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Diana, Princess of Wales, née Spencer; Born 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997 was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales. Their sons, Princes William and Henry (Harry), are second and third in line to the thrones of the United Kingdom and fifteen other Commonwealth Realms. A public figure from the announcement of her engagement to Prince Charles, Diana remained the focus of near-constant media scrutiny in the United Kingdom and around the world up to and during her marriage, and after her subsequent divorce. Her sudden death in a car crash was followed by a spontaneous and prolonged show of public mourning. Contemporary responses to Diana's life and legacy have been mixed but a popular fascination with the Princess endures. The long awaited Coroner's Inquest concluded in April 2008 that Diana had been unlawfully killed by the driver and the following paparazzi. Diana was the youngest daughter of Edward John Spencer,Viscount Althorp, later the 8th Earl Spencer, and his first wife, Frances, Viscountess Althorp (formerly the Honourable Frances Burke Roche, and later Frances Shand Kydd). She was born at Park House, Sandringham in Norfolk, England on 1 July 1961 at 6.45 in the evening. She was baptised at St. Mary Magdalene Church by the Rt. Rev. Percy Herbert (rector of the church and former Bishop of Norwich and Blackburn); her godparents included John Floyd (the chairman of Christie's). She was the third child to the couple, her four siblings being The Lady Sarah Spencer (born 1955), The Lady Jane Spencer (born 1957), The Honourable John Spencer (born and died 12 January 1960), and The Honourable Charles Spencer (born 1964). Following her parents' acrimonious divorce in 1969 (over Lady Althorp's affair with wallpaper heir Peter Shand Kydd), Diana's mother took her and her younger brother to live in an apartment in London's Knightsbridge, where Diana attended a local day school. That Christmas the Spencer children went to celebrate with their father and he subsequently refused to allow them to return to London with their mother. Lady Althorp sued for custody of her children, but Lady Althorp's mother's testimony against her daughter during the trial contributed to the court's decision to award custody of Diana and her brother to their father. In 1976 Lord Spencer married Raine, Countess of Dartmouth, the only daughter of romantic novelist Barbara Cartland, after he was named as the "other party" in the Dartmouths' divorce. During this time Diana travelled up and down the country, living between her parents' homes—with her father at the Spencer seat in Northamptonshire, and with her mother, who had moved to the Island of Seil off the west coast of Scotland. Diana, like her siblings, did not get along with her stepmother. Diana was born into the Spencer family. On her mother's side, Diana had Irish, Scottish, English, American and remote Armenian ancestry. One of her great-grandmothers on her mother's side was the New York heiress Frances Work. On her father's side, she was a descendant of King Charles II of England through four illegitimate sons. The Spencers had been close to the British Royal Family for centuries, rising in royal favour during the 1600s. Diana's maternal grandmother, Ruth, Lady Fermoy, was a long-time friend and a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. The life of a Princess; Diana Frances Spencer. Princess Diana`s childhood: Everything was perfectly prepared. Pale blue baby clothes lay freshly washed and starched on the commode, father Jonnie Althorp held young Frances' hand and hoped that everything would very soon be over. Both the two small girls Sarah and Jane were also allowed to stay up for longer on this first of July 1961. They of course wanted to be the first to greet their new little brother. But with the first scream of the child followed the disappointing knowledge: a girl. Yet again no heir to the family title Earl of Spencer! It was the birth of Diana. Even when her parents so eagerly wished for a son, Diana experienced a carefree childhood, protected, loved and honoured. Three years later followed the eagerly awaited for son. They Christened him after the name of the British heir to the throne, Charles. Diana later liked to think back to these first years of her childhood. The family lived in a very beautiful and large house on the private estate of the Royal Family at Sandringham. In earlier times Park House served as a royal guesthouse, later it was leased by Diana's family. It consisted of ten bedrooms and four roomy salons. The wonderful grounds offered the children a great amount of space for games and rollicks. The immediate neighbourliness to the royal country seat brought with it regular meetings between Diana and her siblings and members of the Royal Family. They often met up with Prince Andrew and Prince Edward to go swimming at Park House, or they were invited to a tea party "at the court". These meetings were completely informal and without courtly ceremony, as the Royals were mostly present during the hunting season and accordingly relaxed. In spite of this Diana's father paid much attention to good behaviour and etiquette when raising his children. After all he himself, as the descendant of the ancient noble Spencer family, held the high position of Royal Equerry. Diana's mother Frances, daughter of Baron Fermoy, was a highly educated lady, who warmed the hearts of her four children and her husband. However family life became increasingly more difficult. Whilst Jonnie loved the country surroundings, hunting and fishing, Frances yearned for the hurly-burly and elegance of the capital city. They argued more and more, and Diana often closely witnessed loud arguments between her parents. This worried her, and she wondered whether she was perhaps at fault. When Diana was four years old Frances decided to hire a governess. Together with other children from the village the little girl was taught in her parents' house. In this way at least during the day bright children's laughter was able to be heard. Hardly a year later began the marital tragedy of Frances and Jonnie. The prosperous and vivacious Peter Shand Kydd entered Diana's mother's life. She tried to save her marriage, to support her family, yet two years later she moved to London because of Peter. A catastrophe for Diana and her siblings! After the divorce came the battle over custody. Jonnie convinced the court that the children should stay with their father. Diana was just seven years old at this time. Suddenly everything was different in their parental home. Nannies and servants certainly cared devotedly for the four children, but the joy was gone. Above all little Charles missed his beloved mother beyond all measure. Diana too felt deep worry in her heart, she felt abandoned and her child soul felt wounded. For the first time in her life she helped herself, by giving others faith and love. At the ripe age of just seven years she developed her most remarkable characteristic: she opened her heart to others and in this way she numbed her own pain. Diana became a substitute mother for Charles. She protected him, gave him love and warmth. In this way she found a new role within her family which met her needs. Yet then her father decided that Diana must go to a boarding school. He chose Riddlesworth Hall in Norfolk, a girls' boarding school for the upper classes. A vision of horror for the nine-year-old! Nothing could help, Diana had to fulfill her father's wishes. It took a long time before she felt at ease in her new school. Diana was so shy, so vulnerable - how could she even find her way around in the strange environment? Mathematics, history, geography, French! Diana had no great interest in getting to grips with these things. She much more preferred to crouch in her room and read Barbara Cartland's novels. These were concerned with powerful feelings, with love and romance. She certainly couldn't guess that very soon a member of the Cartland family would completely change her life in a decisive way. Her teachers demanded discipline. Yet Diana's work only seldom offered cause for praise. She reflected on her natural talents and saved herself through her willingness to help and kindness. If there were problems between teachers and pupils - Diana negotiated. If one of her comrades had problems at home - then Diana comforted. If two girls argued, then she settled it for them.
Two years later she was sent to the West Heath Boarding School in Kent. Her father paid 4000 pounds per term and hoped that this respected school would take any ballet ideas out of her head. Again it took a long time before Diana felt comfortable amongst her fellow pupils. At first she wanted only one thing: that daddy would bring her home! She held through five years at the school, however she didn't pass her exams, even at the second attempt. A place at college was therefore not possible, so Diana ended her schooling at 16. For a girl from an old titled family all this is also not very important. It is enough to be able to marry well. And when the family background is good and the girl is pretty, the rest is not so important. One thing was very clear to Diana: she never wanted to return to her father. This is because in the mean time a lot of things had changed in his life. In 1975 Diana's grandfather died, and with this her father became Earl of Spencer. As well as the title he also inherited the wonderful Althorp House. Shortly after the move Barbara Cartland's daughter entered his life. And Diana obtained a hated stepmother! Lady Raine had her husband under her control. She was pleased to be the lady of the castle, and she completely turned the household around. A few of the most expensive paintings were sold, new furniture and wall decorations were ordered. That was not Diana's home any more! There were arguments over the family heirlooms. How could father have married Lady Raine! Her shrill voice and her grumbling annoyed all the Spencer children, they suddenly all had a concept of the enemy in common. Yet it was difficult for them to assert themselves against Raine. She was not keen on any of the four, the children disturbed her in her duties as sole woman in charge. Diana was not able to achieve anything here through kindness and friendliness. On the contrary, Lady Raine left out no opportunity to present her step-daughter as a silly girl, who didn't once manage to pass exams at college.
Adolescence: Something had to happen, so the Earl of Spencer sent his daughter to Switzerland. The right choice appeared to him to be the girls' boarding school "Institut Alpin Videmanette" in Rougemont near Gstaad. Home skills, sewing, cooking, hostess skills, etiquette - all of this should prepare Diana for life. Yet whilst daddy thought of virtues befitting a housewife, she looked forward to going skiing. In November 1977, on the occasion of a hunting party with a party afterwards, the 16 year-old Diana drove to her father at Althorp Hall. A visit from those in the highest society had been confirmed. If that were not a reason to overcome the dislike of the stepmother for the space of a weekend! Her sister Sarah had been friends with Prince Charles for a little while now, and now he had confirmed his attendance! At this hunting trip the somewhat chubby boarding school pupil in a thick jumper and rubber boots literally tripped up before the feet of the prominent guest - Prince Charles. The heir to the throne was fascinated by the charm of the young Diana. Certainly he knew the young girl from his childhood, but it was now that he took note of her for the first time. She was so happy, full of a passion for life and amusing. Finally a girl who didn't gaze at him longingly. How could Diana then have come to such a daring idea? She was after all just the little sister of the heir to the throne's girlfriend. In December 1977 Diana completed her studies at the boarding school. She returned to Great Britain and moved to London, to her mother. Finally life was supposed to start for Diana. She was so excited. Never having to go to school again. Earning a little bit of money would be the best thing. But what should Diana do? She had no qualifications for a job. Perhaps an apprenticeship? But which? Something like being in an office between nine o'clock in the morning until five o'clock in the afternoon? Certainly not! Good, when one has a pair of friends with whom one can spend the time. Also good when one can lodge free of charge by one's mother for the time being. The conversations of the friends were always over one theme: young aristocrats. They giggled and fooled around, none of them had yet had any experiences with the other sex. Their favourite activity was shopping. Together they roamed through department stores and boutiques, tried on whole collections under the strict gaze of the sales staff. Bought was - if at all - only little. The young Diana had very little money in her pocket, but a few years later the shops were to be greatly compensated. Already then she loved expensive designer fashion, had to however make do with a jumper and jeans. To her concern Diana was a little chubby, therefore she began to try out certain diets. She was completely convinced that only a true beauty would get an eligible bachelor. But her self-confidence was not yet especially pronounced and she suffered with an inferiority complex. When she was bored she watched American soap operas on the television. Diana dropped on to the sofa, nibbled chocolate bars and biscuits and had a guilty conscience about her figure. Yet she often didn't manage to satisfy her huge appetite. The more insecure Diana felt, the more she ate. A behaviour which would later bring her many problems. When she felt ill after eating so much she laid in bed and cried. Then she pictured being eternally alone, with a dismal existence as an old maid. Diana was not built for being alone. She needed company. She felt at her best when surrounded by a whole group of friends. Typically Diana had never in her life had a best friend. Already when at school she was always together with more than one person of the same age. And in London she doubly enjoyed herself when she was able out with many female friends. The group gave her security and helped her to conceal her shyness. Yes, Diana could be completely silly and boisterous. She was always available for small pranks, and she developed her own individual humour and wit. The girls could have a good laugh with Diana, she was extremely popular. In September '78 her father suffered a stroke and needed four months to recover. Diana was very worried about her father. Diana completed a ten-week course at this time, worked as a baby-sitter and served drinks at the parties of befriended families. This could not possibly be how she would spend her life! In November 1978 followed the next invitation to the palace - and that was much, much more exciting! Prince Charles celebrated his 30th birthday and invited Sarah and Diana. It was a welcome change in her otherwise completely bland life. The relationship between Sarah and Charles was in the meantime over, as Sarah made a great mistake. In reply to a reporter's question, as to whether she would love Prince Charles and marry him, she answered that she would not love him, and did not want to marry him. In January '79 the next invitation was already issued. Diana and her sister Sarah were invited by the queen to a hunting weekend at Sandringham. The turning point came on her 18th birthday when she could come into the inheritance of a relative from America. $63,000 - that was a respectable sum! With this money Diana bought a flat in South Kensington, London. And she obtained a position as a kindergarten helper. She only worked for three days per week, but she really didn't need to do any more. After all, Diana never expected to find fulfillment through a job, so she didn't worry about starting a career. She moved into the flat with three of her friends. Now finally the dream of freedom and self-determination could be achieved. Her first own car awoke the feeling of possessing wings. Yet unfortunately she soon wrote it off. Diana had a few admirers, but she never thought about binding herself down to a man. She preferred to cruise the bars and clubs of London with her female friends. Diana constantly enlarged her circle of acquaintances and improved her self-confidence and own strength. These were lovely, uncomplicated times. She never considered which path her career would take. After all, at 18 life is just beginning, and the man of her dreams would already be waiting for her somewhere. That he would have to come from high society was without question. An attitude that she shared with all the daughters from old English aristocratic families as self-evident. There were certainly enough admirers, but Diana wanted to save herself for her dream prince. In July '79 Diana and her sister Jane followed an invitation of the Queen to Scotland at Balmoral Castle, but no romance was in sight. Engagement: In February 1980 Diana spent her first weekend at Sandringham in the company of the Royal Family without being accompanied by a sister. Although she was excited she played down the excitement of her friends: "What do you think would happen, it's only a weekend hunt at Sandringham." The interjection "my God, perhaps you'll be the next Queen of England", she dismissed whilst she was scrubbing the oven: "I hardly think so. Can you imagine me in rubber gloves and a robe?" Diana travelled to Sandringham together with Lady Amanda Knatchbull. She was the granddaughter of Lord Mountbatten who had been murdered in August 1979 by the IRA, and who Charles had seen as a "substitute father" for many years. A friend of Diana's, Philip, invited Diana in July 1980 to a barbecue at his parents' house in Petworth. As his mother was the Queen's Lady in Waiting, he could promise Diana that she would meet Prince Charles: "You are young, he might like you." Diana was given a place next to Prince Charles at the barbecue. Both later remembered that they began with friendly pleasantries, however soon came to talk about the magnificent funeral service held for Lord Mountbatten. All the world knew how much he had meant to Prince Charles, but Diana said it spontaneously: "You looked so sad as you had to walk down the aisle. I have never seen anything so sad before. My heart bled as I saw you so, and I thought: "That is not right, you are completely alone, you should have someone with you who you trust". With this a spark must have been ignited, as the picture that the twelve years older Charles had previously had of the little Spencer daughter transformed itself decisively. Hardly back home, and Diana first experienced what it meant to be placed into the royal calendar. One Sunday afternoon a telephone call told her that Prince Charles would be prepared to accompany her to a performance of Verdi's "Requiem" in the Royal Albert Hall. Her grandmother Lady Ruth Fermoy would come as chaperone, and would also be present at a cold buffet in his private quarters in Buckingham Palace. In August 1980 the next invitation arrived. This time she was invited to a sailing weekend at Cowes. At the beginning of September the Prince newly invited Diana to an extended weekend, this time to Balmoral. Fittingly Diana's sister Jane and her husband lived in a small farmhouse on the Royal Estate. Here Diana could live comfortably, was however repeatedly called by Charles as to whether she would lend him company during a walk, or at a barbecue. Diana had accompanied Charles fishing on the River Dee as the distant flash of binoculars and camera lenses fell on her. As she knew how much her sister Sarah had been upset by attention from the press, she immediately pulled on a headscarf like a cowl and turned herself away. Craftily, and impressing Prince Charles, who remained back, she kept her back to the journalists and observed the photographers using the mirror in the lid of her powder compact. However her anonymity only lasted for one weekend, and with this weekend in 1980 Lady Diana Spencer lost the part of her life as a private person. Already on 8th September The Sun betrayed to the nation that behind the back of public life a Royal Romance had almost started again. The curtain had been lifted. "Patiently smiling she bore in public the siege of her apartment block or the "Young England Kindergarten", being followed in her car and outstretched microphones. Still very naive she tried to shake off the most annoying photographer by promising him that if he never turned up again she would let herself be photographed outside the kindergarten with some of the children. The professional had promised everything for this photo. He cleverly positioned the innocent group against the sun and took the world famous picture which completely exposed Diana's legs though a far too thin skirt. At the time the Prince turned up his nose in amusement at the picture and forgave her with the ticking-off: "I knew that you have good legs, but I had overlooked the fact that they are quite so spectacular. Do you necessarily have to show them to everybody?" From then on Diana was on her guard, even when it was difficult. She couldn't have imagined that this would be her future way of life. The case’ first grew critical when the media presented a newspaper article about Diana having spent the night on the Royal train. They opened the hypocritical discussion as to whether Diana - if she had the nerve to visit her Charles then - was still a virgin or not. The debate over virginity, previous experience and platonic or close friends of the teenage Diana put the court on the spot. Officially the bearer of future heirs to the throne must go into marriage as a virgin, a discussion about this would however always do damage to the reputation of the Palace and the bride. It resulted in a need for action. Diana spent the Christmas of 1980 at Althorp, and then New Year's Eve with her friends at the shared flat in London. During New Year Diana visited Charles at Sandringham. After this weekend the hysterically speculating press could hardly be held back, all reports screamed about a declaration: Is she the one? Prince Charles however went skiing in January 1981, well knowing that in February Diana would fly with her mother and step-father to their sheep farm in Australia. Charles was supposed to decide there whether he would marry Diana or not. It was not love for Charles, but Diana had all the qualities that one should possess in his social circle. He is supposed to have once told a friend: "I don't love her, but she has the best qualities". At the beginning of February Prince Charles rang her from his ski resort of Klosters in Switzerland, just to tell her that after his return there would be something important that he must ask her. Whilst bourgeois lovers perhaps hurry directly to their intended in order to propose to her, royals undertake the hurdles of duty. On 3rd February Prince Charles returned, took part in a aircraft carrier maneuver and first managed to ask Diana to come to Windsor Castle on 6th February. There in the so-called nursery, he told Diana how much he had missed her in the Alps and whether she would marry him. Overpowered and embarrassed Diana broke into her typical giggling whereby Charles repeated how serious the issue was to him, as of course she would also one day become queen through it. Later Diana remembered how she heard herself speaking, how she finally agreed and had ever more repeated how much she loved him. To which the Prince answered: "Whatever loves means". Diana first told her news to her friends in the apartment. Then things undertook a breathless pace. On 23rd February Diana moved out of her apartment in Coleherne Court and into Buckingham Palace, where she should learn correctness and a little knowledge of courtly life. Already when saying goodbye to her friends Diana's new bodyguard, Paul Officer, ambiguously noted: "You should know that this is the last day of your live as a private person, make the best out of it!" The then very well informed Times already reported on the same day, 24.02.1981, that the official statement went to the press, about the engagement. At midday the dream pair gave a television interview in the grounds of Buckingham Palace, the first of very few in Diana's life. The freshly engaged pair already had their first official appearance on 9th March at a charity event at London's Goldsmith's Hall. Diana appeared in a very deeply cut shoulder and backless dress made from silk over a not too certain sitting corsage and as she got out of the car she offered the photographers the second sensational photo to go round the world: pretty sexy Diana. A storm of flashbulbs outside and spotlights inside, the cheering and being at the centre of attention made Diana however feel very insecure. Through brave dieting since the engagement her nerves were thinner, then came Charles' criticism shortly before they departed: As she proudly appeared in his study in her only dress suitable for the occasion, he complained completely unimpressed, that at court one only wore black when in mourning. At the ball itself a woman, who like her had married into different circles, took away her uncertainty. Princess Grace of Monaco retreated back with her, particularly praised her dress and listened to Diana's complaints about the sudden isolation and her fears for the future. Her cheering advice was: "Don't worry, it will all get a lot worse!" Three episodes and an unreasonable demand could have warned Diana at the time, as years later she first saw through how strongly she had been taken in and planned. At her first move from the shared flat into royal Clarence House no-one apart from the lady-in-waiting was expecting and greeted her. But already on her bed lay an invitation, written before the engagement ( well judged ), from Camilla to a ( well planned ) dinner, which very soon turned out to be a strategic dinner to be held when Charles was on a five-week-long trip which would take him to Australia and New Zealand, and finally to Venezuela, Washington and Williamsburg. It annoyed her that Camilla was one step ahead. Directly before his departure Diana was still flirting with her fiancé in his Buckingham Palace office, perhaps she had also, as she often enjoyed during the engagement period, sat on his lap, in any case at this moment of saying goodbye the telephone rang, on the other end was Camilla, who also wanted to say goodbye. Diana was unsure at the time as to how she should react, she immediately left the room so as not to disturb the private conversation, and later told friends that the situation, and her own, likewise his reaction, had "broken my heart". The rivalry instinct was awaken, the aftertaste of the momentary defeat was only with difficulty shaken off. Charles was away for five weeks, the television kept the camera on a visibly upset, blushing Diana, who suddenly burst into tears, whose true reasons for doing so no-one could have imagined.
Many secrets were made about the wedding dress for the dream wedding. It didn't appeal to Diana any more at the end, as it had to be taken in many times due to her successful dieting. Diana had to realize at this time that different rules were followed at BP to those which she was used to. She also enforced to have things similar to what she was used to at Althorp, for a chat or to make herself a quick sandwich surrounded by her servants in the palace kitchens. This behaviour unnerved the servants, so one of them appointed herself as a speaker and explained to Diana strictly, but clearly, the threshold as being the dividing line between the authorized royal domain and the unauthorized kitchen domain. Two days before the wedding a rather too high-spirited ball took place in the palace, in "Buck House", for Diana's bourgeoisie friends. Marriage:
She applied just a little colour on Lady Di's face, but a great amount of waterproof mascara. Diana should appear fresh and innocent when she appeared at the altar. Then David and Elizabeth Emanuel, the designers of the wedding dress appeared, and helped Diana to get dressed. It was a magnificent gown made from ivory silk with an almost eight metres long veil. The narrow bodice was set with valuable lace, the sleeves opulently gathered up and embellished with little ribbons. It cost £9,000. Unfortunately the dress designers had not made allowances for the lack of space in the glass coach that should bring Diana and her father to St. Paul's Cathedral. When the bride alighted from the coach the dress was crumpled and full of creases. Yet this circumstance did no damage to the beauty and grace of the bride. Diana appeared to all the observers like a figure from a fairytale. Already Charles, in the gala-uniform of the marines, waited with the Royal Family and all the guests in the cathedral. Diana's mother Frances and her grandmother Lady Ruth Fermoy were allowed to take places very close to the Royal Family, whilst step-mother Lady Raine and Frances' new husband had to make do with the pews behind. Over 700 million people from 58 countries followed on the television how the bride with her father walked down the aisle towards the altar. The Earl of Spencer had tears in his eyes, for it was not only a great day in the life of his daughter, but also in his! He hobbled a little, however this did not detract from him showing true royal dignity and pride. The solemn ceremony ran not without a few slips. By her acceptance Diana changed the order of Charles' forenames, calling him Phillip Charles Arthur George which led Prince Charles to the joke: "Diana, you have actually married my father". The heir also made a mishap. He declared: "I will share all ’your" goods with you". Obviously he should have promised to have shared ’his" earthly goods. In addition he placed the wedding ring on the left hand. But the worst thing that happened to Charles was the fact that after the vows he forgot to kiss Diana. Was that a bad omen? The celebration of marriage in St. Paul's Cathedral, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, lasted almost an hour and a half. The following coach ride to the palace, the celebrating crowds, the well practiced, but still so strange, waving, Diana completed as though in a trance. How did the 20 year-old really feel and think in these moments? She appeared so relaxed, calm and overjoyed. The pressure on her spirit had been removed. Now she had actually managed it. Yes, Lady Diana Spencer was the rightful wedded wife of the future king of England! She enjoyed being bathed in the crowds, the deafening celebrations when she received a kiss from Charles while on the balcony of the royal palace. In these unforgettable moments Diana felt herself chosen by God and the world: I am a princess and will one day become queen of England. HURRAH
Finally they sailed for Scotland. The queen and her husband Prince Philip were already waiting for the dream couple. Diana and Charles were meant to pass the rest of their honeymoon in the company of the Royal Family. How wonderfully romantic! The heir to the throne did not notice his young wife's disappointment. There could not be anything more enjoyable for him than long hacks, walks and hunts. Diana didn't dare to complain. Before the wedding everyone advised her to be obedient. She was also advised, directly from her father, that to be allowed to marry in to the royal family would mean that she would have to prove her worth. She wanted that, but could she imagine that everything would run with so much difficulty, and with so much formality? Children: Dreadful headaches, stomachache, dizziness, nausea after every bite! Why must a woman be so ill, just because she's pregnant? Diana couldn't understand it. She was, after all, pleased about the baby. Finally she would have a task which totally suited her. Yet, on 5th November 1981, just four months after the wedding, as the Queen officially confirmed her daughter-in-law's pregnancy, Diana's peace came to an end. Innumerable greetings cards were sent to the palace. "The whole world is watching my stomach", Diana complained at the time. The media circus, which was already very oppressive anyway, grew to really unimaginable proportions. And it was clear what the people, kingdom and crown wanted: a son, heir and future king! Diana didn't feel like celebrating. She felt ill! The Queen showed her concern and considerably reduced the number of Diana's official appearances. It was a very fearful time for Prince Charles. He saw his wife suffering and didn't know how he could help her. Why couldn't Diana pull herself together? She was, after all, not the first woman to ever have a baby! Time again Diana managed to keep her composure in public. The entrance to St. Mary's Hospital had been occupied for days by photographers and onlookers. Half the world was in delivery fever, the newspapers didn't know any other theme any more. "I believe that the whole of England lay with me during labour", Diana later said, my fears, and also the pressure which weighed upon me, were dreadful. On 21st June 1982 Diana brought a healthy baby in to the world. Hurrah, it was a boy! William, the heir to the throne! Her hotel room was like a sea of flowers, red roses everywhere. The Princess was totally exhausted, but very, very happy. It was a difficult birth, which took a very long time. But the suffering was very soon forgotten, now the only thing that counted was the sweet baby in her arms. One could hear the jubilant calls from outside: "long live Diana!" She remained just one day in the hospital. As Charles and Diana stood cradling the baby before the door to the clinic, the crowd applauded and one called out: "Do it once more, Charles!" Relieved smiles on all faces. It was completed, the photographers had their pictures and they could drive home.
Diana then suffered from a terrible post-natal depression. She cried a lot, without knowing why. Often she spent an entire day in bed in a darkened bedroom. She felt empty and useless. Charles couldn't understand this. Why was she not happy and contented? What was Diana lacking? Psychologists were called upon. The Queen was stunned as she heard what was happening in Kensington Palace. Why was her daughter-in-law so weak? She had everything that a woman's heart could wish for. No-one showed any understanding, neither Diana's own husband, nor the rest of the Royal Family. And time and time again she was bombarded with reproaches, time and time again she had the feeling that she was doing everything wrong. It would have been so simple to have helped her at this time. Diana needed only peace and patience. Luckily Diana was very soon able to overcome her depressive phase. She was happy about the baby and pacified it with devotion. Prince Charles was also completely crazy about the little chap, the three grew into a proper family together Diana cared very intensively for her son, despite the nanny. Charles proved a true talent in baby care. Servants happily reported that the heir to the throne had taken a bath with William. Wills was now nine months old and his parents had to make a state visit to Australia. The journey would take six weeks. For Diana such a long separation would be impossible. She insisted on taking William with her. She also explained this to the Queen, who, as expected, categorically denied this wish. Therefore Diana threatened to stay in London with her son. She left no doubts open about fulfilling her threat. A tricky situation for Queen Elizabeth, as she knew that the Australians would be bitterly disappointed if Charles came alone. Diana remained resolute. The Queen permitted it. The Australian visit was a complete success. Storms of excitement and celebration everywhere. Diana even overcame her shyness and could, without pressure, go up to strangers and chat with them. Even in the same year Diana became pregnant again. Charles reacted to the news with excitement. He obtained complete works about pregnancy and babies. He did not want to hear again the accusation that he could not understand the problems of an expectant mother. He fervently hoped for a cute little girl. But on 15th September 1984 the second son Prince Harry, weighing 3118g, was born. Diana was an inspirational mother for her sons William and Harry. They always took up first place in her life. Diana loved, protected and cared for her children more than anything. They meant everything to her. Already as a small girl Diana wanted to have at least five children. Later, as "Queen of Hearts", Diana wanted to be the mother of the nation, the mother for the poor and sick of the whole world. William and Harry were her happiness. Diana took on the role of mother with devotion and passion. She wanted her sons to live as normal a childhood as possible, even if that was often difficult to achieve. Like every young mother Diana played and romped around with her boys, and was very careful that the nanny didn't have too much of an influence. For Diana there was never a question of letting nannies take over the child-raising - something actually routine for aristocratic families. After two dismissals the cheerful Tiggy Legge-Bourke took over the job. And now a true nanny-drama began: Diana insinuated that Tiggy played the role of hostess, flirted with her husband and took over the children. William and Harry truly loved Tiggy, and also today, after Diana's tragic death, she is a very important close contact for the pair. Diana loved having her sons to herself. She spent as much time with them as possible. Diana was a loving mother and best playmate in one person. There was no childish fun that she had not joined in with : roller skating on the long corridors in Kensington Palace, jelly baby eating competitions, log flume rides or dressing-up as ghosts using bed sheets. Sometimes the three even secretly annoyed the old servants by always hiding certain objects. Prince Charles was not always excited by the boisterous games in his house. He insisted that his sons should be made familiar with their future duties as soon as possible. This included discipline, order, first-class manners and also sobriety. Especially William should be raised after kingly principles. After all, the heir to the throne saw him as one day being his future heir. Charles supported a strict upbringing, as a four-year-old he had already had a private teacher and several nannies. As Diana's view of child raising, education and childhood was so different, there was often friction between the married couple. Charles wanted his sons in any case to be under the care of a private teacher for the first few years. Diana insisted on a public nursery. There William and Harry could play with others of the same age. Naturally the Queen completely agreed with her son, and it was almost a miracle that the pair actually went to a nursery in central London a few times. Later Diana's sons went to the public school of Wetherby and afterwards the Ludgrove public boarding school. Even when it is natural in high society to send the children to boarding school, it was however a painful parting for Princess Diana. Because she naturally loved to have her children around her when she was alone in the evening in Kensington Palace and felt alone. In June 1991 Prince William was accidentally hit by a golf club held by a fellow pupil at the boarding school. Diana raced to the hospital. William had a fractured skull, difficult contusions had to be operated on immediately. But Charles left the hospital to keep and engagement. The operation lasted 75 minutes. Diana didn't understand how a father how a father could leave his son alone at such a moment. As William awoke she was sitting beside him. Diana's sons were her confidantes. She was not shy of showing her feelings openly and honestly. When Diana once sat crying on the loo, having shut herself in, and did not want to come out again, William pushed Kleenex tissues under the door to his mother. He crouched down by the bathroom door and spoke to her. Somehow he nearly always managed to get her to come out. And then he took her up lovingly in his little arms. Diana avoided criticising Charles. She also didn't mention his affair with Camilla. But she couldn't hide her tears from the children. They certainly noticed much about their mother's unhappiness. Diana always had a bad conscience about this. She knew only too well how much children's spirits suffer when their parents argue. She wanted to make it better, to save her children all their concern. Diana always had a deep concern for her youngest. He was a sensitive child, so vulnerable and quiet. Harry often spent the day dreaming, whilst William was a proper roughneck. He could be loud and wild, but also conceal a lot of things. His younger brother liked to have a cuddle. There are innumerable photos which show Diana seeking body contact with Harry. Once she strokes his hair, then she takes him by the arm, or by the hand. She always had the feeling that she had to protect him. Harry was pampered by Diana. It was her way of relieving his sadness over the broken home. With William, her beloved older son, Diana behaved differently. He was her ally, her interlocutor and advisor. When a scandal broke out in the press, she drove to his school and discussed everything with him. She explained what had happened to William, and begged for understanding. Also when it handled delicate things like the Camilla tape, the James Hewitt book, or the "octopus conversation". These must have been dreadfully difficult moments in Diana's life! And it comforted her to know how concerned William was about her wellbeing. Diana was a devoted mother. But it would be completely wrong to presume that Charles was a bad father. He also loved his sons and tried to make their lives as carefree as possible. He just had a different way with children. Charles couldn't give them the same tenderness as Diana. The source for this certainly laid in his childhood. As a small boy he was not allowed to show any feelings. And so it is no miracle that he wanted to raise William and Harry as proper men. Charles went hunting or fishing with them. He was proud when they caught a hare or had good grades at sport. Charles clapped his oldest on the back with a wink, as he was caught at 14 with a bottle of champagne on school grounds, and his first sexual contact with girls was talked about. He spent a part of the school holidays with his sons in Scotland, undertook long hikes and explained the beauties of nature to them. Diana preferred to fly to distant lands with William and Harry. The children always had fun with their mother: swimming in the Caribbean, water skiing in the Mediterranean, snowball fights in Switzerland. During the holidays the boys were allowed to do everything, but above all to be children. They were allowed to eat hamburgers from the packaging, read comics, play with other boys in the hotel. And this all meant a lot, when one had been born into royalty! At home in London or also in the elite boarding school Eton they have to wear special armbands, which are tiny locating devices. In the case of a kidnapping the police can tell at once where the children of the Heir to the Throne are. It is unimaginable how great the loss of their beloved mother is to William and Harry. The picture of how they followed their mother's coffin with empty expressions remains in the world's memory forever. And one thing is certain: if Diana had experienced that her heart would have been broken. She was always so concerned about keeping the darker side of life away from her sons. Unfortunately Diana couldn't prevent the breakdown of her family. On the 28th August 1996 the divorce with Prince Charles was finalized. She never wanted this conclusive step. She wanted to remain married solely for her two sons, they should not have to become the product of a broken home. The negotiations with the lawyers ran with difficulty. Naturally it was about money. But not just that. She fought like a lioness over her children. Naturally she knew that the Queen of England would always have a voice in their upbringing. But she was the mother, she didn't want to clear the field without stipulating her requirements. The result did not satisfy the Princess, but more was not to be achieved: Diana was made a divorcee, to a mother with joint custody of her sons William and Harry. She would be allowed to spend 57 days in the year alone with the children. Married life: From the beginning Diana and Charles' marriage was not blessed with good fortune. Already during the engagement period Diana had had the feeling that Camilla played too great a role in Charles' life. Diana opened a small parcel, addressed to Charles, and found a gold bracelet with a blue enamel pendant and the initials F & G. Didn't Charles and Camilla earlier call themselves Fred and Gladys as a disguise? Diana suffered terribly from jealousy. Diana made it unmistakably clear to Charles that he should not send this gift to Camilla, but he did it anyway. Diana pondered even before the wedding about not marrying Charles. Charles even took a photo of Camilla with him on honeymoon. How must Diana have felt there? Diana became sick with worry. She suffered her first case of bulimia. During the pregnancy Diana had depressive phases: she stood under enormous pressure. She had so many roles to perfect as she wanted to do everything properly. The people loved her, but where was the recognition of love from Charles? The female psyche was an unknown giant for Charles. He couldn't come to terms with Diana's problems during the pregnancy. He demanded discipline! This simply served to aggravate the situation, and the agenda held a place for the daily squabbles. Through the children for a time they forgot their problems. Charles developed into a model father and relinquished a few official duties which also helped the marriage. They were both very proud of their sons and there were also some very happy moments in their marriage. Unfortunately, however, there were differences later in approaches to childrearing. Charles wanted to raise his children in a royal sense and Diana wanted a natural raising with much freedom for the children. Another problem for the marriage was that Diana became ever more loved by the people. When the royal pair visited a function then the crowds cheered for her, no longer for Charles. The storm of flashbulbs was only for Diana, her beauty, her clothes, her smile. A completely unknown situation for the heir to the throne, he gradually began to feel uneasy. Diana enjoyed the attention which was given to her. Charles viewed the development with concern. He used every opportunity to criticize his wife. One can say that Diana lived in two worlds. The prince gave her the feeling that she was not satisfying her royal duties, that she was immature and moody. Also Charles and the palace criticized Diana's arrangement for the sick and poor, especially for AIDS victims. But the people celebrated her as a heroine, a goddess, as a model for youth and beauty. The prince became ever more jealous and this resulted in harming the marriage. Charles distanced himself ever more from Diana. The pair never developed common interests. That was the main failure that Charles and Diana made! She could chat for hours with a friend about the latest fashion trends, about cinema films or TV stars. Themes that bored the heir to the throne, he found them banal. He was interested in literature, history, painting, architecture and philosophy. But Diana refused to read a single book on these subjects. Charles preferred walks in the countryside with a rustic picnic. There was simply no common topic for conversation, when one omits childrearing.
The prince fooled himself completely if he thought that Diana had not realized about the infidelity. At first it was only ideas, which however began to gain ever more shape. When there was a conflict between the married couple, Prince Charles drove to Highgrove. Often he first came back in the morning hours and then laid down for the rest of the night on a small bed in his dressing room. Where had he been? Diana surprised her husband at Highgrove, the sofa cushions were rumpled in front of the fireplace, and the servants stared at the floor with embarrassment. Who was still here then? A dreadful situation for Diana. She made scenes in front of him, raged, cried and screamed. It made no impression on him. The princess again began to raid fridges and larders through total frustration. 1985, at the time when Charles re-established his relationship with Camilla, Diana began to mutilate herself. With sleeping tablets, falling down the stairs and self-mutilation she wanted to send out signals, to make clear, that she needed help. But Charles and the royal family were not in the position to pick up on these signals. Diana, the celebrated goddess, the beauty from the fairytale book, was psychologically ill for more than half a decade! It was 1987 when the state of Diana's nerves and soul were at their lowest point. Diana's heart was empty and lonely. Yet there was this yearning, her will and desire. A young woman at 26 cannot live without love, without tenderness. Everything began completely harmlessly. Diana sought a riding instructor for her sons William and Harry. James Hewitt, member of the bodyguard, offered his services. He was a charming young man and was sympathetic to Diana from the beginning. Diana was excited by his understanding nature and decided to also take a few riding lessons. James Hewitt burst from pride: he had never had such prominent pupils before. And he quickly noticed that Diana was, very sadly, psychologically pretty unstable. Stealing her heart was an easy game for him. The pair came closer. He offered himself as a trustworthy friend, always listened to her concerns and flattered her. Finally, Diana thought, a man on my side. His game was made easier by the fact that her two sons also liked the nice Uncle James very much. He soon realized that Diana was not the self-confident goddess that he knew from the press reports. She was shy, uncertain, injured and depressed. That was James Hewitt's great chance! Small reassurances, the first common secrets, a breathless farewell kiss - the fantasy began to work. James Hewitt managed to make Diana devoted to him. He formed the total opposite to Charles, always had time, listened to every word, took all her dreams seriously. He gave Diana the feeling of being desirable, interesting and exciting. Yes, James saw her as a woman, not as a princess. Diana never wanted to ever break her promise of loyalty made at the marriage altar. She was then so certain that she would love Charles for ever and ever. But the ice cold marriage opened doors for James Hewitt: Diana became unfaithful and had a sexual relationship with the riding instructor. Separation: England's Prime Minister John Major announced on 9th December 1992: "Buckingham Palace has made it known that the Prince and Princess of Wales will separate. Their Royal Highnesses are not seeking a divorce. Their position in the constitution remains the same. This decision has been agreed by both parties, the care of the children will continue to be shared by both." "They were only a few words, spoken quietly. But they were enough to set all the nation into shock. so it was now official, what every newspaper reader, every television viewer had long guessed. In spite of this the knowledge was still a shock. The romance of Diana and Charles existed no longer. Over and done with! The pair had actually been on a state visit to Korea in November. All an act! And suddenly everyone remembered that no common ground was to be recognized on the photos any more. Charles and Diana couldn't even look at each other in the eyes any more. What must have been running through their minds? Today one knows that this state visit must have been a true nightmare. As the official separation resulted in hard wrangling between the lawyers, without speaking of the emotional injuries. All parties realized that the public would take the separation of Charles and Diana very badly. To whom would the most sympathies lie? Who would the guilt for the breakup of the marriage be pushed on to? Would the nation separate into two separate camps? Naturally the Royal Family was keen to set Charles in the best possible light. And surprisingly only five months before Major's announcement recorded telephone conversations turned up with the most explosive contents. Whispers of love between a man called James Gilbey and Diana! It was the infamous "Octopus Conversation". Diana:
This telephone conversation had already happened in 1989. Amateur funk radio listeners were supposed to have secretly listened to it and then sold it to newspapers two years later. Or was it the secret ? The timing of the exposure makes one think. As Diana then appeared guilty for the break-up of her marriage. But what really happened then, in 1989? Did the Princess of Wales have a relationship? And who is this James Gilbey? The pair certainly knew each other and were friends with one-another. He was Diana's confidant during difficult married years. Diana later admitted to have led this listened to and publicized telephone call. But this was far from a marriage-breaking relationship. The press scandal was perfect.
He said that he would most like to turn into a tampon, so that he could always be with her. Laughter was able to be heard the whole world over. It is interesting that this conversation had also been held in 1989, and was also publicized in the year of the separation. Coincidence? Obviously the Palace had no concept yet of how it could limit the damage, or how Diana came through all the scandals and sensational stories amazingly unscathed - apart from through gradual exclusion. In fact Diana completed a few official visits alone in 1993. She was in Zimbabwe for four days in order to visit charity groups out there, and in the summer she went to Bergen-Hohne (Germany) as the Honourary Group Captain of the Home Regiment of the Light Dragoons. She appeared decisive about wanting to make something out of the separation. She was strengthened by still being in the centre of public interest. For outsiders it is difficult to imagine how something like this could work: to live two lives - one official and one private. But through a more exact observation one can see that the pair had been doing exactly that for some time. Finally at the beginning of August the last chance for a reconcilement was arranged. The separated pair met in London's St. James Palace and discussed the possibilities for an arrangement, or a reconciliation. One of Diana's most important demands is said to have been that Charles must avoid any further contact with Camilla. The meeting passed without success. On 3rd December 1993 the obviously pained Diana announced in her speech at a charity event in London that she would withdraw from public life and above all dedicate herself to raising her sons. The emotional speech stirred the whole nation and sympathizers of Diana the whole world over. The Queen had feared exactly that and had therefore tried to stop the daughter-in-law from taking the dramatic step in public. Behind the backdrop a new role for Diana was feverishly being searched for. In April 1994 Diana was named as the Special Ambassador of the British Red Cross and the right path was being taken, however yet again a good starting point was torpedoed through others' intentions. In August 1994 terrible accusations were hurled at Diana, she had supposedly made nuisance phone calls to Oliver Hoare, a common friend of her and Charles. Desperately she armed herself and informed the press that she could not have made the phone calls as she had not been present at the time of the calls. She accused Prince Charles' advisors of plotting against her. It did indeed emerge that Diana had not made the calls. Charles' advisors advised him to talk openly in order to improve his miserable public image. In June 1994 the Prince acknowledged in a television interview that after five years of investing in the stability and to save his marriage this broke up, as he had given up. Once again his already low popularity level sank even lower, the media turned into the laundry room for the Royals' dirty washing. As the media grew to be even more on the side of the betrayed Diana and idolized the ever more beautiful, ever more excitingly dressed woman, the sensational book "Princess in Love" appeared in the USA. The author was James Hewitt. In the book Diana's former bodyguard and sons' riding instructor stated that for five years he had been not only the confidant, but also Diana's lover. By doing so he broke the code of not exposing the palace through the writing of personal memoirs: Diana had been supposedly desperate, hungry for love and insatiable at that. Every man at Diana's side finished as her lover. She was accused of being a marriage breaker. She moved from one alleged sex scandal to the next. Diana's nerves lay blank.
The last installment of the investigative novel followed exactly one year later, in November 1995. On the wedding anniversary of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip the BBC broadcast the interview wit Diana, in which the Princess admitted the affair with Hewitt, she said she had been lonely, the marriage had made her sick and in need of loving care - and she had been a little in love, had however been disappointed. She declared that she was not interested in a divorce and could imagine a role for herself as in the completely unique role of "Ambassador of the Heart" for the interests of the nation. Four days later the nation who had seen the suffering Diana on the television judged wit ha majority of 56 percent that the deeply injured Princess deserved sympathy. Only nine percent voted in the questionnaire in favour of the obviously guilty Charles. The Queen again had to limit the damage of this to the monarchy and still in November she undertook talks with Prime Minister Major in order to discuss the future role of the unbroken, attractive and still socially engaged Diana. In order to end the unbearable public speculation and accusations the Queen ordered, in two separate letters, Charles and Diana to get divorced.
BBC-Interview: Two hundred million people show interest as the princess gives an interview to the BBC reporter Martin Bashir on the 20th November 1995 in Kensington Palace. "Your Highness, how prepared were you when you married the Prince of Wales? At 19 one believes that one is prepared for everything.
I loved my husband and I wanted to share everything with him, and I thought that we were a good team. Did you know what to expect as the future queen? What made the most impression was actually the media attention. My husband and I were told that the media would leave us in peace after the engagement. But that was not the case, and we found that a deep interference. In the course of time one suddenly realizes that one is just a good saleable commodity. That people want to make money from oneself.
Shortly after the marriage you became pregnant. What was your reaction as you heard that it would be an heir to the throne?
How did the rest of the royal family react when they found out that you were expecting a boy? Everyone was fascinated. But it was a difficult pregnancy. I suffered a lot, and when William arrived it was a huge relief. Everything was peaceful and calm again. I had no problems for a while. But then I got postnatal depression, but I don't like to talk about that. That was naturally not very easy for me. To wake up in the morning and simply have the feeling that one really doesn't want to get up, one feels misunderstood. I had a bad conscience. I had never experienced that before. But when I analyzed it I could see that the changes from the past few years had caught up with me. My body said : take some rest! What treatment did you receive? I was treated through very diverse ways, but I myself knew that I really only needed time in order to adapt. To adapt to the great variety of roles that I had to play. How did the family react to your depression? I was the first in this family who had had such a depression, who had cried in public. And that was naturally disturbing. One had a new label that one could place on me. Diana is not balanced, is unstable, weak. Did you want to mutilate yourself at this time? When no-one listens to oneself everything is possible inside one's thoughts. One feels pain inside and tries to injure oneself on the outside because one wants to receive help. The people are of the opinion that one just wants attention, although one has already got enough attention from the media. But I called for help so that I would be able to carry on playing my role. Yes, I mutilated myself. I couldn't cope under the pressure any more. I mutilated my arms and my legs. How did your husband react to this? I didn't do this in his presence. But whoever loves someone else would have to notice it. I believe that there are really not very many people who take the time to take something like this seriously. Then one heard that you had bulimia. Yes, that is right. I had bulimia for many years, and that is a secret type of illness. One inflicts that on oneself, because one feels bad and because one is of the opinion that one has no value. One fills the stomach four or five times per day, sometimes even more often, and one feels good. That is as though one is being hugged, but that only lasts for a short time. And then one is so disgusted by the bulging stomach, and vomits. And this repeats itself time and time again - a destruction of the true self. It was completely normal for me to come home and go straight to the fridge. It was a symptom for all the things which were happening in my marriage. I cried, I screamed for help, but with the wrong signals. And the people described my bulimia as a breach of etiquette: Diana is psychologically weak. But my husband and I didn't want to disappoint the public. And of course there was much anxiety in our house. Between you both? Yes. Have you ever sought help from another member of the Royal Family? No, no. If one has bulimia then one shames for oneself. One hates oneself. One doesn't mention it to other people. The unhappy fact is that one doesn't lose or put on weight. One can act as though everything were normal. Did the press attention accelerate your illness? That made everything very difficult. Here was a married couple in the same job. My husband talked whilst I shook the hands. However when my husband said that we should take on differing duties I was sad, as I was happy to be together with him. Did the prince respect your interests? I believe that I was not allowed to have any. I was not permitted any. I was always the 18 year old whom he had got engaged to. But I had to grow up, and I also grew in stature. No-one ever praised me, but if I made a mistake then I received all the criticism. I cried many tears. Bulimia was my way to escape. In 1986 the relationship between your husband and Camilla Parker-Bowles is supposed to have re-ignited. Did you know about this?
The effect on you? Shattering. I had the feeling that I was not worth anything anymore. Without hope, a failure. With a husband who loved another. The change in his behaviour made me certain. A woman senses these things. My husband's friends said that I was unstable again and should be placed in a clinic. I was, as it were, an embarrassment to him. A perfect tactical way to isolate a person. Was Mrs. Parker-Bowles guilty for the breakdown of your marriage? Yes, there were three of us in this marriage. And there was one person too many. The Royal Family were worried. One could see that there would be complications, but one didn't want to interfere. How did you lead this double life? When we traveled abroad we had separate apartments and rooms on the same floor. Then this was discovered and there were yet more complications. However Charles and I had our duty to carry out, that was the most important thing. In public we were a very good team. In 1992 Andrew Morton's book about you appeared in which your unhappiness was portrayed. Did you help him? I allowed my friends to talk to him. My nerves were at an end, I was desperate. It was enough for me that I would always be portrayed as a bit frail. I have a strong personality. The book was important. Perhaps there are more women who suffer like me and can never speak for themselves as their feeling of self-worth practically doesn't exist anymore. What effect did Morton's book have on your relationship with the prince? He was shocked and horrified. What we meant to have kept hidden had been brought out into the open. The question of separation was suddenly there. At some point we then called the lawyers together and talked about separation. Many people joined in: the Prime Minister, Her Majesty ... In December 1992 the legal separation was finalized. How did you feel at this point? Deep sadness. We had fought in order to keep everything going. That didn't work any more, we had no more energy left, neither of us. And it was a relief for both. My husband wanted the separation, I supported him. It was then not your idea? No. I come from a family with divorced parents and I didn't want to have to experience that again. Did you say anything to your children? Yes, I traveled to them beforehand and explained to them what had happened. They reacted like all children do, with lots of questions. I hope that I was able to console them. What did the separation change? I was a problem to them. I wasn't allowed to carry on with many of my former duties. Everything changed when we separated. Life became very difficult. My husband and his friends were very active in demoting me. Then your telephone conversation with James Gilbey was made known. He called you his octopus. I tried to protect James, he has always been a good friend, and I couldn't bear the fact that his life would be so churned up because he had been in contact with me. In any case the telephone conversation actually took place. James is a very loving person, but we didn't have a marriage-breaking relationship. How did this conversation get to be in the press? I don't know. But it was there to injure me and to hurt me. It was the first time that I experienced this sort of thing: what it meant to be outside the safety net and not to be a part of the family any more. My husband naturally held all the best cards. That was like in a game of poker, or a game of chess. And your alleged nuisance calls to the millionaire Oliver Hoare? That was wrongly reported. I was meant to be discredited yet again. I then found out that a young man made most of the telephone calls, but they were blamed on me. I phoned Whore a couple of times, but absolutely not with such a forceful art and means. Did you let yourself be sent away? I fought to the end. Because I believe that I have a role to play, a function, and I have two children who I want to bring up. In 1993 I retreated for a while. With this strategy I confused my enemies who ruined all my duties. It was the fear of a strong woman as my affect in public was greater than that of Charles. Then in a biography your husband admitted his love for Camilla.
Then I drove to the school and told my son William: "When one finds someone who one loves then must one hold one to this person", that I still love his father but that we can't live together any more. I take 50 percent of the responsibility for the destruction of the marriage, but no more than this. In a book your riding teacher James Hewitt admitted to having an affair with you. Is that true? He was a very good friend at a difficult time. He was always there and helped me. And I was shattered when this book was published. I trusted him and now he's making money from me. There is a lot of invention in this book. He phoned me ten days beforehand and said that the book was harmless. Did your relationship go beyond a close friendship? Yes, it did. Why were you unfaithful? Yes, I loved him and I idolized him. I was in a very bad way. Now you live alone. That doesn't bother me. I don't believe that one needs a man. What role do you see for yourself in the future? I would like to be an ambassador for this country, I would like to represent this country and her good qualities abroad. I was in a privileged position for 15 years and have a wide knowledge about people. I know that I can bring love. Are you guilty for the unstable condition of the monarchy at the moment? No, I don't believe so. I don't want to destroy my children's future. I believe, what is most important to me when discussing the monarchy, is that the people don't become indifferent and apathetic. It is a problem. My children must change the monarchy one day. What do you do to prepare them for this? I visit the homeless and people who are dying from AIDS with the children. I take them overall with me. I give them knowledge and experience, as knowledge is power. I would like them to be understanding. So they can learn about desperation, hope and dreams. What type of monarchy do you expect? One that cared for a close contact to the population. Will you get divorced?
Does he want a divorce?
Would you wish it? No. Why not? Because it wouldn't solve anything. What would then happen to the children, our sons? That's what matters, don't you agree? Do you believe that you will ever become queen? No, I don't believe so. I would like to become the queen of peoples' hearts. But I don't see how I can become the queen of this country. I don't believe that many want that - namely the establishment that I married into. Because it is decided there that I shall never become that. Why? Because I do things differently. I don't keep to the rules, I act from the heart, not from the head. And if I create problems by being so then I understand that. But one needs someone who loves people and also shows it. Your methods stops you from gaining the throne? I wouldn't say it like that. I simply don't have many people who support me. In the palace I am seen as some kind of threat. I want to do good. I am not a destructive person. Why do people see you as a threat? Every strong woman in history has to follow a similar journey. One asks oneself questions: why is this woman strong? Where does she get her strength from? But the public still love me. Do you believe that the Prince of Wales will ever be king? No-one knows the answer to this question.
He was always divided on this matter. Being Prince of Wales already demands a lot of energy. And to be king is yet another huge challenge. I know his character and his personality and I believe that becoming king would be an immense strain for him as he would lose his freedom. And I don't know whether he would be in the position to allow himself to give so much up. Do you believe from the background of your marital difficulties that it would make sense to give the role of the monarch directly to your son Prince William? William is still very young. Should he now already carry such a burden around his shoulders? I cannot answer this question. Would it be your wish that Prince William follows the queen when he is of age? My wish is for my husband to find his inner peace. That is important, and the rest will result from this. Why have you actually decided to give this interview? Why now exactly? This December we will have been separated for three years. The picture that everyone had of me, because it was this or that way portrayed, is very inconsistent. Many have doubts about me now. I would like to reassure the people who love me. I would like to say to them that I will never let them down. That is just as important to me as my children are. You mean, you can now reassure the people in that you are going public?
I am not here for revenge. I am sad that our marriage ended so. Yet I am optimistic about my future, the future of the monarchy and that of my husband. Divorce: On 15th July 1996 the divorce is finalized in the High Court.
The divorce papers which Diana signed with some reluctance were an oppressive contract. Diana's duties: According to the contract she has to have the agreement of the Queen for every activity which was in the public eye. She is not allowed to move abroad. She has to have the acceptance of the Queen and the government for all trips, even those with charitable purposes. She must let the Palace check all new activities, even charitable ones. Diana was more constrained than ever before, and added to this, had lost many privileges. She was not a Royal Highness any more, theoretically she would have to formally curtsey before Charles, her own sons, even before distant relatives.
She had to clear her desk in St. James' Palace. And on events of national importance she would only be able to take part with the express invitation of the Palace. What Charles and his family gave Diana: Diana received a settlement of around $33 million.
The custody of the children is shared by both parents, as is common in England. Besides this, Diana was allowed to keep using the title "Princess of Wales". On 28th August the decree of divorce was given at 10.27 am.
Although after her divorce Diana pulled out of being patroness or president over 100 social institutions and charitable organizations, she took her role as patron of the English National Ballet, the Leprosy Mission and the British AIDS Help seriously. As well as these she remained president of the children's hospital Great Ormond Street and the Royal Marsden Hospital. To the many accolades which were given to Diana, belong the acceptance as Honorary Citizen of Northampton (1989) and the "Prize for Humanity".
Members of the Royal Family were always participants in charitable organizations, opened homes and hospitals. That there was suddenly someone who really was interested in the suffering of the sick, in their chances of recovery, had an effect of almost baffling people. Diana involved herself. And by doing that she very suddenly achieved the respect which was denied to her inside the Windsor family. Certainly Princess Anne was one of the hardest working Windsor’s for do-good organizations. But she always failed to do what Diana knew she could achieve by mastering her charm: she collected a great amount of money in order to do a great deal of good. Diana danced at balls, the gentlemen paid up to æÃ7000 entrance fee in order to hold her just once in their arms. She auctioned her most beautiful dresses in order to help cancer sufferers with the proceeds. She was one of the most active people in raising money for the AIDS foundation in her country, and the Red Cross was more grateful to her than it was possible to express with orders and words. She spoke to and comforted innumerable sick, poor and lepers. She fought for people who had been victims of landmines. Two days after her death a conference was opened in Oslo over the theme of landmines and their terrible consequences for the civilians. This international congress began with a minute's silence for the princess, who had visited landmine victims in Bosnia a few weeks earlier. After her separation and final divorce from Prince Charles, Diana had declared her withdrawal from charitable duties for the time being. But she didn't stick to this statement for long. She quickly realized that in spite of her personal needs and problems the poor and sick in the whole world desperately needed help, her help. There are people who already have simply endured far too much misery in their lives, to let themselves be hoodwinked by beautiful appearances. Such a person is Mother Theresa. After she had met the Princess of Wales a close contact developed between the two apparently so dissimilar women. Mother Theresa (who died one day before Diana's burial ) respected the beauty from Kensington Palace, Princess Diana spoke full of reverence for the ninety-year-old, who worked miracles in Calcutta in India. The two women could have achieved so much more together. A chance which remained denied to the pair. Only two stories from the life which speak for themselves: Winter 1994. Diana drives through the streets of London. It is bitterly cold. She stops by a bridge under which junkies and homeless people are spending the night. Flotsam and jetsam of society. The 23 year-old social worker Paul George: "Diana spoke with us, the poor people!" Diana didn't just take official appointments seriously, but was also there where she was needed. A ballet dancer is infected with HIV. His death is just a question of time. Diana got to know him through her work with the AIDS-Help. She accompanied him on his difficult way with the illness, and asked him to phone her when he was reaching the end. For two days and three nights she held the hand of the AIDS sufferer, until he breathed his last breath. Diana: "The worst illness of our time is that so many people have to suffer from not ever being loved." Diana showed the people her love for them. For this she was loved. Dodi Al Fayed: She was still so young, so full of vitality and a lust for life. Certainly the princess worked hard, but she was also a woman with erotic needs, with an inclination for love and passion. Diana longed for a male shoulder to lean on. At 36 life was not yet over, completely the opposite is true - the divorced princess had the feeling that hers would now properly begin. For Diana getting acquainted with men was always a great problem, and acquiring trust was an ever greater one. Yet in the summer of 1997 the princess tossed her cares aside and once again fell head over heels in love. She gave herself over completely to this wonderful feeling of being in love. This time Diana hoped that he would be the right one. Her choice was called Dodi Al-Fayed.
Diana and Dodi met at various parties. They both found each other pleasant and came ever more closer to each other at the end of 1996. That had certainly also something to do with the fact that Dodi's father had suddenly placed a lot of money into charity in order to improve his public image. Enough common topics for conversation were in any case at hand. Yet it would be still a few months until true love emerged from inner friendship. In July 1997 Mohamed invited his son, Diana and her children to a Mediterranean cruise on his sea-worthy luxury yacht.
Dodi's father owned a dream villa in St. Tropez. That was the right place for undisturbed togetherness! But the journalists naturally didn't stay in England, they also traveled to the South of France. The pink coloured villa was well known, the yacht too. So they posted themselves with giant telephoto lenses near the action and rented small motorboats, so that they could not miss anything. They certainly got a lot to see: Diana and Dodi canoodling on the deck, hot embraces on the villa terrace, kisses on board, loving little games in the water. There finally was really a story - the journalists celebrated. Diana noticed the photographers. She knew what would soon appear in the papers. She felt terribly worked up and troubled. However she didn't want to let this ruin her good mood and the fun she was having. Diana didn't think about keeping in the villa or under deck with Dodi. The sun shone gloriously in the blue sky, and the water shone like silver. She wanted to be happy, to enjoy herself with every fibre of her body. One time the princess even approached the photographers and said to them: "I have a huge surprise for you! You just have to wait a little..." Even though the curiosity of the photographers had been greatly awoken, she didn't betray any more information At the same time England wondered why Diana had a round belly in the photos when wearing her swimming costume. She couldn't be expecting a baby? Was that perhaps the great surprise that she soon wanted to announce? The speculations came thick and fast. Comment: When one considers that Diana and Dodi had been together for only a few weeks, it appears quite sensational to be able to recognize a pregnancy bump. Besides, it is questionable that Diana would consider having a baby with Dodi after such a short time. The photos of Diana and Dodi went all around the world, and a woman called Kelly Fisher from Los Angeles announced herself loudly to the world. In front of running cameras she cried thick tears and cursed Dodi Al-Fayed as a cad and heartbreaker. The former photograph model had been Dodi's previous lover to Diana. "He promised to marry me", she accused, "He wanted to marry me this year". As proof she held her engagement ring, a sapphire set in diamonds, in the air. Yet the press officer for the Al-Fayed family denied this: Dodi and Kelly had been together until January. Since then they had just been friends. The ring was a friendship ring, nothing more. Kelly brought in her lawyer. She demanded compensation of ten million dollars. And because Kelly was so completely disappointed, she sold intimate details to a magazine for a lot of money. Dodi, one could read, was a Playboy, a poor lover and a liar. All the world asked how Diana would react to this scandal. Was everything over? Would she leave Dodi? Did she cry bitter tears? The Princess of Wales did the opposite. She flew to Sardinia with her lover for a further short holiday. Diana knew from her own bitter experience how terrible it is to read revealing stories in the papers. She didn't react to the gossip. One can come to the conclusion from this that this experience just brought the pair closer together. They became allies against the rest of the world. The pair took altogether four short breaks to the Mediterranean. It was said that Diana and Dodi were already secretly engaged. Mohamed Al-Fayed confirmed the close connection between his son and the Princess. The wedding should take place in the autumn reported the newspapers. Dodi gave his chosen one a beautiful diamond ring worth $150,000. It bore the inscription "Say yes to me". The jeweler who made the ring said that as Dodi bought the ring, he said "This ring is for the love of my life".
Sunday, 24th August:
It was Saturday, 30th August 1997.
Dodi's father had placed his private jet at their disposal, a short stop between destinations was therefore not a problem. They landed in the city of love at 15.15. The lovers were at once followed by the press. The pair viewed a Paris town house owned by Mohamed Al-Fayed. Then the pair drove to the Al-Fayed private villa. A cool drink, a little brush up, pull on comfortable clothes. Dodi and Diana wanted to spend the weekend completely casually and intimately. Towards evening they drove to the Champs-áµlysã´es, Diana wanted to view the beautiful shops on the magnificent avenue. The pair strolled down the street, she in light coloured trousers and a dark blazer, he in jeans and a leather shirt. They looked like completely normal tourists, no-one showed the famous lovers any great attention. Later they decided to have dinner at the Ritz hotel. It belongs to Dodi's father. Here they could sit in a peaceful corner of the restaurant. And as there was always a roomy suite for Dodi reserved in the Ritz, the pair could freshen themselves before they dined. Diana arranged for a hairdresser to attend to her, but didn't feel like getting changed. Dodi too remained casually dressed. They didn't feel very hungry and in the restaurant they ordered a little fish, white wine and coffee. Somehow the pair were nervous. They wanted to drive immediately to Dodi's private villa, the journalists were not supposed to get the opportunity to follow. Was the dinner in the Ritz just an evasive action? Should the photographers believe that Diana and Dodi would spend the night in the hotel? In any case Dodi arranged evading tactics with the hotel staff: a chauffeur drove his limousine from the main entrance, turned round after a few kilometers and returned back to the hotel. And yes, the photographers followed on their motorbikes. Yet they soon realized that something was afoot, and remained on the hotel forecourt. At 19 minutes past midnight Diana and Dodi were ready to go. They chose the back exit which led out on to the narrow street Rue Cambon. They also didn't take the normal Mercedes 600, instead taking an inconspicuous model, a Mercedes 280. The second security man at the hotel, Henri Paul, should drive the car. Bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones sat in the front seat, Dodi and Diana in the back. The car drove away. At the Place de la Concorde the car with the prominent passengers was followed by the photographers, who were ever in the hope of taking good photos. They grew ever larger in numbers, the photographers probably stayed in contact using mobile phones. Henri Paul gave gas. He wanted to out drive the paparazzi under all conditions. With squeaking tires he accelerated away. He drove faster and faster. Henri Paul took the fast road at the harbor of the river Seine, raced then into the tunnel under the Place de Alma. The speed limit is 80 kilometers, he drove a full 180. Shortly after the entrance to the tunnel he completely lost control of the heavy car. The car skidded, lurched from side to side and finally crashed at high speed into the 13th concrete post! An explosion happened on impact. It was exactly 0:25. The driver was dead at the scene. The bodyguard lay in a critical position on the passenger side. He was unconscious, but alive. Dodi like Henri Paul, lost his life at the scene of the accident. Diana, who was sitting next to her lover, lay crunched up in the back, her head clamped between the two front seats. She was still breathing. Miraculously she had hardly any bleeding wounds. By chance on the opposite carriageway a doctor was driving. He saw the car accident and stopped his car at once. Dr. Frederic Maillez reached for his emergency bag and ran to the crashed car. He didn't know who the passengers were. But he recognized that the driver and the man sitting in the rear of the car were both dead. The external injuries of the second man at the front appeared the worst to him, so he first gave the bodyguard medical attention. Diana made rowing movements with her arms, when injured people do this it means that they are not receiving enough oxygen. The medic laid an oxygen mask over the unconscious Princess's mouth. The ambulance was meanwhile underway. It took almost an hour until the victims could be taken out of the wreck. The car had to be first cut open using metal shears.
The Princess of Wales died on 31st August 1997 at 3.57 am. After the initial shock at the tragic death of the Princess many questions were raised. How could it have come to this pointless death? Then the photographers were blamed for not giving the car enough room, following the car, and therefore being responsible for the accident. The paparazzi had certainly not played a laudable role in this drama, but one cannot give them the complete guilt. As Henri Paul, the chauffeur was completely drunk! He had exactly 1,75 milliliters of alcohol in his blood. That is the same as about eight whiskies. Henri emerged as a dry alcoholic, his liver readings were normal. In spite of this he must have been pointlessly drunk on this evening. But this was not all. The medics could also detect traces of drugs in his blood. A hellish combination when together with alcohol. How was it possible that a drunken security guard would place himself behind the wheel of a car?
A photographer reported after the accident that on the night in question in front of the Ritz Paul had told them: "You won't catch us tonight". Did he over judge himself, and did Henri want to organize a race? Perhaps even impress the Princess? It is also strange that only the bodyguard had worn a safety belt. Would it not have been his duty to have at least move Diana and Dodi to put it on? And why had the lovers not tried to get the driver to keep the speed down? It is so unbelievable for the entire world that Diana is no longer alive. Wild speculations soon took hold: late witnesses claimed to have seen a white Fiat Uno, which was supposedly caught up in the accident, it could however also have been a white Citröen. There were also splinters of glass on the concrete post and on the Mercedes which prove this. In November 1998 the "Final Report" was given over Diana's accident.
Mourning:
The fact that the royal family drove - with the children of Charles and Diana - to the normal service seemed a little strange. Diana's name wasn't even mentioned. The children, which hadn't even really understood the death of the mother, had to bear the onlookers and the many press photographers. Nobody can anticipate which feelings the children of the dead mother had to bear. In the meantime the whole world was shocked. Mourning citizens went to Kensington Palace or Buckingham Palace and laid down flowers. In the course of one week until the burial the courtyards turned into true seas of flowers with over a million of them being laid there. Yes, all over the world one could see crying faces. On the television one could see live reports from the Parisian tunnel. TV and radio programmes were postponed - the world cried over Diana. Also on the same morning Prince Charles flew to Paris with Diana's two sisters Sarah and Jane. They wanted to bring the Princess of Wales' corpse back home. Diana was laid out in the hospital, her beautiful body was covered with a simple silk sheet. Her hands were folded, a white rose lay on them. Two large candles brought light to the bare room. Charles, Jane and Sarah had tears in their eyes as they glanced at Diana for one last time. Then they joined hands and said a quiet prayer. An undertaker came with a heavy oak coffin, the Princess was laid on soft silk pillows. The Windsor family flag was draped over the coffin, and soldiers carried it out with great dignity. The Princess, who was only allowed to live to be 36 years old, flew back on her very" 'last flight." In London the bodily remains were laid in St. James' Palace. Countless mourning people wrote messages in the books of condolence left out there.
On Friday, a day before the funeral, the Royal Family returned to London and viewed the sea of flowers surrounding Kensington Palace. Diana's sons appeared quite collected and also spoke to the people, exactly like their mother would have done. Yet how it looked behind the facade is anyone's guess. On the same evening the Queen of England gave the long-awaited televised speech about the death of Diana. At this point I must mention that the Queen had wanted to keep to regulations which had been set a long, long time previously. On Saturday, 6th September 1997 a quite majestic, very dignified funeral took place, which came very close to resembling a pompous state burial. Burial:
11:08 am:
The princess' coffin rests on a gun carriage from the year 1904 from the royal cavalry artillery. Six centimes have been hitched up in order to accompany her on her last journey through London. The blue-red-gold royal standard is wrapped over her coffin. Three white flower arrangements adorn it. The first is a small, round arrangement of small white roses. In the arrangement a letter from Harry. One can read the hand-written word "mum". In the middle lays a large white arrangement of lilies. The favourite flowers of the Princess. They come from her brother, Earl Spencer. Behind these white tulips with a gold ribbon. These are the last greeting from Diana's son William. People cry and scream "Diana, Diana,.." time and time over. Twelve soldiers of the Welsh Guard, the Princess of Wales' regiment, in red jackets and with black bearskin hats, flank the coffin. Overall between the masses of people on the roadside are standing security officers from the English Secret Service MI5. 12:09 am:
12:18 am:
12:23 am:
12:44 am:
The queen and her husband Philip lay down a small white bouquet. Prince Charles and his two sons step up. They too lay down a small arrangement. Prince Charles crosses himself afterwards. The funeral service begins.
The first, Lady Sarah, who quoted from a poem: "Should I die and leave you for a time, do not be like the others, bitter, despondent. Those who stay long awake in silent fog and gush tears. Go back into life and smile for me. Strengthen your heart and your shaking hand, in order to do something that will comfort other hearts to your own. Finish my unfinished duties which were so important to me, and with this I will perhaps give you consolation." Next spoke Lady Jane. She read the following verse: "Time elapses too slowly for those who wait, too quickly for those who fear, it is too long for those who enjoy themselves, but for those who love time, time is eternal". Next a passage from Verdi's Requiem was sung. Prime Minister Tony Blair read, obviously moved, from the 1st letter to the Corinthians, the 13th chapter, whereby he replaced the word used in the English Bible ‘charity’ with the word ‘love‘: "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal". A high-point of the funeral: Diana's close friend Elton John placed himself at the piano and sang his song "Candle in the Wind". In memory of Lady Diana he changed the text to "Goodbye England's Rose". As he sings Princes William and Harry also cry. As a matter of responsibility the BBC gave its camera crew the strict instructions not to focus on the grieving family members during the service. They kept to this. Next Diana's brother Charles spoke. Time after time he struggled too with the tears. The young Earl wrote his text himself and had not laid it in front of the royal family beforehand. He wanted to prevent anything being struck from his text. From an extraordinary and very personal viewpoint he paid tribute to his dead sister. His speech however contained a hardly concealed critique of the English royal court. Diana was a person with a natural nobility, classless, and someone who proved in the last year, that one doesn't need a royal title in order to keep a special magic. And he promised to protect the two princes from the coldness of the palace, so that their souls would not simply be submerged in duty and tradition, but would be able to sing freely. The congregation broke into spontaneous applause - etiquette was disregarded. At this moment only the feeling of the individual counted. For the first time since the year 1065 when the originally Norman nave had been consecrated there is applause in the place of worship, Westminster Abbey. And outside on the streets of London, in Hyde Park, where hundreds of thousands follow the funeral service on giant cine-screens, the people celebrate like at a rock concert. Archbishop George Carey speaks to the mourners. He praises Diana's involvement with people suffering from AIDS, victims of landmines and completely normal people. He is the only one at this point to also mention Diana's partner Dodi Al-Fayed, the dead driver and the seriously injured bodyguard. 14.00 hrs:
17.30:
18.00:
“God Bless Diana, Princess of Wales” --------------------
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Diana, Princess of Wales
(1961 - 1997)
Sandringham, England
Diana, Princess of Wales's Details
| Nicknames: | "Lady Di", "Princess Diana", "Princess Di", "лейди Даяна Спенсър" |
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| Place of Burial: | Sandringham, England |
| Birthdate: | July 1, 1961 |
| Birthplace: | Sandringham, Norfolk, United Kingdom |
| Death: | Died August 31, 1997 in Paris, France |
| Occupation: | Children's nanny at the Young England School in Pimlico, London., принцесата на Уелс лейди Даяна Спенсър, Princess of Wales |
| Added by: | Jesper Blaabjerg Holm on May 4, 2007 |
| Managed by: | Arthur Rexford Whittaker |
| Last Updated: | Mar 12, 2010 |
Diana, Princess of Wales's Family
| Immediate Family: |
Daughter of Edward and Frances Mother of Henry and William Sister of Elizabeth, Lady Cynthia, Charles and John Half sister of |
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Diana, Princess of Wales's Family Tree
| Tree Statistics: |
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