977. He was then 29 and dating her older sister, Sarah. Charles and Diana were guests at a country weekend during the summer of 1980 and he took a serious interest in her as a potential bride. The relationship progressed when he invited her aboard the royal yacht Britannia for a sailing weekend to Cowes . This was followed by an invitation to Balmoral Castle (the royal family's Scottish residence) to meet his family. She

13275-461: The Queen, irritating Buckingham Palace by issuing her own announcement of the divorce agreement and its terms. In July 1996, the couple agreed on the terms of their divorce. This followed shortly after Diana's accusation that Charles's personal assistant Tiggy Legge-Bourke had aborted his child, after which Legge-Bourke instructed her solicitor Peter Carter-Ruck to demand an apology. Diana's private secretary Patrick Jephson resigned shortly before

13452-453: The UK were rearranged, with demands for Scotland's Football Association chief executive to resign due to their delayed response to reschedule Scotland's World Cup qualifier. People in the US were shocked at her death. In San Francisco , around 14,000 people marched through the city in a procession on 5 September to pay tribute to Diana, honouring her for her work on behalf of AIDS patients. In Los Angeles , more than 2,500 people transformed

13629-603: The US . All 11,000 light bulbs at Harrods department store, owned by Mohamed Al-Fayed, were turned off and not switched on again until after the funeral. Throughout the night, members of the Women's Royal Voluntary Service and the Salvation Army provided support for people queuing along the Mall . More than one million bouquets were left at her London residence, Kensington Palace , while at her family's estate of Althorp

13806-624: The book was released, although Pasternak claimed Hewitt had acted with Diana's support to avoid having the affair covered in Andrew Morton's second book. In the same year, the News of the World claimed that Diana had had an affair with the married art dealer Oliver Hoare . According to Hoare's obituary, there was little doubt she had been in a relationship with him. However, Diana denied any romantic relationship with Hoare, whom she described as

13983-406: The books of condolence. Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, and her former sister-in-law, Sarah, Duchess of York , also visited St James's Palace. The Queen and the rest of the Royal Family were criticised for a rigid adherence to protocol, and their efforts to protect the privacy of Diana's grieving sons were interpreted as a lack of compassion. In particular, the refusal of Buckingham Palace to fly

14160-521: The breakdown of their relationship became public knowledge. Their marital difficulties were widely publicised, and the couple divorced in 1996. As Princess of Wales, Diana undertook royal duties on behalf of the Queen and represented her at functions across the Commonwealth realms . She was celebrated in the media for her beauty, style, charm, and later, her unconventional approach to charity work. Her patronages were initially centred on children and

14337-447: The charity's patron in 1987 and visited the charity on a regular basis, meeting the sufferers at its centres or institutions including Rampton and Broadmoor . In 1990 during a speech for Turning Point she said, "It takes professionalism to convince a doubting public that it should accept back into its midst many of those diagnosed as psychotics, neurotics and other sufferers who Victorian communities decided should be kept out of sight in

14514-555: The countries. The same research showed that Diana's "charitable endeavors" and "ability to identify with ordinary people" were among the main factors that caused her to be admired and respected by the people. In the weeks after her death counselling services reported an increase in the number of phone calls by the people who were seeking help due to grief or distress. Diana's death mostly affected people who were already vulnerable and could identify with her as "a public figure perceived as psychologically troubled but who seemed to have made

14691-506: The damage caused by landmines. In Bosnia, a landmine survivor, Jasminko Bjelic, who had met Diana only three weeks earlier, said, "She was our friend." In Egypt, the homeland of Dodi Fayed, people visited the British embassy in Cairo to pay their tributes and sign a book of condolences. Following her death many celebrities including actors and singers blamed the paparazzi and condemned their reckless behavior. Mother Teresa , who met Diana

14868-725: The day before Diana's funeral. During the four weeks following her funeral, the suicide rate in England and Wales rose by 17% and cases of deliberate self-harm by 44.3% compared with the average for that period in the four previous years. Researchers suggest that this was caused by the " identification " effect, as the greatest increase in suicides was by people most similar to Diana: women aged 25 to 44, whose suicide rate increased by over 45%. Another research showed that 50% of Britons and 27% of Americans were deeply affected by her death as if someone they knew had died. It also concluded that in general women were more affected than men in both of

15045-562: The disease when many people believed it could be contracted through casual contact. "It has always been my concern to touch people with leprosy, trying to show in a simple action that they are not reviled, nor are we repulsed", she commented. The Diana Princess of Wales Health Education and Media Centre in Noida, India, was opened in her honour in November 1999, funded by the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fund to give social support to

15222-475: The driver was Le Van Thanh . Thanh was questioned by French detectives in 1997, who ruled him out as a suspect but friends and family members have noted inconsistencies in his story. Thanh has since refused interviews or inquiries from investigators. The specific vehicle was not identified. British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook remarked that, if the crash had been caused in part by being hounded by paparazzi, it would be "doubly tragic". Diana's younger brother,

15399-500: The effects of prescription drugs, and concluded that he was solely responsible for the crash. He was the deputy head of security at the Hôtel Ritz Paris at the time of the crash and had earlier goaded paparazzi waiting for Diana and Fayed outside the hotel. Anti-depressants and traces of an anti-psychotic in his blood might have worsened Paul's inebriation. In 2008, a jury at the British inquest, Operation Paget , returned

15576-534: The elderly, but she later became known for her involvement in two particular campaigns: one involved the social attitudes towards and the acceptance of AIDS patients , and the other for the removal of landmines , promoted through the International Red Cross . She also raised awareness and advocated for ways to help people affected by cancer and mental illness. Diana was initially noted for her shyness, but her charisma and friendliness endeared her to

15753-619: The elderly, she was awarded a gold medal at a health care conference organised by the Pio Manzù Centre in Rimini , Italy. The day after her divorce, she announced her resignation from over 100 charities and retained patronages of only six: Centrepoint , English National Ballet , Great Ormond Street Hospital, The Leprosy Mission , National AIDS Trust , and the Royal Marsden Hospital . She continued her work with

15930-557: The elderly. From 1989, she was president of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children . She was patron of the Natural History Museum and president of the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art . From 1984 to 1996, she was president of Barnardo's , a charity founded by Dr. Thomas John Barnardo in 1866 to care for vulnerable children and young people. In 1988, she became patron of

16107-566: The embankment road along the right bank of the River Seine – into the Place de l'Alma underpass. At 00:23, Paul lost control of the car at the entrance to the Pont de l'Alma underpass. The car reportedly struck a white Fiat , swerved to the left of the two-lane carriageway and collided head-on with the 13th pillar that supported the roof. It was travelling at an estimated speed of 105 km/h (65 mph)  – more than twice

16284-436: The exaggerated attention of the media, that was necessary to turn the death of the princess into an event of such magnitude thus served a political purpose, one that was inherently dishonest in a way that parallels the dishonesty that lies behind much sentimentality itself". The reactions following Diana's death were subject to criticism by Christopher Hitchens . His 1998 documentary Princess Diana: The Mourning After accused

16461-547: The extent to which the public reacted to his mother's death. Referring to the day of her funeral, he said: "I'm just walking along and doing what was expected of me, showing the one-tenth of the emotion that everybody else was showing. This was my mum, you never even met her." In his memoir Spare , he mentions meeting members of the public following his mother's death and "Hundreds and hundreds of hands that planted us again and again in front of our faces, with our fingers often wet. Of what? I wondered. Tears, I understood. I disliked

16638-561: The final years of her life, in an attempt to distance herself from the royal family. After her death, it was revealed that Diana had been in discussion with Major's successor, Tony Blair , about a special role that would provide a government platform for her campaigns and charities to make her capable of endorsing Britain's interests overseas. Diana retained close friendships with several celebrities, including Elton John , Liza Minnelli , George Michael , Michael Jackson , and Gianni Versace , whose funeral she attended in 1997. She dated

16815-634: The first year of their marriage; the apartment remained her home until her death the following year. She also moved her offices to Kensington Palace but was permitted "to use the state apartments at St James's Palace". In a book published in 2003, Paul Burrell claimed Diana's private letters had revealed that her brother, Lord Spencer, had refused to allow her to live at Althorp, despite her request. The allegations were proven to be untrue as Spencer received legal apologies from different newspapers, including The Times in 2021, which admitted that "having considered his sister's safety, and in line with police advice,

16992-537: The floral tributes left outside Kensington Palace. The Queen, who returned to London from Balmoral accompanied by Prince Philip, the Queen Mother , and Princess Margaret , agreed to a television broadcast to the nation. She viewed the floral tributes in front of Buckingham Palace and visited the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace, where Diana's body was remaining , and met crowds that were in line to sign

17169-411: The former head of MI6 . Lord Justice Baker began his summing up to the jury on 31 March 2008. He opened by telling the jury "no-one except you and I and, I think, the gentleman in the public gallery with Diana and Fayed painted on his forehead sat through every word of evidence" and concluded that there was "not a shred of evidence" that Diana's death had been ordered by Prince Philip or organised by

17346-572: The hired black 1994 armoured Mercedes-Benz S 280 saloon (W140 S-Class) in order to elude the paparazzi ; a decoy vehicle left the Ritz first from the main entrance on Place Vendôme , attracting a throng of photographers. Diana and Fayed then departed from the hotel's rear entrance, Rue Cambon, at around 00:20 on 31 August CEST (22:20 on 30 August UTC ), heading for the apartment in Rue Arsène Houssaye. They did this to avoid

17523-440: The hospital. At around 17:00, Diana's former husband Charles and her two older sisters Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes arrived in Paris. The group visited the hospital along with French president Jacques Chirac and thanked the doctors for trying to save her life. Charles accompanied Diana's body to the UK later the same day. They departed from Vélizy – Villacoublay Air Base and landed at RAF Northolt , and

17700-467: The lake. All profits were donated to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund . Queen Elizabeth II expressed her dismay at Diana's death. Then-Prince Charles woke his sons before dawn to share the news. Upon announcement of the death, the website of the Royal Family temporarily removed all its content and replaced it with a black background, displaying a picture of Diana accompanied by her name and dates of birth and death. An online book of condolence

17877-527: The legal limit in France. Diana's injuries were extensive, and resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful, including internal cardiac massage . Her heart had been displaced to the right side of the chest, which tore the upper left pulmonary vein and the pericardium . Diana died at the hospital at 04:00. Anaesthetist Bruno Riou announced her death at 06:00 at a news conference held at the hospital. Later that morning, French prime minister Lionel Jospin and Interior Minister Jean-Pierre Chevènement visited

18054-494: The level of censorship against criticism of Diana and the monarchy but was accused, in a review by The Independent , of exaggerating on this point. Private Eye ' s sales dropped by one third after it ran a cover titled "Media to Blame", which attempted to criticise the instant switch in the media and the public's opinion of Diana after her death from critical to complimentary. Hitchens's views were later supported by Jonathan Freedland of The Guardian , who also questioned

18231-475: The life chances of such people". Diana had used her celebrity status to "fight stigma attached to people living with HIV/AIDS", Mandela said. Diana was patron of the HALO Trust , an organisation that removes debris—particularly landmines—left behind by war. In January 1997, pictures of Diana touring an Angolan minefield in a ballistic helmet and flak jacket were seen worldwide. During her campaign, she

18408-412: The loss of a public figure can be a touchstone for other issues." Carol Wallace of People magazine said that the fascination with Diana's death had to do with "the fairy tale failing to end happily – twice, first when she got divorced and now that she died". Reflecting back on the event in the 2021 Apple TV+ docuseries The Me You Can't See , Diana's son Prince Harry said that he was surprised by

18585-587: The nearly 30 photographers waiting in front of the hotel. Diana and Fayed were the rear passengers; Trevor Rees-Jones , a member of the Fayed family's personal protection team, was in the (right) front passenger seat. The bodyguard was the only one wearing a seat belt just before the crash. After leaving the Rue Cambon and crossing the Place de la Concorde , they drove along Cours la Reine and Cours Albert 1er –

18762-551: The new monarch immediately succeeds his or her predecessor. Finally, as a compromise, the Union Flag was flown at half-mast as the Queen left for Westminster Abbey on the day of the funeral. This set a precedent, and Buckingham Palace has subsequently flown the Union Flag when the monarch is not in residence. A rift between Prince Charles and the Queen's private secretary, Sir Robert Fellowes (Diana's brother-in-law),

18939-399: The news of her death. People started bringing flowers within an hour after the news was shared. The BBC flew its flags at half-mast . Both radio and television aired the British national anthem, " God Save the Queen ", in response to Diana's death, as is precedent for the death of a member of the Royal Family. An elegy was published by Ted Hughes to mark her death. Sporting events in

19116-474: The organisations that benefited from the auction of her clothes in New York. The trust's communications manager said she did "much to remove the stigma and taboo associated with diseases such as cancer, AIDS, HIV and leprosy". Diana became president of the hospital on 27 June 1989. The Wolfson Children's Cancer Unit was opened by Diana on 25 February 1993. In February 1996, Diana, who had been informed about

19293-595: The patron of Centrepoint. Diana was a staunch and longtime supporter of charities and organisations that focused on social and mental issues, including Relate and Turning Point. Relate was relaunched in 1987 as a renewed version to its predecessor, the National Marriage Guidance Council. Diana became its patron in 1989. Turning Point, a health and social care organisation, was founded in 1964 to help and support those affected by drug and alcohol misuse and mental health problems. She became

19470-467: The people affected by leprosy and disability. Diana was a long-standing and active supporter of Centrepoint, a charity which provides accommodation and support to homeless people, and became patron in 1992. She supported organisations that battle poverty and homelessness, including the Passage . Diana was a supporter of young homeless people and spoke out on behalf of them by saying that "they deserve

19647-514: The preceding nine days together on board Mohamed's yacht Jonikal on the French and Italian Riviera . They had intended to stay there for the night. Mohamed was the owner of the Hôtel Ritz Paris and resided in an apartment on Rue Arsène Houssaye, a short distance from the hotel, just off the Avenue des Champs Elysées . Henri Paul, deputy head of security at the Ritz, had been instructed to drive

19824-459: The press and indirectly criticised the Royal Family for their treatment of her. The funeral is estimated to have been watched by 31.5 million viewers in Britain. Precise calculation of the worldwide audience is not possible, but it was estimated to be around 2.5 billion. The ceremony was broadcast in 44 languages. After the end of the ceremony, Diana's coffin was driven to Althorp in

20001-517: The press who questioned her about it. Their relationship lasted almost two years with differing accounts of who ended it. She is said to have spoken of her distress when he ended their relationship. However, according to Khan's testimony at the inquest into her death, it was Diana who ended their relationship in the summer of 1997. Burrell also said the relationship was ended by Diana in July 1997. Burrell also claimed that Diana's mother, Frances Shand Kydd, disapproved of her daughter's relationship with

20178-560: The proceeds that were earned from these events were donated to charities. Her final official engagement was a visit to Northwick Park Hospital , London, on 21 July 1997. Her 36th and final birthday celebration was held at Tate Gallery , which was also a commemorative event for the gallery's 100th anniversary. She was scheduled to attend a fundraiser at the Osteopathic Centre for Children on 4 September 1997, upon her return from Paris. Diana began her work with AIDS patients in

20355-511: The public and helped her reputation survive the public collapse of her marriage. Considered photogenic, she is regarded as a fashion icon of the 1980s and 1990s. In August 1997, Diana died in a car crash in Paris; the incident led to extensive public mourning and global media attention. An inquest returned a verdict of unlawful killing following Operation Paget , an investigation by the Metropolitan Police . Her legacy has had

20532-484: The public support. Princes Andrew and Edward met the mourners outside Kensington Palace as a precautionary measure to test the public mood, and Edward visited St James's Palace to sign the book of condolences. On their way from Crathie Kirk to Balmoral, the Queen, Prince Philip , Charles, William and Harry viewed the floral tributes and messages left by the public. Charles and his sons returned to London on Friday, 5 September. They made an unannounced visit to see

20709-495: The public was asked to stop bringing flowers as the volume of both visitors and flowers in the surrounding roads was said to be causing a threat to public safety. By 10 September, the pile of flowers outside Kensington Gardens was 5 feet (1.5 m) deep in places and the bottom layer had started to compost . The people were quiet, queuing patiently to sign the book and leave their gifts. Fresh flowers, teddy bears, and bottles of champagne were later donated and distributed among

20886-487: The purview of traditional royal involvement, including AIDS and leprosy . In recognition of her effect as a philanthropist, Stephen Lee, director of the UK Institute of Charity Fundraising Managers, said "Her overall effect on charity is probably more significant than any other person's in the 20th century." Diana was the patroness of charities and organisations who worked with the homeless, youth, drug addicts, and

21063-440: The reaction with, "The woman's dead. Shut up. Get over it". These criticisms were repeated on the tenth anniversary of the crash, when journalist Jonathan Freedland of The Guardian expressed the opinion that, "It has become an embarrassing memory, like a mawkish, self-pitying teenage entry in a diary ... we cringe to think about it." In 2010, Theodore Dalrymple suggested "sentimentality, both spontaneous and generated by

21240-431: The reason behind the "outburst of mass hysteria" following Diana's death and described it as "an episode when the British public lost its characteristic cool and engaged in seven days of bogus sentimentality, whipped up by the media, and whose flimsiness was demonstrated when it vanished as quickly as it had appeared". Comparing Diana's funeral to that of Winston Churchill , Peter Hitchens (brother of Christopher) observed

21417-413: The role on 13 June as Coroner for Inner West London. On 27 July 2007, Baker, following representations for the lawyers of the interested parties, issued a list of issues likely to be raised at the inquest, many of which had been dealt with in great detail by Operation Paget: The inquests officially began on 2 October 2007 with the swearing of a jury of six women and five men. Lord Justice Baker delivered

21594-470: The safety of mental institutions". Despite the protocol problems of travelling to a Muslim country, she made a trip to Pakistan in 1991 in order to visit a rehabilitation centre in Lahore as a sign of "her commitment to working against drug abuse". Death of Diana, Princess of Wales During the early hours of 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales , died from injuries sustained earlier that night in

21771-507: The same centre. In 1988, Diana opened Children with Leukaemia (later renamed Children with Cancer UK) in memory of two young cancer victims. In November 1987, a few days after the death of Jean O'Gorman from cancer, Diana met her family. The deaths of Jean and her brother affected her and she assisted their family to establish the charity. It was opened by her on 12 January 1988 at Mill Hill Secondary School, and she supported it until her death in 1997. In November 1989, Diana visited

21948-746: The same month in Rome and developed a personal relationship. It was also during the Indian tour that pictures of Diana alone in front of the Taj Mahal made headlines. In May 1992, she went on a solo tour of Egypt, visiting the Giza pyramid complex and attending a meeting with Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak . In November 1992, she went on an official solo trip to France and had an audience with President François Mitterrand . In March 1993, she went on her first solo trip after her separation from Charles, visiting

22125-490: The same month. The article, " Squidgygate ", was followed in November 1992 by the leaked " Camillagate " tapes, intimate exchanges between Charles and Parker Bowles, published in the tabloids . In December 1992, Prime Minister John Major announced the couple's "amicable separation" to the House of Commons . Between 1992 and 1993, Diana hired a voice coach, Peter Settelen , to help her develop her public speaking voice. In

22302-603: The scene at 01:41, and arrived at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital at 02:06. Fayed was in the left rear passenger seat and was pronounced dead at the scene shortly afterwards. Paul was also pronounced dead at the scene on removal from the wreckage. Both were taken directly to the Institut Médico-Légal (IML), the Paris mortuary. Paul was later found to have a blood alcohol level of 180 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood, nearly 4 times

22479-418: The scene. Mailliez reported that Diana had no visible injuries but was in shock. She was reported to have been extremely disturbed and removed an intravenous drip while shouting incoherently. After being sedated and removed from the car at 01:00, she went into cardiac arrest , but her heart started beating again following external cardiopulmonary resuscitation . Diana was moved to the ambulance at 01:18, left

22656-430: The security services. He concluded his summing up on Wednesday, 2 April 2008. After summing up, the jury retired to consider five verdicts, namely unlawful killing by the negligence of either or both the following vehicles or Paul; accidental death or an open verdict . The jury decided on 7 April 2008 that Diana had been unlawfully killed by the "grossly negligent driving of the following vehicles [the paparazzi] and of

22833-502: The sick, the elderly and children. Cards, personal messages and poems were collected and given to Diana's family. Early on, it was uncertain that Diana would receive a ceremonial funeral , since she had lost the status of Her Royal Highness following her divorce from Prince Charles in 1996. Diana's death was met with extraordinary public expressions of grief, and her funeral at Westminster Abbey on 6 September drew an estimated 3 million mourners and onlookers in London. Outside

23010-533: The speedometer's needle had jammed at that position. It was later announced that the car's speed upon collision was 95–110 km/h (59–68 mph), about twice as fast as the speed limit of 50 km/h (31 mph). In 1999, a French investigation concluded that the Mercedes had come into contact with a white Fiat Uno in the tunnel. The driver of the Fiat was never conclusively traced, although many believed that

23187-467: The story broke, later writing that Diana had "exulted in accusing Legge-Bourke of having had an abortion". The rumours of Legge-Bourke's alleged abortion were apparently spread by Martin Bashir as a means to gain his Panorama interview with Diana. The decree nisi was granted on 15 July 1996 and the divorce was finalised on 28 August 1996. Diana was represented by Anthony Julius in the case. The couple shared custody of their children. She received

23364-429: The time of the crash. It was suggested that these agents might have exchanged the blood test from Henri Paul with another blood sample (although no evidence for this has been forthcoming). The inquests into the deaths of Diana and Fayed opened on 8 January 2007, with Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss acting as Deputy Coroner of the Queen's Household for the Diana inquest and Assistant Deputy Coroner for Surrey in relation to

23541-418: The time, my grandmother wanted to protect her two grandsons and my father as well. Our grandmother deliberately removed the newspapers and things like that so there was nothing in the house to read." Diana's sister, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, also spoke in defence of the Queen's decision: "She did absolutely the right thing. If I'd been her, I'd have done that." British Prime Minister Tony Blair said that he

23718-480: The tipping point. On 20 December, Buckingham Palace announced that the Queen had sent letters to Charles and Diana, advising them to divorce. The Queen's move was backed by Prime Minister John Major and by senior privy counsellors , and, according to the BBC, was decided after two weeks of talks. Charles formally agreed to the divorce in a written statement soon after. In February 1996, Diana announced her agreement after negotiations with Charles and representatives of

23895-578: The title Princess Charles . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Princess_Charles&oldid=1153682001 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Diana, Princess of Wales Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer ; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997)

24072-575: The touch of those hands. What's more, I disliked how they made me feel guilty. Why were all of those people crying when I was neither crying nor able to cry?" In the years after her death, many memorials were commissioned and dedicated to her. As a temporary memorial, the public co-opted the Flamme de la Liberté ( Flame of Liberty ), a monument near the Pont de l'Alma tunnel related to the French donation of

24249-644: The tour included visits by Diana to hospitals and projects focusing on women's development. In May 1990, they visited Hungary for four days. It was the first visit by members of the royal family to "a former Warsaw Pact country". They attended a dinner hosted by President Árpád Göncz and viewed a fashion display at the Museum of Applied Arts in Budapest. Peto Institute was among the places visited by Diana, and she presented its director with an honorary OBE . In November 1990, she and Charles went to Japan to attend

24426-419: The tunnel". The photographers had been driving slower and were some distance behind the Mercedes. When they reached the scene, some rushed to help, trying to open the doors and help the victims, while some of them took pictures. Police arrived around ten minutes after the crash at 00:30, and an ambulance was on site five minutes later, according to witnesses. France Info radio reported that one photographer

24603-864: The two were having an affair. Penny Junor suggested in her 1998 book that Diana was in a romantic relationship with Mannakee. Diana's friends dismissed the claim as absurd. In the subsequently released tapes, Diana said she had feelings for that "someone", saying "I was quite happy to give all this up [and] just to go off and live with him". She described him as "the greatest friend [she's] ever had", though she denied any sexual relationship with him. She also spoke bitterly of her husband saying that "[He] made me feel so inadequate in every possible way, that each time I came up for air he pushed me down again." Although she blamed Parker Bowles for her marital troubles, Diana began to believe her husband had been involved in other affairs. In October 1993 Diana wrote to her butler Paul Burrell , telling him that she believed her husband

24780-525: The university with a replica of their royal charter. In September 1991, Diana visited Pakistan on a solo trip, and went to Brazil with Charles. During the Brazilian tour, Diana paid visits to organisations that battled homelessness among street children. Her final trips with Charles were to India and South Korea in 1992. She visited Mother Teresa 's hospice in Kolkata , India. The two women met later in

24957-617: The work of NGOs that have campaigned against landmines, is to pass the Bill, and to pave the way towards a global ban on landmines. A few months after Diana's death in 1997, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines won the Nobel Peace Prize . For her first solo official trip, Diana visited The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust , a cancer treatment hospital in London. She later chose this charity to be among

25134-513: The world, and her televised funeral was watched by an estimated 2.5 billion people. The royal family were criticised in the press for their reaction to Diana's death. On Saturday, 30 August 1997, Diana left the Olbia Airport , Sardinia , on a private jet and arrived at Le Bourget Airport in Paris with Egyptian film producer Dodi Fayed , son of businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed . They had stopped there en route to London, having spent

25311-542: Was "utterly devastated by the death of the Princess". US President Bill Clinton said that he and his wife, Hillary Clinton , were "profoundly saddened" when they found out about her death. Kofi Annan , the United Nations Secretary-General said that her death "has robbed the world of a consistent and committed voice for the improvement of the lives of suffering children worldwide". In

25488-545: Was 15 and Harry was 12 when Diana died. The boys received locks of their mother's hair from their aunt Lady Sarah McCorquodale once she returned from Paris according to Harry. Years later, William and Harry defended their father and grandmother's actions in the aftermath of their mother's death. Describing his father's role, Harry said: "[Our dad] was there for us — he was the one out of two left, and he tried to do his best and to make sure that we were protected and looked after." Speaking about his grandmother, William stated: "At

25665-512: Was Harry's father based on the alleged physical similarity between Hewitt and Harry, but Hewitt and others have denied this. Harry was born two years before Hewitt and Diana began their affair. By 1987, cracks in the marriage had become visible and the couple's unhappiness and cold attitude towards one another were being reported by the press, who dubbed them " the Glums " because of their evident discomfort in each other's company. In 1989, Diana

25842-565: Was a bit crowded." She also expressed doubt about her husband's suitability for kingship. The authors Tina Brown , Sally Bedell Smith , and Sarah Bradford support Diana's admission in the interview that she had suffered from depression , bulimia and had engaged numerous times in the act of self-harm ; the show's transcript records Diana confirming many of her mental health problems. The combination of illnesses from which Diana herself said she suffered resulted in some of her biographers opining that she had borderline personality disorder . It

26019-592: Was a boy, but did not share the knowledge with anyone else, including Charles, who hoped for a girl. Diana gave her sons wider experiences than was usual for royal children. She rarely deferred to Charles or to the royal family, and was often intransigent when it came to the children. She chose their first given names, dismissed a royal family nanny and engaged one of her own choosing, selected their schools and clothing, planned their outings, and took them to school herself as often as her schedule permitted. She also organised her public duties around their timetables. Diana

26196-562: Was a dreadful time for my parents and probably the root of their divorce because I don't think they ever got over it". Diana grew up in Park House, situated on the Sandringham estate . The family leased the house from its owner, Queen Elizabeth II , whom Diana called "Aunt Lilibet" since childhood. The royal family frequently holidayed at the neighbouring Sandringham House, and Diana played with Princes Andrew and Edward . Diana

26373-416: Was a member of the British royal family . She was the first wife of Charles III (then Prince of Wales ) and mother of Princes William and Harry . Her activism and glamour, which made her an international icon, earned her enduring popularity. Diana was born into the British nobility and grew up close to the royal family, living at Park House on their Sandringham estate . In 1981, while working as

26550-614: Was a patron. During a tour of Harlem Hospital Center , she spontaneously hugged a seven-year-old child with AIDS. In March 1989, she had her second trip to the Arab states of the Persian Gulf , in which she visited Kuwait and the UAE. In March 1990, Diana and Charles toured Nigeria and Cameroon. The president of Cameroon hosted an official dinner to welcome them in Yaoundé . Highlights of

26727-577: Was accused of meddling in politics and called a "loose cannon" by Lord Howe , an official in the British Ministry of Defence . Despite the criticism, HALO states that Diana's efforts resulted in raising international awareness about landmines and the subsequent sufferings caused by them. In June 1997, she gave a speech at a landmines conference held at the Royal Geographical Society , and went to Washington, DC to support

26904-412: Was also made available on the website for the public to post their personal tributes. On Sunday morning after Diana's death, the Queen, Princes Charles, William and Harry all wore black to church services at Crathie Kirk near Balmoral Castle . The royal family later issued a statement, saying Charles, William and Harry were "taking strength from" and "deeply touched" by and "enormously grateful" for

27081-437: Was also the first royal bride to have a paying job before her engagement. Diana's first public appearance with Charles was at a charity ball held at Goldsmiths' Hall in March 1981, where she was introduced to Princess Grace of Monaco . Diana became Princess of Wales at age 20 when she married Charles, then 32, on 29 July 1981. The wedding was held at St Paul's Cathedral , which offered more seating than Westminster Abbey ,

27258-547: Was an avid campaigner for banning the explosive devices. The Ottawa Treaty , which created an international ban on the use of anti-personnel landmines, was adopted in Oslo, in September 1997 and signed by 122 States in Ottawa on 3 December 1997. Diana's work on the landmines issue has been described as influential in the signing of the treaty. In London, thousands of people carried bouquets and stood outside Buckingham Palace after

27435-573: Was announced. In January 1982—12 weeks into the pregnancy—Diana fell down a staircase at Sandringham, suffering some bruising, and the royal gynaecologist George Pinker was summoned from London; the foetus was uninjured. Diana later confessed that she had intentionally thrown herself down the stairs because she was feeling "so inadequate". On 21 June 1982, she gave birth to the couple's first son, Prince William . She subsequently suffered from postpartum depression after her first pregnancy. Amidst some media criticism, she decided to take William—who

27612-529: Was at a birthday party for Parker Bowles's sister, Annabel Elliot , when she confronted Parker Bowles about her and Charles's extramarital affair. These affairs were later exposed in 1992 with the publication of Andrew Morton 's book, Diana: Her True Story . The book, which also revealed Diana's allegedly suicidal unhappiness, caused a media storm. In 1991, James Colthurst conducted secret interviews with Diana in which she had talked about her marital issues and difficulties. These recordings were later used as

27789-466: Was baptised at St. Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham . She grew up with three siblings: Sarah , Jane , and Charles . Her infant brother, John, died shortly after his birth one year before Diana was born. The desire for an heir added strain to her parents' marriage, and Lady Althorp was sent to Harley Street clinics in London to determine the cause of the "problem". The experience was described as "humiliating" by Diana's younger brother, Charles: "It

27966-415: Was beaten by witnesses who were horrified by the scene. Five of the photographers were arrested directly. Later, two others were detained and around 20 rolls of film were taken directly from the photographers. Police also impounded their vehicles afterwards. Firefighters also arrived at the scene to help remove the victims. Rees-Jones sustained multiple serious facial injuries and a head contusion, but

28143-531: Was commissioned to examine the forensic evidence. The police investigation reported its findings in Operation Paget in December 2006. In January 2006, Lord Stevens explained in an interview on GMTV that the case is substantially more complex than once thought. The Sunday Times wrote on 29 January 2006 that agents of the British secret service were cross-examined because they were in Paris at

28320-466: Was conscious. The front airbags had functioned normally. Rees-Jones was the only occupant wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash according to some reports. Diana was sitting in the right rear passenger seat and was critically injured, but she was also conscious. The crash mostly affected the righthand side of her body, indicating that she was sitting sideways in her seat at the time of impact. Her ribs and arm were fractured and her right collar bone

28497-510: Was dislocated, and she suffered from swelling and bruising to the brain. She was reported to murmur repeatedly, "Oh my God", and after the photographers and other helpers were pushed away by police, "Leave me alone." In June 2007, the Channel 4 documentary Diana: The Witnesses in the Tunnel claimed that the first person to touch Diana was off-duty physician Frederic Mailliez, who chanced upon

28674-573: Was initially home-schooled under the supervision of her governess , Gertrude Allen. She began her formal education at Silfield Private School in King's Lynn , Norfolk, and moved to Riddlesworth Hall School , an all-girls boarding school near Thetford , when she was nine. She joined her sisters at West Heath Girls' School in Sevenoaks , Kent, in 1973. She did not perform well academically, failing her O-levels twice. Her outstanding community spirit

28851-432: Was later revealed that Bashir had used forged bank statements to win Diana and her brother's trust to secure the interview, falsely indicating people close to her had been paid for spying. Lord Dyson conducted an independent inquiry into the issue and concluded that Bashir had "little difficulty in playing on [Diana's] fears and paranoia ", a sentiment that was shared by Diana's son William. The interview proved to be

29028-677: Was left out at the couple's request, which caused some comment at the time. Diana wore a dress valued at £9,000 (equivalent to £43,573 in 2023) with a 25-foot (7.62-metre) train. Within a few years of the wedding, the Queen extended Diana visible tokens of membership in the royal family, lending her the Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara and granting her the badge of the Royal Family Order of Elizabeth II . The couple had residences at Kensington Palace and Highgrove House , near Tetbury . On 5 November 1981, Diana's pregnancy

29205-399: Was lined with lead, as is tradition with British royalty. Her body was buried wearing a black Catherine Walker dress and black tights, and holding a rosary in her hands. The rosary had been a gift from Mother Teresa of Calcutta, a confidante of Diana, who had died the day before her funeral. A visitors' centre is open during summer months, with an exhibition about Diana and a walk around

29382-591: Was made. The funeral committee at Buckingham Palace wanted William and Harry to have a bigger role in their mother's funeral and Downing Street officials suggested that they could walk in the funeral cortège, but faced opposition from Prince Philip, who reportedly stated "They've just lost their mother. You're talking about them as if they are commodities." Prince Harry said in 2017 that the death of his mother caused severe depression and grief. He later stated that what he experienced after his mother's death "was very much" post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). William

29559-415: Was now in love with his personal assistant Tiggy Legge-Bourke —who was also his sons' former nanny—and was planning to have her killed "to make the path clear for him to marry Tiggy". Legge-Bourke had been hired by Charles as a young companion for his sons while they were in his care, and Diana was resentful of Legge-Bourke and her relationship with the young princes. Charles sought public understanding via

29736-562: Was particularly bad. She resented Raine, whom she called a "bully". On one occasion Diana pushed her down the stairs. She later described her childhood as "very unhappy" and "very unstable, the whole thing". She became known as Lady Diana after her father later inherited the title of Earl Spencer in 1975, at which point her father moved the entire family from Park House to Althorp , the Spencer seat in Northamptonshire . Diana

29913-696: Was recognised with an award from West Heath. She left West Heath when she was sixteen. Her brother Charles recalls her as being quite shy up until that time. She demonstrated musical ability as a skilled pianist. She also excelled in swimming and diving, and studied ballet and tap dance . In 1978 Diana worked for three months as a nanny for Philippa and Jeremy Whitaker in Hampshire. After attending Institut Alpin Videmanette (a finishing school in Rougemont, Switzerland ) for one term, and leaving after

30090-453: Was reported in the media over the nature of the funeral, with Charles demanding a public funeral and Fellowes supporting the Queen's idea of a private one. The Palace later issued a statement denying such rumours. Discussions were also held with the Spencer family and the British royal family as to whether Diana's HRH style needed to be restored posthumously, but Diana's family decided that it would be against Diana's wishes and no formal offer

30267-529: Was reported to have described Harry as "naughty, just like me", and William as "my little wise old man" whom she started to rely on as her confidant by his early teens. Five years into the marriage, the couple's incompatibility and age difference became visible and damaging. In 1986, Diana began a relationship with James Hewitt , the family's former riding instructor and in the same year, Charles resumed his relationship with his former girlfriend Camilla Parker Bowles . The media speculated that Hewitt, not Charles,

30444-459: Was reported to have reassured his mother: "Don't worry, Mummy, I will give it back to you one day when I am king". Almost a year before, according to Tina Brown, Philip had warned Diana: "If you don't behave, my girl, we'll take your title away." She is said to have replied: "My title is a lot older than yours, Philip." After her divorce, Diana retained the double apartment on the north side of Kensington Palace that she had shared with Charles since

30621-443: Was required to pay her bills and "any expenditure" incurred by her or on her behalf. Furthermore, she continued to have access to the jewellery that she had received during her marriage, and was allowed to use the air transport of the British royal family and government . Diana was also offered security by Metropolitan Police 's Royalty Protection Group , which she benefitted from while travelling with her sons, but had refused it in

30798-539: Was seven years old when her parents divorced. Her mother later began a relationship with Peter Shand Kydd and married him in 1969. Diana lived with her mother in London during her parents' separation in 1967, but during that year's Christmas holidays, Lord Althorp refused to let his daughter return to London with Lady Althorp. Shortly afterwards, he won custody of Diana with support from his former mother-in-law, Lady Fermoy. In 1976, Lord Althorp married Raine, Countess of Dartmouth . Diana's relationship with her stepmother

30975-485: Was still a baby—on her first major tours of Australia and New Zealand, and the decision was popularly applauded. By her own admission, Diana had not initially intended to take William until Malcolm Fraser , the Australian prime minister , made the suggestion. A second son, Harry , was born on 15 September 1984. Diana said she and Charles were closest during her pregnancy with Harry. She was aware their second child

31152-400: Was styled Diana, Princess of Wales . As the mother of the prince expected to one day ascend to the throne, she was still considered to be a member of the royal family and was accorded the same precedence she enjoyed during her marriage. The Queen reportedly wanted to let Diana continue to use the style of Royal Highness after her divorce, but Charles had insisted on removing it. Prince William

31329-461: Was well received by the Queen, the Queen Mother and the Duke of Edinburgh . Charles subsequently courted Diana in London. He proposed on 6 February 1981 at Windsor Castle , and she accepted, but their engagement was kept secret for two and a half weeks. Their engagement became official on 24 February 1981. Diana selected her own engagement ring . Following the engagement, she left her occupation as

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