Princess Diana: biography, personal life, causes of death. Five main versions of the death of Princess Diana Princess Diana's mother biography

Among the people, Princess Diana was nicknamed the queen of human hearts for her endless kindness, constant participation in charity events and the sincerity that she gave to people. She gave birth to two wonderful sons, one of whom will definitely become the king of Great Britain. Now Lady Di could nurse her grandchildren, drink tea in the evenings and give advice to her daughters-in-law, but a terrible accident ended the life of the young princess.

Grade

Profession: Her Highness The Princess of Wales
Date of Birth: July 1, 1961 - August 31, 1997
Height and weight: 178 cm and 58 kg
Place of Birth: Sandringham, Norfolk, UK
Best works: Prince William Arthur Philip Louis and Prince Henry Charles Albert David
Awards: Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II, Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown, Order of Virtue Special Class

Diana Frances Spencer was born at Sandrigham Castle to a noble family. Her father, John Spencer, was Viscount Althorp, an old aristocratic family of the same Spencer-Churchill family as the Duke of Marlborough and Winston Churchill. Diana's paternal ancestors were carriers of royal blood through the illegitimate sons of King Charles II and the illegitimate daughter of his brother and successor, King James II.


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Interesting facts about Princess Diana

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

For some time, Diana worked as a cleaner.

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


Diana had sharp mood swings: the servants repeatedly said that the princess could both give gifts to the attendants and reprimand to the fullest extent for the slightest offense, or even for nothing, depending on her mood.

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

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


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

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

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


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

More than 100 different songs are dedicated to Diana.

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

The princess's favorite dish was cream pudding.


Diana often violated royal etiquette and dress code.

Lady Diana was afraid of horses.

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

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

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

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

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Princess Diana is a stronghold of purity and an example to follow. She has a number of behaviors familiar to the royal family, and her style is still being copied. However, we want to talk not so much about Diana, Princess of Wales, but about Diana Francis Spencer - a woman not so well known to us outside of the royal image.

We are in AdMe.ru learned about the other, more human and dramatic side of Lady Dee's life. Two motives invariably intertwined in her fate: the desire to give happiness and the impossibility of becoming happy herself. This is what the facts we have discovered speak of.

One of the first to draw attention to the problem of AIDS and debunk myths about this disease

At the opening of the UK's first AIDS ward, Princess Diana defiantly took off her gloves and shook hands with each patient. This gesture was intentional: Lady Dee tried to dispel the myths about those infected with AIDS, which at that time were stigmatized. Subsequently, she visited sick children many more times, transferred funds to aid funds, and also did not shy away from personally communicating with HIV-infected people.

Since childhood, she was not a favorite of her mother

Diana Spencer was not wealthy enough to neglect her work. The entire inheritance of Count Spencer was passed down through the male line, which is why Lady Dee, who had not yet married, unlike her sisters, earned as much as she could. She cleaned friends' houses, taught dance lessons to teenagers, worked as an assistant nanny and kindergarten teacher.

Worried about weight and got bulimic before marriage

After 13 meetings with her future husband and the decision to get engaged, Lady Diana became seriously concerned about her weight and began to fall into unhealthy states. It all started with a thoughtless phrase from the groom, and ended with an eating disorder - bulimia. By the time of the wedding, the girl's waist had decreased in girth by 20 centimeters, she "melted from February to June." Diana's condition was also affected by endless jealousy: she saw how Charles secretly exchanged gifts with his first love, Camilla.

The honeymoon was not a fairy tale, but a horror

“By this point, my bulimia was completely out of control. The attacks were repeated 4 times a day. Whatever I could find, I immediately ate, and after a couple of minutes I was sick - it exhausted me.

Princess Diana

“In a protective vest, I tried to walk along a deliberately cleared lane and I can say that it is very scary. And what about those who have neither vests nor miners, who have to risk their lives every time they go for water, those who are simply forced to live among minefields ?!

Princess Diana

In one of the cities of Angola, a few days before the arrival of the princess, teenagers playing football were blown up on a field that was not completely cleared of mines. It was on this field that Lady Diana walked, wearing a bulletproof vest and a protective mask against bullets - this is how she spoke in support of the anti-personnel mines movement.

Problems in marriage pursued everywhere: from bed to social events

After the wedding and honeymoon spent together, it became obvious that Charles and Diana, who was 13 years younger than him, had nothing to talk about. The girl had specific, if not limited, tastes in literature, was not interested in her husband's hobbies and ridiculed his piety. In matters of love, as Lady Di admitted, the prince “did not have a need”: for 7 years they retired three times a week, which seemed to her insufficient, and then this was gone.

She hugged leprosy patients she visited in India

Along with the myths about HIV-infected, Princess Diana tried to dispel rumors about people with leprosy. She first visited them at Mother Teresa's leper colony in India and hugged each one before becoming patron of The Leprosy Mission.

Cheating as revenge on her husband

An unhappy marriage and a husband in awe of another woman pushed Princess Diana to try to find out what true love is. Many men are attributed to her lovers: from a riding instructor to a heart surgeon. The most famous is the bodyguard Barry Mannaki - it was about his dismissal and, as the princess herself believed, that she recalled the rigged death, calling it the biggest blow of her life.

Regularly visited children with cancer


On July 1, Princess Diana would have celebrated her 57th birthday. Despite the fact that she has not been with us for more than 20 years, she will forever remain the queen of hearts for fans. We decided to recall the life story of this legendary woman, the secrets of style, as well as the mistakes she made. Perhaps, without making them, her fairy tale would not have had such a sad ending.

Favorite of millions: biography of Princess Diana

On July 1, 1961, 3rd child was born in the family of John Spencer. The girl was named Diana and it is worth saying that she became a real disappointment for her father, since he wanted a son. Despite this, since childhood, the baby was loved and spoiled by everyone: from relatives to servants.

Unfortunately, Diana Spencer could not enjoy the family idyll for a long time. The girl's mother cheated on her father and Princess Diana's parents divorced. Relations with the new wife of her father did not work out, and all her childhood she was in two houses: with her mother in Scotland and with her father in England, but nowhere did she feel really needed.

The girl was not very enthusiastic about her studies and the teachers said that she was not very capable. Science for her was in second place. Ballet is her main childhood dream. However, high growth did not allow her to become a ballerina. The girl's nature was very addicting and she quickly found herself a new hobby - social activities.

Prince Charles appeared in the life of Diana Spencer when she was 16 years old. Then he had an affair with the girl's sister Sarah. One day, the beloved gave a careless interview and after that the relationship ended. Prince Charles was not bored for long and immediately began to look closely at Sarah's younger sister. Previously, he saw in her only a little girl, but now she has become perfection for him. This relationship had a happy ending.

Young people almost never parted, and soon the girl was introduced to the royal family. In order to marry, Prince Charles needed to get permission from his mother. Queen Elizabeth believed that the girl was ideal for her already elderly son. At that time he was over 30 and there was no time to look for the best candidate, so the queen did not hesitate and gave her consent.

It is worth noting that Diana was a better fit for the role of Charles's wife than her sister. Attractive appearance, good origin, correct manners, modesty and innocence: the future princess had all this, which cannot be said about Sarah. But not everything was so smooth. Queen Elizabeth was afraid that her son's beloved was not at all adapted to royal life. However, years will pass and she will prove that this is not at all the case.

On July 29, Princess Diana and Prince Charles got married. The wedding ceremony was a real event. The broadcast was watched by hundreds of thousands of people. Everything was like in a fairy tale, but something happened that became a sensation for everyone. The word "obey" was removed from marriage vows. It was a real shock, because even Elizabeth II swore that she would listen to her husband in everything.

A year later, the couple had their first child, Prince William. A few years later, Princess Diana of Wales gave birth to her second son, Harry. A little later, the woman will realize that this was her happiest time.

It didn't take long for the princess to show everyone her domineering nature. For example, she flatly refused to help in the selection of nannies and independently chose names for children. She planned her schedule so that she would pick up the children from school herself. A loving mother who does not have a soul in her firstborn: this is how Lady Di can be characterized.

You should not think that the Princess of Wales devoted absolutely all her time to her family. She did not forget about royal duties. One of her main activities was charity. She took care of orphanages, hospitals and hospitals. The British media wrote that she was an example for many, because no one had ever done it with such awe and love.

Unfortunately, happiness in the family did not last long. Prince Charles has been in love with a married woman for many years. Camilla Parker Bowles was his mistress. After that, the offended wife had an affair with a riding instructor.

A little later, records of telephone conversations, where the spouses exchanged courtesies with their lovers, got into the network. This could not continue for long and they divorced. Left alone, the woman did not give up her business, but with great enthusiasm began to engage in charity work.

Princess Diana died on August 31, 1997. Then she met with Dodi al Fayed, who was the son of an Egyptian multi-billionaire. There were rumors that they planned to get married soon.

On that fateful day, Princess Diana and Dodi al Fayed were together. They tried to hide from the paparazzi and got into an accident. Beloved died on the spot, and the woman died a few hours later, as she was taken to the hospital. How Princess Diana died is still a mystery. There are rumors that the accident was staged. After the incident, the police investigated for a long time how Princess Diana died and, according to the official version, the cause of death is an accident. Only a bodyguard remained alive, who does not remember the events of that night.

Many years have passed, but the cause of Princess Diana's death raises many doubts. When the royal family found out about the incident, Elizabeth II refused to declare national mourning, but this caused anger among the people. A huge number of people came to the funeral of Princess Diana.

The tomb of Princess Diana is located in Eltrop.

People still come to the scene of the accident in which the woman got. Cops and detectives are still trying to figure out the true cause of death.

Princess Diana's children honor her memory. Prince Harry at the wedding with Meghan Markle himself collected a bouquet of flowers that his mother loved so much. Princess Diana's ring is now worn by Prince Harry's wife.

Lady Di: what were her main mistakes

Princess Diana made several fatal mistakes in her life. Perhaps if she had looked at some things differently, then the ending of her story would have been different. Currently, more than one documentary about Princess Diana has been shot, which shows her life as it really was.

Underestimated the opponent

At the time of his marriage, Prince Harry's father had been having an affair with Camilla Parker Bowles for 9 years. Diana knew about this, but despite this, she accepted the offer. It remains a mystery how she was going to outshine her rival.

After the death of Lady Dee, a fragment of a letter appeared on the network that she wrote to her lady-in-waiting. It said that the honeymoon was not at all the way she imagined it, but was a great opportunity to sleep.

Gave controversial interviews

In 1995, a woman gave the most scandalous interview to the BBC channel. In it, she frankly shared everything that happened in 15 years of marriage, about her suicide attempts and betrayals. After that, the public learned that Princess Diana's husband had been cheating on her for many years. The interview was discussed for a very long time. Perhaps it influenced the "accident" with Lady Dee.

Loved the attention to her person

Princess Diana was accused of the fact that at the beginning of her marriage to Prince Charles, she loved to “inflate an elephant out of a molehill” and thereby stir up the interest of the press. For example, she once performed almost naked on the Covent Garden stage. The second escapade was a dance with John Travolta at a reception at the White House. Lady Di in all interviews denied that she was playing to the public and loves increased attention, but in fact she was flattered by it.

Princess Diana's style: what to learn from her

Princess Diana's style was sometimes imperfect and changed over the years. Currently, her outfits are sold at auctions for a lot of money and exhibited in the most famous museums in the world. Let's take a look at what was the style of Princess Diana and what can we learn from her?

First miss - wedding dress

The wedding dress of Princess Diana was discussed for more than one month after the celebration. Fashion critics compared the bride to a meringue cake. The woman herself took part in the development of the outfit. The dress consisted of lace, silk taffeta, a belt with diamonds and a thousand pearls.

The choice of fabric was a real failure. The designers and the bride herself did not think about the fact that they still need to get to the place of the wedding. As a result, at the altar, the bride was in a rumpled dress.

Work on bugs

After a failed bridal look, Princess Diana decided she needed some help with styling. She approached Anna Harvey, who was working as an editor for Vogue UK at the time. Over time, the princess' outfits have become an example for many. Her main rule was to buy clothes only from domestic designers.

On the example of Princess Diana, you can learn:

  • work with proportions;

  • select and combine accessories (two watches on one hand, a bracelet with balls, rings on the little finger, a necklace with a letter, a pearl necklace on the back);

  • wear clutches;

  • use blue eyeliner;

  • wear low heels and clothes in the same color;

  • be an individual
  • dress simply and tastefully;

  • comply with the dress code.

The death of Princess Diana was and remains even today a real tragedy for all fans. Although the woman lived a short life, thanks to her, Prince Harry of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge William were born. Prince William and Kate Middleton are raising wonderful three children, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have recently become husband and wife. By the way, there are rumors that Meghan Markle is pregnant. True or not, time will tell.


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

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

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


1963 Two-year-old Diana rests in a chair in her home.


1964 Three-year-old Diana walks around her house with a stroller.


1965



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

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

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


Viscount Spencer, as far as possible, tried to mitigate the consequences of the loss and in every possible way entertained the depressed, confused, shocked children: he arranged children's parties and balls, invited dance and singing teachers, personally chose the best nannies and servants. But this still did not completely save the kids from mental trauma.

1970 Little sportswoman on holiday in Itchenor, West Sussex.


1970 Diana with her sisters, father and brother.



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


"Lady Diana" (a courtesy title for daughters of high peers) she became in 1975, after the death of her grandfather, when her father inherited the earldom and became the 8th Earl Spencer. During this period, the family moved to the ancient ancestral castle of Althorp House in Nottrogtonshire.

After graduating from youth school in West Heth, Diana lived in Switzerland. Her father sent her to learn housekeeping, cooking, sewing, as well as French and other skills of a well-bred girl. Dee, apparently, did not like the process of learning very much, she was languishing from boredom, besides, she did not like French and wanted to become independent as soon as possible.

Diana in Scotland


In the winter of 1977, shortly before leaving to study in Switzerland, sixteen-year-old Lady Diana meets Prince Charles for the first time when he comes to Althorp to hunt. At that time, impeccably educated, intelligent Charles seemed to the girl just "very funny."

Since Diana strove for independence, Charles Spencer Sr. gave her such an opportunity. When she came of age, her father gave the future princess an apartment in London. Diana did not show aristocratic stiffness and willingly and confidently began her independent, adult life. She worked as a kindergarten teacher and took care of children at home. Interestingly, the hourly rate of the future princess was only one pound.

Diana as a nanny, a year before she marries Prince Charles.


At this time, the heir to the English throne courted Diana's older sister, Sarah Spencer. Diana simply idolized Lady Sarah Spencer - charming, witty, proud, though a little harsh in manners and behavior. Therefore, she was glad to see how the relations of the eldest of the Spurser sisters with such an enviable groom were developing. Charles at that time was passionate about his studies, closed, a bit cold, but his high status aroused an exaggerated interest in girls. Among the contenders for the heart of the prince was even the granddaughter of the legendary Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Lady Charlotte. And yet, he clearly singled out the Spencer house for himself.

Cheerful Diana, who knew why the future king of Great Britain was coming to their house, smiled happily at the guest and muttered something embarrassedly in French - she really loved her sister and wished her happiness. Showering Sarah with signs of attention, Charles was also very kind to Diana, he liked the girl, but nothing special came of it. In November 1979, Diana was invited to the royal hunt. At the Earl Spencer's estate, she was to spend the weekend with her family and Prince Charles. Athletic, graceful, Diana carried herself like an Amazon on a horse, and during the fox hunt, despite her simple dress and modest demeanor, she was irresistible.

It was then that the Prince of Wales first realized that Diana was an incredibly "charming, lively and witty girl who is interesting." Sarah Spencer later said that she played "the role of Cupid" at this meeting. For the first time, Charles had a long conversation with Dee and could not help but admit that she was simply lovely. However, at that moment it was all over.

In the summer, in July 1980, Diana learned that Prince Charles had suffered a great misfortune: his uncle, Lord Mountbatten, whom the prince considered one of his closest people, the best adviser and confidant, had died. As Diana later recalled, “I saw the prince sitting alone in a haystack, thoughtful; turned off the path, sat down beside him and simply said that she had seen him in church at the funeral service. He seemed so lost, with an incredibly sad look ... This is unfair, - I thought then, - He is so lonely, someone should be there at this moment! In the evening of the same day, Charles frankly and publicly showered Lady Diana Francis with signs of attention befitting the chosen one of the prince. Sarah Spencer was completely forgotten.

At the time of the "acquisition" by Charles of Diana, the prince was 33 years old. He was the most enviable suitor in Great Britain and was considered an incredible womanizer, conqueror of girls, although this title should rather be attributed to his title. In particular, since 1972, Charles had an affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles, the wife of an army officer, Andrew Parker-Bowles, by the way, a good "friend" of some members of the royal family. However, Camilla was in no way suitable for the role of the future queen, and Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip broke their heads a lot over how to "slip" a better candidate to their son. But then Diana appeared, and in general, saved the situation. They say that Prince Philip himself proposed to Charles to marry Diana. She was well-born, young, healthy, beautiful and well-bred. What else is needed for a good royal marriage?

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


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

Future princess under an umbrella, 1981.

Soon all the rumors and speculation were put to rest. On February 24, the engagement of the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer was officially announced. The wedding was scheduled for July 29 and was to be held at St. Paul's Cathedral. The whole of Britain was excited by the news: it lifted the spirit of the nation during a rather grim economic downturn. Apparently, the time for the wedding was chosen very opportunely.

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



Meanwhile, preparations for the "wedding of the century" were in full swing throughout the UK.
To sew a romantic Victorian wedding dress, chastely closed, with many frills and frills, was Diana's idea. She entrusts such a responsible task to little-known designers David and Elizabeth Emmanuel and does not lose. The dress becomes legendary.


On July 29, 1981, young Diana Spencer in a chic wedding dress with an almost eight-meter white silk train went to the altar of St. Paul to become one of the members of the British royal family. Seven hundred and fifty million viewers around the world did not tear themselves away from the TV screens, where one of the most beautiful women in Europe was married to one of the richest suitors in Europe. As the Archbishop of Canterbury put it in his speech, “In such magical moments, fairy tales are born.” This day, as journalists rightly noted, began a new page in the history of the Windsor family and the whole of Great Britain.

The wedding was fabulous. And not only because it was the most expensive event of its kind (costs were estimated at 2,859 million pounds sterling). It’s just that the groom is a real prince, and the bride is fabulously beautiful and charming.


Now they will bring each other an oath of allegiance. Moreover, Diana, who was barely 20, with an unshakable hand, contrary to tradition, crossed out the promise to obey her husband from the text of her oath. Therefore, later journalists will call their marriage "Marriage of equals"









After the wedding, the girlfriends received a souvenir from Diana. For each, a rose filled in plastic from a luxurious bouquet of the bride was prepared.

Honeymoon in Scotland at Balmoral on the River Dee.






The first official trip of Prince Charles and his young wife around the country began with their titular possessions - Wales. In just three days, the prince and princess held eighteen meetings! On the first day, their itinerary included Caernarfon Castle, where Prince Charles, twelve years earlier, had been solemnly conferred the title of Prince of Wales. On the third day of her trip to Wales, Diana received the title "Freedom of the City of Cardiff". In gratitude for the honor done to her, she gave her first public speech, part of which was in the Welsh dialect.

Diana said she was proud to be the princess of such a wonderful country. Later, Diana admitted what fear and embarrassment she experienced before this visit and her first public appearance, but it was this trip that became Diana's real triumph and served as a kind of springboard into the future.


Princess Diana dozed off at an event at the Albert and Victoria Museum in 1981. The next day, her pregnancy was officially announced.

On July 21, 1982, at half past five in the morning, Prince William of Wales was born at St. Mary's Hospital in Paddington.

Diana and Charles with their son Prince William. The child was baptized on August 4 and given the name Arthur Philip Louis.



In February 1984, Buckingham Palace officially announced that the Prince and Princess were expecting their second child. The boy, who was born on September 15, 1984, was named Henry Charles Albert David. In the future, he will be known as Prince Harry.


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

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



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


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


In the early 90s, a blank wall of misunderstanding grew between the most famous spouses in the world. In 1992, the tension in their relationship reached a climax, Diana began to suffer from depression and bouts of bulimia (painful hunger). Soon, Prime Minister John Major announced the decision of the Prince and Princess of Wales to separate and lead a separate life. There was no talk of a divorce then, but the following year the first of those sensational interviews that shocked the British took place - then Prince Charles admitted to the host Jonathan Dimbleby that he was unfaithful to Diana.

In December 1995, Diana appeared on the BBC's Panorama, a popular show that was watched by several million viewers. She talked about the fact that Camilla Parker-Bowles appeared in the life of the prince even before their marriage, and continued to be “invisibly present” (or even quite visible!) Throughout it. “There were always three of us in that marriage,” Diana said. - It's too much". The marriage of Charles and Diana ended in divorce on August 28, 1996 at the initiative of Queen Elizabeth II.

Despite this, interest in Diana did not decrease at all, on the contrary, the public showed more and more attention to the proud Lady Di. Reporters were still eager to get into the princess's private life, especially after her romantic relationship with Dodi Al-Fayed, the forty-one-year-old son of Arab millionaire Mohammed Al-Fayed, owner of fashionable hotels, became public in the summer of 1997. In July, they spent holidays in Saint-Tropez with Diana's sons, Princes William and Harry. The boys got along well with the friendly owner of the house.


Later, Diana and Dodi met in London, and then went on a Mediterranean cruise aboard the luxury yacht Jonical.

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

On Saturday evening, Diana and Dodi decided to have dinner at the restaurant of the Ritz Hotel, which Dodi owned. In order not to attract the attention of other visitors, they retired to a separate office, where, as it was later reported, they exchanged gifts: Diana gave Dodi cufflinks, and he gave her a diamond ring. At one o'clock in the morning they were going to go to Dodi's apartment on the Champs Elysees. Wanting to avoid the paparazzi crowding the front door, they left the hotel through a service exit. There they boarded a Mercedes S-280, accompanied by bodyguard Trevor-Reese Jones and driver Henri Paul.

Last photo.
The night before the fatal accident, Princess Diana and Dodi al-Fayed were filmed on camera at the Ritz Hotel in Paris on August 31, 1997.



The accident occurred in Paris on August 31, 1997 in a tunnel located near the Alma bridge. A black Mercedes-Benz S280 crashed into a convoy separating oncoming traffic lanes, then hit the tunnel wall, flew several meters and stopped.




The injuries sustained by Princess Diana, Dodi al-Fayed and a bodyguard were fatal. True, they managed to take Diana alive to the Pite Salpêtrière hospital, but all attempts to save her life were in vain. She was only 36 years old.
While the doctors were fighting for the life of the favorite of millions of Englishmen, forensics were working to clarify the circumstances of the accident.

The following versions of the reasons for her death gradually emerged:
. the death of the Princess of Wales in a traffic accident is nothing more than an ordinary car accident, a tragic accident;

Henri Paul, the driver of the Mercedes, is to blame for everything - the examination showed that he was in a state of extreme intoxication while driving;

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

The British royal family was involved in the death of the princess, who never forgave Diana for her divorce from Prince Charles;

The car lost control due to a malfunction of the brake system;

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

British secret services had a hand in the death of the princess, who intended to disrupt the marriage of the mother of the future British king with a Muslim.

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

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

Experts, who carefully examined what was left of the car for several months, came to the conclusion that at the time of the disaster, the car's brakes were in working order. The investigation team also denied allegations that a drunk driver was at fault. Of course, the drunken state of Paul Henri played a role in what happened. However, not only (and not so much) it led to the tragedy. During the investigation, it turned out that before crashing into the 13th column of the tunnel, Diana's car collided with a white Fiat-Uno. According to the testimony of one of the witnesses, the latter was driven by a brown-haired man in his forties who fled the scene of the crime. After this collision, the Mercedes lost control, and then what happened was already described above.

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

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

Probability of killing
The father of Diana's lover, billionaire Mohammed al-Fayed, is sure that the British intelligence services were involved in the death of Diana and his son. It was he who insisted on a state investigation of the car accident, which lasted from 2002 to 2008. According to al-Fayed Sr., the driver, Henri Paul, was sober during the fateful trip. “There is video footage from the Ritz Hotel where Henri Paul walks normally,” he says, “although, in theory, he should have just crawled. Doctors found a wild amount of antidepressant in his system. Most likely, this man was poisoned. Except "Moreover, I have documents that he worked for the British special services. Later they found his secret bank accounts, to which 200 thousand dollars were transferred. The origin of this money is unclear."

And Mohammed, contrary to official reports on the results of the study, claims that Diana died while pregnant:
“At first, the authorities refused to do the test, and when they did it under pressure, many years passed. During this time, traces can simply be lost. But after all, on the eve of the tragedy, Dodi and Diana visited a villa in Paris that I bought for them. They chose a room for their child there, overlooking the garden.”

Paul Burrell, Diana's former butler, also agrees with the version of a conspiracy against Diana and Dodi with the participation of special services and the royal court. He has a letter to Lady Dee in which she wrote 10 months before her death: “My life is in danger. The ex-husband plans to stage an accident. The brakes will fail in my car, there will be a car accident.

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

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

The only survivor of a car crash in Paris is Dodi and Diana's bodyguard Trevor Rhys-Jones. He, unlike the driver and passengers, survived because he was wearing a seat belt. The shattered bones in his body are held together with 150 titanium plates and he has undergone ten surgeries.

Here is his opinion about the situation before the disaster:
“Henri Paul was not drunk that evening. He did not smell of alcohol, he communicated and walked normally. I didn't drink anything at the table. I don't know where the alcohol came from in his blood after his death. Unfortunately, I cannot explain why I was wearing seat belts in the car, but Diana and Dodi were not. My brain is damaged, I suffer from partial memory loss. My memories end when we left the Ritz Hotel”…

Parting
For the body of Princess Diana, her ex-husband, Prince Charles, flew to Paris. Butler Paul Burrell brought clothes and asked that the rosary, given to her by Mother Teresa, be placed in the hands of the princess.
In London, an oak coffin with the body of a princess stood in the Royal Chapel of St. James's Palace for four nights. People from all over the world gathered at the walls of the palace. They lit candles and laid flowers.


The farewell ceremony with Princess Diana was held at Westminster Abbey.


Princess Diana was buried on September 6 at the Spencer family estate of Althorp in Northamptonshire, on a secluded island in the middle of a lake.

Diana was one of the most popular women of her time in the world. In the UK, she has always been considered the most popular member of the royal family, she was called the "Queen of Hearts" or "Queen of Hearts".
High, high, in heaven, the stars sing her name: "Diana."




Diana Spencer is one of the most famous women of the twentieth century, whose tragic fate left a mark on the hearts of her contemporaries. Having become the wife of the heir to the royal throne, she faced betrayal and betrayal and was not afraid to expose the hypocrisy and cruelty of the British monarchy to the world.

The tragic death of Diana was perceived by many as a personal tragedy, a huge number of books, films and musical works are dedicated to her. Why Princess Diana was so popular among the common people, we will try to understand this material.

Childhood and family

Diana Francis Spencer is a representative of an old aristocratic dynasty, the founders of which were the descendants of Kings Charles II and James II. The Duke of Marlborough, Winston Churchill and many other famous Englishmen belonged to her noble family. Her father, John Spencer, held the title of Viscount Eltrop. The mother of the future princess, Frances Ruth (née Roche), was also of noble birth - her father was a baron, and her mother was a confidant and maid of honor of Queen Elizabeth.


Diana became the third girl in the Spencer family, she has two older sisters - Sarah (1955) and Jane (1957). A year before her birth, a tragedy occurred in the family - a boy born on January 12, 1960 died ten hours after birth. This event seriously affected the already less than ideal relationship between the parents, and the birth of Diana could no longer correct this situation. In May 1964, the long-awaited heir Charles was born to the Spencer couple, but their marriage was already bursting at the seams, his father spent all his time hunting and playing cricket, and his mother got a lover.


Diana from early childhood felt like an unnecessary and unloved child, deprived of attention and love. Neither mother nor father ever said simple words to her: "We love you." The divorce of her parents was a shock for an eight-year-old girl, her heart was torn between her father and mother, who no longer wanted to live as one family. Francis left the children to her husband and left with her new chosen one for Scotland, the next meeting of Diana with her mother took place only at the wedding ceremony with Prince Charles.


In early childhood, Diana was brought up and educated by governesses and home teachers. In 1968, the girl was sent to the prestigious West Hill Private School, where her older sisters were already studying. Diana loved to dance, drew beautifully, went in for swimming, but the rest of the subjects were given to her with difficulty. She failed her final exams and was left without a matriculation certificate. School failures were due more to lack of self-confidence and low self-esteem than to low intellectual ability.


In 1975, John Spencer inherited the title of earl from his deceased father, and a year later he married Raine, Countess of Dartmouth. The children disliked their stepmother, boycotted her and refused to sit at the same table. Only after the death of her father in 1992, Diana changed her attitude towards this woman and began to warmly communicate with her.


In 1977, the future princess went to Switzerland to continue her education. Homesickness forced her to return without graduating from an educational institution. The girl moved to London and got a job.


In English aristocratic families, it is customary for grown-up children to work on an equal footing with ordinary citizens, so Diana, despite her noble birth, worked as a teacher in the Young England kindergarten, which still exists in the respectable London district of Pimlico and is proud of its connection with the royal family .


She lived in a small apartment given to her by her father as an adult, and led the usual way of life for English youth. At the same time, she was a modest and well-mannered girl, shunned noisy London parties with marijuana and alcohol, and did not start serious novels.

Meeting Prince Charles

Diana's first meeting with Prince Charles took place in 1977 at the Spencer family estate in Althorp. The heir to the British crown then met with her older sister Sarah, the girl was even invited to the palace, which indicated serious plans for her. However, Sarah did not burn with the desire to become a princess, she did not hide her passion for alcohol, because of which she was expelled from school, and hinted at infertility.


The queen was not satisfied with this state of affairs, and she began to consider Diana as a possible bride for her son. And Sarah happily married a calm, reliable man with a wonderful sense of humor, bore him three children and lived a happy family life.

The queen's desire to marry her son as soon as possible was caused by his relationship with Camilla Shand, a smart, energetic and sexy blonde, but not well-born enough to become the heir to the throne. And Charles liked such women: experienced, sophisticated and ready to carry him in their arms. Camilla was also not averse to becoming a member of the royal family, however, as a smart woman, she had a fallback in the person of officer Andrew Parker-Bowles. But the heart of Andrew for a long time was occupied by Princess Anna, Charles's sister.


The marriage of Camilla and Bowles became a solution to two problems for the royal family at once - at that time Charles served in the Navy, and when he returned, he met his beloved already in the status of a married lady. This did not prevent them from continuing their love relationship, which did not stop with the advent of Lady Diana in the life of Prince. Looking ahead, we add that eight years after the death of Lady Spencer, the prince married Camilla.


Diana, on the other hand, was a modest pretty girl without a train of scandals and with an excellent pedigree - an excellent match for the future heir to the throne. The queen persistently suggested that her son pay attention to her, and Camilla was not against the marriage of her lover to a young, inexperienced lady who did not pose any threat to her. Submitting to the will of his mother and realizing his duty to the dynasty, the prince invited Diana, first to the royal yacht, and then to the palace, where, in the presence of members of the royal family, he proposed to her.


The official announcement of the engagement took place on February 24, 1981. Lady Dee showed the public a luxurious sapphire and diamond ring, which now adorns the finger of Kate Middleton, the wife of her eldest son.

After the engagement, Diana left her job as a teacher and moved first to the royal residence in Westminster, and then to Buckingham Palace. It was an unpleasant surprise for her that the prince lived in separate apartments, continued to lead his usual way of life and rarely spoiled the bride with attention.


The coldness and aloofness of the royal family negatively affected Diana's psyche, childhood fears and insecurities returned to her, and bulimia attacks became more frequent. Before the wedding, the girl lost 12 kilograms, her wedding dress had to be sutured several times. She felt like a stranger in the royal palace, it was difficult for her to get used to the new rules, and the environment seemed cold and hostile.


On July 29, 1981, a magnificent wedding ceremony took place, which was seen on television screens by about a million people. Another 600,000 spectators greeted the wedding procession on the streets of London, all the way to St. Paul's Cathedral. On that day, the territory of Westminster Abbey barely accommodated everyone who wanted to take part in this historic event.

Princess Diana's wedding. Chronicles

There were some incidents - a luxurious taffeta dress was badly wrinkled during a ride in a horse-drawn carriage and did not look the best. In addition, the bride, during the traditional speech at the altar, mixed up the order of the names of Prince Charles, which violated etiquette, and also did not swear to her future husband in eternal obedience. The royal press attachés pretended it was meant to be, permanently changing the text of the wedding vow for members of the British court.

Birth of heirs and problems in family life

After a solemn reception at Buckingham Palace, the newlyweds retired to the Broadlands estate, from where a few days later they went on a wedding cruise in the Mediterranean. When they returned, they settled at Kensington Palace in west London. The prince returned to his usual way of life, and Diana began to expect the appearance of her first child.


Officially, the pregnancy of the Princess of Wales was announced on November 5, 1981, this news caused rejoicing in English society, people were eager to see the heir to the royal dynasty.

Diana spent almost the entire pregnancy in the palace, gloomy and deserted. She was surrounded only by doctors and servants, her husband rarely went into her chambers, and the princess suspected something was wrong. She soon found out about his ongoing relationship with Camilla, which Charles did not even try to hide very much. The betrayal of her husband oppressed the princess, she suffered from jealousy and self-doubt, was almost always sad and depressed.


The birth of the first-born William (06/21/1982) and the second son Harry (09/15/1984) did not change anything in their relationship. Charles still sought comfort in the arms of his mistress, and Lady Di shed bitter tears, suffered from depression and bulimia, and drank handfuls of sedative pills.


The intimate life of the spouses practically came to naught, and the princess had no choice but to find herself another man. They became Captain James Hewitt, a former military man, courageous and sexy. In order to have a reason to see him without arousing suspicion, Diana began to take riding lessons.


James gave her what a woman could not get from her own husband - love, care and the joy of physical intimacy. Their romance lasted nine years, it became known in 1992 from the book Diana: Her True Story by Andrew Morton. Around the same time, records of intimate conversations between Charles and Camilla were made public, which inevitably led to a scandal in the royal family.

Diana and Charles divorce

The reputation of the British monarchy was under serious threat, protest moods were ripening in society, and it was necessary to urgently solve this problem. The situation was aggravated by the fact that Diana, in a little over ten years, became the favorite not only of the British people, but also of the world community, so many stood up for her and accused Charles of misbehaving.

At first, Diana's popularity played into the hands of the royal court. She was called the "queen of hearts", "the sun of Britain" and "the people's princess" and put on a par with Jacqueline Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor and other great women of the twentieth century.


But over time, this universal love finally destroyed the marriage of Charles and Diana - the prince became jealous of his wife for her fame, and Lady Di, feeling the support of millions, began to boldly and confidently declare her rights. She decided to demonstrate to the whole world evidence of her husband's infidelities, told her story on a tape recorder and handed over the recordings to the press.


After that, Queen Elizabeth disliked Princess Diana, but the royal family could not stay away from the scandal, and on December 9, 1992, Prime Minister John Major officially announced the decision of Diana and Charles to live separately.


In November 1995, Lady Dee gave the BBC a sensational interview in which she spoke in detail about her suffering caused by her husband's infidelity, palace intrigues and other unworthy acts of members of the royal family.

Candid interview with Princess Diana (1995)

Charles responded by portraying her as a psychopath and hysterical and demanded an official divorce. The queen supported her son, appointed her former daughter-in-law a generous allowance, but deprived her of the title of Your Royal Highness. On August 28, 1996, the divorce proceedings were completed, and Diana again became a free woman.


last years of life

After her divorce from Charles, Lady Dee tried to arrange her personal life again in order to finally find female happiness. By that time, she had already parted with James Hewitt, suspecting him of hypocrisy and greed.

Diana really wanted to believe that men love her not only for her title, but also for her personal qualities, and the Pakistani heart surgeon Hasnat Khan seemed to her like that. She fell in love with him without looking back, met his parents and even covered her head as a sign of respect for Muslim traditions.


It seemed to her that in the Islamic world, a woman is protected and surrounded by love and care, and this was exactly what she was looking for all her life. However, Dr. Khan understood that next to such a woman he would always be forced to remain on the sidelines, and was in no hurry to propose a hand and heart.

In the summer of 1997, Diana accepted the invitation of the Egyptian billionaire Mohammed al-Fayed to relax on his yacht. An influential businessman, the owner of luxury real estate in London, wanted to get to know such a popular person better.


So that Diana would not be bored, he invited his son, film producer Dodi al-Fayed, to the yacht. Lady Dee at first considered this trip as a way to arouse Dr. Khan's jealousy, but she herself did not notice how she fell in love with the charming and courteous Dodi.

Tragic death of Princess Diana

On August 31, 1997, Lady Dee and her new lover died in a fatal accident in the center of Paris. Their car crashed into one of the pillars of the underground tunnel at breakneck speed, Dodi and driver Henri Paul died on the spot, and the princess died two hours later at the Salpêtrière clinic.


In the blood of the driver, they found an alcohol content several times higher than the permissible norm, in addition, the car was moving at great speed, trying to break away from the paparazzi chasing him.


The death of Diana was a huge shock to the world community and caused a lot of rumors and speculation. Many blamed the royal family for the death of the princess, believing that the British intelligence services set up this accident. Information appeared in the press that a man on a motorcycle blinded the driver with a laser in order to avoid Diana's pregnancy from a Muslim and the subsequent scandal. However, all this is from the field of conspiracy theories.

Funeral of Princess Diana

All of England mourned the death of the "People's Princess", because before that, not a single person of royal blood had been so loved by the common people. Under pressure from the public, Elizabeth was forced to interrupt her vacation in Scotland and give her former daughter-in-law the necessary honors.

Diana was buried on September 6, 1997 at the Spencer family estate in Althorp, Northamptonshire. Her grave is hidden from prying eyes on a secluded island in the middle of the lake, access to it is limited. Those wishing to honor the memory of the "People's Princess" can visit the memorial located near the burial place.


Reasons for universal love

Princess Diana enjoyed the support of the British, not only because she gave birth to two heirs and dared to publicize the vices of the crown prince. In many ways, this is the result of her charitable work.

For example, Diana became one of the first famous people to talk about the problem of AIDS. The disease was discovered in the early 80s, and even ten years later, little was known about the virus and how it spread. Not all doctors dared to contact those infected with HIV, fearing to catch a deadly disease.

But Diana was not afraid. She visited AIDS treatment centers without a mask and gloves, shook hands with the sick, sat on their bed, asked about their families, hugged and kissed. “HIV does not turn people into danger. You can shake hands with them and hug them, because only God knows how much they need it, ”the princess called.


Traveling around third world countries, Diana communicated with patients with leprosy: “When I met them, I always tried to touch them, hug them, to show that they are not outcasts, not outcasts.”


Having visited Angola in 1997 (there was a civil war going on there at that time), Diana walked through a field that had just been cleared of mines. No one guaranteed complete security - the likelihood that mines remained in the ground was very high. Returning to Britain, Diana launched an anti-mine campaign, urging the army to abandon this type of weapon. “Angola has the highest percentage of amputees. Think about it: one out of 333 Angolans lost a limb to mines.”


During her lifetime, Diana did not achieve "deminization", but her son, Prince Harry, continues her work. He is a patron of The HALO Trust, a charitable organization whose goal is to free the world from mines by 2025, that is, to neutralize all old shells and stop the production of new ones. Volunteers cleared mines in Chechnya, Kosovo, Abkhazia, Ukraine, Angola, Afghanistan.


In her native London, the princess regularly visited centers for the homeless and took Harry and William with her so that they could see the other side of life with their own eyes and learn compassion. Later, Prince William claimed that these visits were a revelation for him and he is grateful to his mother for this opportunity. After Diana's death, he became a patron of the charities she had previously supported.


At least three times a week, she went to children's hospices, where they kept children dying from oncology. Diana spent at least four hours with them. “Some will survive, others will die, but as long as they are alive, they need love. And I will love them,” said the princess.


Diana changed the face of the British monarchy. If earlier they were associated among the common people with yet another suffocating measures like raising taxes, then after her actions, as well as a 1995 BBC interview (“I would like monarchs to have more contact with the people”), the monarchy turned into a defender of the disadvantaged. After the tragic death of Lady Dee, her mission continued.

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