The story of Princess Diana: from a simple girl to the queen of hearts. Diana: Princess of Wales, Queen of Human Hearts What family is Diana from?
The unique "Queen of Hearts", the first wife of Prince Charles - Diana Spencer became the undisputed heroine of the 20th century. Her not too happy life became public knowledge, and the circumstances of her death remain a mystery to this day.
It is traditionally believed that Diana Spencer got into the British royal family practically from the street, in other words, she was almost a commoner, without family or tribe, and that is why Kate Middleton, the wife of Prince William, who is connected with the aristocracy only " stamp in the passport". In fact, this is not so, unlike her daughter-in-law, Diana belonged to a noble family. Moreover, both of her parents were representatives of ancient British families. The princess's father, John Spencer, Viscount Althorp, came from the Spencer-Churchill family. Spencer's ancestors received the title of earl back in the 17th century, during the reign of Charles I. Francis Ruth Roche, Diana's mother, was distinguished by her ancient and noble origin. Lady Fermoy, Diana's grandmother, was a lady-in-waiting and close friend of the Queen Mother. What is the fact that the wedding of Diana's future parents in Wesminster Abbey was attended by the entire royal family, including Elizabeth II. The Queen later even became godmother to Diana's younger brother, Charles Spencer.
The future Princess of Wales was born on July 1, 1961 in her father's family estate, Sandrigem Castle, and childhood did not know the need for anything: she was surrounded by numerous governesses, maids and other servants. Which should be in any rich house. Yes, Diana really had everything that any little girl needs, except, perhaps, the smallest thing - she lacked love. This lack of tenderness and need will haunt the Queen of Hearts throughout her life. Dee's parents divorced when the girl was only eight years old. The future wife of Prince Charles, as well as her two sisters and brother, stayed with their father. Diana's mother, Frances, moved to London, remarried and had little interest in the fate of her children.
Despite the absence of her mother, Diana received an excellent education. Before entering college, Miss Spencer was under the constant supervision of a governess and part-time teacher Gertrude Allen, she was also once engaged in the education of Frances Ruth. In 1975, following the death of her grandfather, Diana's father became the 8th Earl Spencer and she received the courtesy title of "lady" reserved for daughters of high peers. During this period, the family moved to the ancient ancestral castle of Althorp House in Northamptonshire.
Later, Diana continued her studies at the private school of Sealfield, then at Riddlesworth Hall. The next stage was the elite school for girls in West Hill, in Kent. Diana was indifferent to education, however, she studied diligently, and besides, she easily won the favor of teachers and peers thanks to her charm and extremely peaceful character. By the way, in a closed boarding school where future ladies receive education, the schedule included not only basic subjects. Diana perfectly comprehended the culinary arts and all the necessary subtleties of housekeeping. She was destined for a successful marriage and a happy life. By the way, she never finished this school, as well as the next one, in Switzerland, where her father sent her.
The beginning of the story of Diana and Charles was laid back in 1977, when the eldest son of the queen came to the estate of Earl Spencer to hunt. There, he was introduced to 16-year-old Diana, but did not pay any attention to the girl at all. The next time they meet is only in 1980.
After graduation, Diana moved to London, to an apartment that her father gave her as an adult. Then the girl got a job in a kindergarten. Despite the noble origin and more than a wealthy family, Diana never shunned hard work and life. The owner of an impeccable reputation, a beauty, a hereditary aristocrat - just such a wife was needed by Prince Charles, or rather, his mother.
By the time of the second and fateful meeting, Charles was 32 years old, he had an impressive number of novels in his arsenal, and most importantly and most unpleasant for the royal family, the royal offspring had a mistress, Camilla. It was absolutely impossible to marry her, unlike Diana, Camilla did not differ in puritanical customs, traveled from one man to another, and even did not hesitate to get married, having been refused in the royal palace. In short, in order to nip the brewing scandal in the bud, it was decided to marry Crown Prince Charles. On Diana.
Like any self-respecting gentleman, and besides, at that time, completely spineless and bonded, Charles, pleasing his mother, was courteous, courteous and even affectionate with his future wife, so that a naive girl could well take courtesy for love. In 1981, the grandiose Wedding of the Century took place, which, with bated breath, was followed, it seems, by the whole world.
By the way, "Princess Diana" is an unofficial title. So the wife of Prince Charles was christened by journalists, and after them - by the whole people. If you follow the exact wording, then you should say "Diana, Princess of Wales", or more precisely - "Diana, Princess Charles of Wales." But, let's agree, just "Princess Diana" and "Lady Dee" are much more harmonious.
Diana moved to the royal residence. At first, everything seemed to go smoothly, a year later the couple had their first child, William, and two more, in 1984, the youngest son, Harry. It was then that the first rumors about problems in the royal family spread. Firstly, it quickly became clear that Charles did not even think of breaking off relations with Camilla, and secondly, Diana herself was accused of adultery, allegedly she gave birth to her second child not from her husband, but from her own security guard. The rumors have not been confirmed, but not denied either.
By the end of the 80s, the life of the princess finally turned into hell. Everywhere she was surrounded by annoying paparazzi who tried to find out what was going on in the soul not just of an abandoned woman, but of an abandoned princess. The marriage remained purely formal. Diana was saved by work. She is actively involved in charity work. During her lifetime, she was the patroness of more than a hundred charitable organizations, helped foundations to combat AIDS, took part in the campaign to ban the use of anti-personnel mines, traveled all over Africa, tried to help everyone in need personally.
Perhaps few people remember now, but Diana even managed to visit Moscow. Her brief visit to the capital of the newly minted Russian state took place in mid-June 1995. The Princess of Wales spent only two days in Moscow, during which she visited several hospitals and elementary school No. 751 on a charitable mission, where she solemnly opened a branch of the English Foundation for Helping Disabled Children. In two short days, Diana managed to see the Kremlin and even visit the Bolshoi Theater.
Diana oversaw several organizations helping homeless teenagers, patronized children's hospitals, and communicated with seriously ill children. And this is only a small part of the good deeds. Diana drowned out her inner pain by trying to help others. Today, she is listed as one of the 100 Greatest Britons in History.
And yet, the closer Diana converged with the people, the more she moved away from the royal house. In the early 90s, the princess stopped hiding her estrangement from her husband, thanks to which she found an implacable enemy in the person of the queen. She, although she did not approve of Charles' romance with Camilla, was also afraid of the divorce process with Diana, like fire. Just think: what a shadow will fall on the reputation of the royal house!
The official divorce took place only in 1996, before that, Diana and Charles continued to live side by side, but each with his own life. Diana, in retaliation for her husband, had an affair with a riding instructor. The royal family surrendered, Elizabeth gave permission for a divorce.
After the divorce, Diana was allowed to stay in the palace, raise children and even keep the title. The British people simply would not have forgiven the Queen for any other decision. But Diana, breaking free from the royal cage, seems to have decided to repeat the fate of her mother: not knowing love, deceived more than once, she plunged headlong into her personal life - in search of someone who would really love her. The children have faded into the background. Caution, previously inherent in her, too.
Diana Frances Spencer
Diana Spencer
The fate of Diana Spencer, or, as the people affectionately called her, Lady Dee, has always been under the close attention of reporters. The future princess was born on July 1, 1961 in the family of Viscount Althorpsky, Earl Spencer. The Spencer family by that time already numbered four centuries. Diana's mother, nee Lady Farm, belonged to an ancient Irish family, and Lady Dee's paternal ancestors were ambassadors and prime ministers.
Diana was brought up, as it should be for a girl from an aristocratic family, that is, away from her parents. In addition to Diana, the family had three more children, so the mother believed that she did not have enough strength to raise all four, and shifted this burden onto the shoulders of numerous governesses and bonnes.
When Diana was 7 years old, her parents divorced, which negatively affected the children. At that time, Diana and her younger brother were the only children in the school from an incomplete family. Mother soon moved to London, where she met the American millionaire Peter Shand-Kid. Their whirlwind romance ended in marriage in 1969, for which Peter left his family and three children.
Diana was not distinguished by brilliant intellectual data, but she danced beautifully and even won the school dance competition in 1976. Her dream of becoming a ballerina never came true: with a height of 178 cm, they were not accepted into a ballet school. Already married to Charles of Wales, at one of the receptions, to the amazement of those present, she brilliantly performed rock and roll with John Travolta.
After graduating from a prestigious school in West Het, Diana studied housekeeping and cooking in Switzerland for two years. However, even her aristocratic background did not help her learn French.
Diana met Prince Charles when she was 16 years old. At that time, the prince paid more attention to the eldest of the Spencer sisters, Sarah, but he was always extremely kind to the cheerful and resourceful Diana. This youthful friendship later developed into a deeper relationship. A gift for Diana's 16th birthday was an apartment in London, which she was incredibly happy about. Diana made a living by being a kindergarten teacher. She also washed and ironed clothes for young people she knew or cleaned their apartments.
Once she told her regular mistress that she was invited to the royal hunt. The answer was the words that perhaps someday Diana would become Queen of England. However, the girl then did not suspect that her dream would soon come true.
Meanwhile, Prince Charles was making brilliant progress in the love field. Not a single girl could resist his loud title. However, his most significant affection was Camilla Parker-Bowles, an affair with which lasted for several years, which upset Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip a lot.
According to rumors, Prince Philip himself invited Charles to marry Diana: she was young, beautiful and, importantly for the queen, of noble birth. This wedding was somewhat reminiscent of buying a new thoroughbred horse for the royal stable. But for Diana, this moment was the happiest in her life. The luxurious wedding ceremony took place on July 29, 1981 at St. Paul's Cathedral. Millions of television viewers watched with delight as the richest groom in England takes the most beautiful woman as his wife. As the Archbishop of Canterbury remarked, “on such magical nights, fairy tales are born.”
Charles of Wales
However, the affairs of the young couple did not work out already during the marriage ceremony. Out of excitement, Diana said the name of her father instead of her husband’s name, and Charles got confused and instead of the traditional phrase “I promise to share with you everything that belongs to me,” he said: “I promise to share with you everything that belongs to you.” Some newspapermen subsequently presented these reservations as prophecies.
Between 1982 and 1984, the couple had two sons. It was probably the most successful time in their family life. Prince Charles was so fond of messing around with children that sometimes he even refused to go for walks. Unfortunately, he did not interrupt his romance with Camilla Parker-Bowles for a minute, which brought unbearable pangs of jealousy to young Diana.
Princess Diana was very attractive, which could not be said about Charles. Against the backdrop of her brilliant beauty, he always looked unenviable, all attention was paid to his wife, which made Prince Charles feel extremely uncomfortable: he was not used to being content with a second role. Once, during the couple's trip to Australia, he sadly joked: "I'm here, obviously, to hold bouquets."
The lack of attention from her husband did its job. In 1989, Diana was fascinated by car dealer James Ghibli. It should be said that Diana, disappointed in her dream, was easy prey. By this point, she had already given up trying to melt the ice in Charles's heart. However, after some time, Lady Di realized that she could not marry a car salesman: the harsh reality that would have awaited her in the event of such a marriage was below her dignity.
The next beautiful and passionate novel of Diana was literally put on public display. She never hid her feelings for the riding instructor, Major James Hewitt. Their connection lasted until 1994 and, perhaps, would have ended with Diana's consent to marriage, but money for James turned out to be more important than love. In the same year, he published a book of memoirs in which he spared no words to describe his relationship with Diana in all colors. With the royalties received from the book, he bought a house in the countryside and opened an equestrian school.
By 1987, Charles and Diana could no longer hide their mutual dislike. At official receptions, they tried to maintain the appearance of warm marital relations, but they did not always succeed. In cases with kisses, it came to the point of absurdity. For example, at one reception, Diana involuntarily wiped her lips, at another she turned away, and Charles kissed her somewhere on the ear.
In 1989, Diana's worldview changed radically: she finally recovered from bulimia, sorted out her relationship with Camilla, and became interested in yoga. After such changes, Diana became more acutely aware of the disharmony and falseness that was present in their relationship with her husband. Once suppressed self-esteem resulted in a violent protest. She declared war on the Windsors and, as far as we can judge now, she won it, even if at the cost of her life.
Since 1992, it has become officially known that Diana and Charles live separately. Charles wanted a divorce, as they say, without publicity. According to English law, spouses who have lived 5 years apart are considered divorced. Everyone watched with interest how this story would end. Some believed that Charles would do everything possible to save his marriage to Diana, otherwise he would never become king. However, the performance of the princess in one of the most popular BBC programs in December 1995 put an end to all rumors and speculation. In this interview, Diana admitted to millions of viewers that she was aware of the prince's connection with Camilla Parker-Bowles from the very beginning. “There were always three of us in that marriage,” she said. - It's too much".
In 1994, Diana's heart seemed to warm in the arms of millionaire art dealer Oliver Hoare. However, this novel was complicated by the fact that Oliver often gave reasons for jealousy. Therefore, Lady Dee, who naturally did not want to share it with anyone else, pestered Oliver with anonymous calls, as a result of which he turned away from her.
Oliver Hoare was replaced by Will Carling, the captain of the British national team, who came from a working class background. But this connection was short-lived. All the love affairs of Diana became public, bringing suffering to loved ones.
After the official break with Charles, Diana was tired of the arrogant aristocratic society, and she consciously began to look for men of humble origin. All subsequent lovers of Diana never rose to the highest rung of British society.
After the divorce, Diana's fortune totaled $ 23 million. She retained the title of princess, equal rights with Prince Charles to raise children, a residence in Kensington and offices in St. James's Palace. The only thing she lost was the right to become queen and be called Her Royal Majesty, however, this did not upset Diana at all. Lady Dee's popularity peaked after the divorce, and Charles was treated as the man who had betrayed Britain's most charming woman.
In August 1995, one of the ubiquitous paparazzi contrived to take pictures of Diana in the arms of her new lover, Dodi Al-Fayed. Members of this family still cannot obtain English citizenship, despite the fact that they are among the richest people in the world. The father of the deceased Dodi, Egyptian billionaire Mohammed Al-Fayed, is the owner of the Harrods supermarket empire, including the world-famous London department store. However, the money did not help the Al-Fayed family to acquire English passports.
Glory to Dodi as a famous Don Juan thundered for a long time. First he conquered Brooke Shields, Julia Roberts, Daryl Hannah, then switched to Joan Whalley, Winston Churchill's granddaughter. Dodi's last victory was Lady Di, for whom he left the fashion model Kelly Fisher. The contempt that English society showed towards Dodi is quite understandable: the distance between the brilliant princess and Dodi's "money bag" was too great. In secular clubs, incredible stories were composed, which, in turn, were overgrown with rumors and spread throughout the country. Americans experienced similar disgust when Jacqueline Kennedy married the Greek billionaire Aristotle Onassis. No matter what people say, Diana herself chose her own path and, despite all the dirty gossip spread in the press, she remained a popular favorite.
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From the book History of Political and Legal Doctrines: A Textbook for Universities author Team of authorsDiana Francis Spencer was born on July 1, 1960. The third girl in the family, she became another disappointment for Earl John Spencer, who was expecting a son - the heir to titles and estates. But as a child, Diana was surrounded by love: as the youngest, she was spoiled by both relatives and servants.
The idyll did not last long: convicted of adultery, Countess Spencer left for London, taking her younger children. The divorce process was accompanied by a scandal - at the trial, Diana's grandmother testified against her daughter. Family discord forever remained associated for Diana with the terrible word "divorce". Relations with her stepmother did not work out, and for the rest of her childhood, Diana rushed between her mother's mansion in Scotland and her father's in England, not feeling at home anywhere.
Diana (far right) with her father, sisters Sarah and Jane and brother Charles
Popular
Diana was not particularly diligent, and teachers spoke of her as a smart, but not very gifted girl. The true reason for her indifference to the sciences was that she was already absorbed by another passion - ballet, but her high growth prevented her passion from becoming a matter of life. Deprived of the opportunity to become a ballerina, Diana turned to social activities. Her enthusiastic nature and ability to infect others with her enthusiasm was noted by everyone around.
Not just a friend
Prince Charles and Diana met when she was 16. Diana's sister Sarah then met with the heir to the British throne, but the affair ended after a careless interview with the girl. Shortly after the breakup, Charles began to look at the one in which he had previously seen only the younger sister of his girlfriend, and soon came to the conclusion: Diana is perfection itself! The girl was flattered by the attention of the prince, and everything went to a happy ending.
A weekend at a friends country house was followed by a cruise on the Britannia yacht, and then an invitation to Balmoral Castle, the summer residence of the English monarchs, where Diana was formally introduced to the royal family. In order to marry, the future monarch needs the permission of the current monarch. Formally, Diana was the ideal candidate for the role of the bride. Possessing all the virtues of a less fortunate sister (noble birth, excellent upbringing and attractive appearance), she could boast of innocence and modesty, which the lively Sarah clearly lacked. And only one embarrassed Elizabeth II - Diana seemed too unsuitable for palace life. But Charles was over thirty, the search for the best contender could be delayed, and after long hesitation, the queen finally gave her blessing.
On February 6, 1981, Diana accepted the prince's proposal, and on July 29 they got married in St. Paul's Cathedral. The broadcast of the ceremony was watched by 750,000,000 people, and the wedding itself was like a fairy tale: Diana, in a fluffy white dress with an eight-meter train, drove up to the church in a carriage surrounded by an escort of officers of the Royal Horse Guards. The word “obey” was removed from the marriage vows, which caused a sensation - of course, because even the Queen of England herself promised to obey her husband in everything.
Just a year after the wedding, Diana rocked her son and heir, Prince William. Harry was born a couple of years later. Diana later admitted that these years were the best in her relationship with Charles. They spent all their free time with their children. “Family is the most important thing,” the beaming Diana told reporters.
At this time, Lady Dee first showed a decisive character. Despising customs, she herself chose the names for the princes, refused the help of the royal nanny (by hiring her own) and tried in every possible way to protect the highest interference in the life of her family. A devoted and affectionate mother, she organized her affairs so that they did not interfere with her meeting the children from school. And there was an incredible amount of cases!
Royal affairs...
The duties of Princess Diana, stipulated by the ceremonial, included attending charity events. Traditionally, charity is the occupation of every member of the royal family. Princes and princesses have long patronized hospitals, orphanages, hospices, orphanages and non-profit organizations, but none of the British monarchs did this with such passion as Diana.
She greatly expanded the list of institutions she visits to include AIDS hospitals and leper colonies. The princess devoted a lot of time to the problems of children and youth, but among her wards were nursing homes and rehabilitation centers for alcoholics and drug addicts. She also supported the campaign to ban anti-personnel mines in Africa.
Princess Diana generously spent her means and the wealth of the royal family on good deeds, and also attracted friends from high society as sponsors. It was impossible to resist her soft, but indestructible charm. All her compatriots adored her, and Lady Di had many admirers abroad. “The worst disease of the world is that there is little love in it,” she constantly repeated. At the same time, Diana unsuccessfully struggled with her own hereditary disease - bulimia (an eating disorder), and against the background of nervous experiences and stress, it was torture to restrain herself.
... and family matters
Family life was unhappy. Charles' long-term affair with a married woman, Lady Camilla Parker-Bowles, which Diana learned about after the wedding, resumed in the mid-80s. The offended Diana became close to James Hewitt, a riding instructor. The tension intensified when recordings of incriminating telephone conversations between both spouses and lovers were leaked to the press. Numerous interviews followed, during which Charles and Diana accused each other of breaking up their union. “There were too many people in my marriage,” the princess joked sadly.
The indignant queen tried to expedite her son's divorce. The papers were signed on August 28, 1996, and from that moment Princess Diana lost all rights to address Your Royal Highness. She herself always said that she wanted to be only the queen of people's hearts, and not the wife of the reigning monarch. After the divorce, Diana felt a little freer, although her life was still regulated by protocol: she was the ex-wife of the crown prince and the mother of two heirs. It was love for her sons that made her maintain the appearance of a family and endure her husband's betrayals: “Any normal woman would have left long ago. But I couldn't. I have sons." Even in the midst of the scandal, Lady Dee did not stop doing charity work.
After the divorce, Diana did not leave charity, and she really managed to change the world for the better. She directed her efforts to fight AIDS, cancer, turned her help to children with heart defects.
During this time, the princess had a passionate affair with a Pakistani-born surgeon, Hasnat Khan. Khan came from a very religious family, and Diana, in love, seriously considered converting to Islam in order to be able to marry her lover. Unfortunately, the contradictions between the two cultures were too great, and in June 1997 the couple broke up. Just a few weeks later, Lady Dee began dating Dodi Al-Fayed, a producer and son of an Egyptian multimillionaire.
You lived your life like a candle burning in the wind...
On August 31, 1997, Diana and Dodi were in Paris. By car, they left the hotel when they were followed by cars with paparazzi. Trying to get away from the chase, the driver lost control and crashed into the concrete support of the bridge. He and Dodi Al-Fayed died on the spot, Diana was taken to the hospital, where she died two hours later. The sole survivor of the crash, bodyguard Trevor Rhys-Jones, has no memory of the events.
The police conducted a thorough investigation, as a result of which the cause of death of the princess was declared an accident caused by the negligence of the driver and the carelessness of the passengers in the car (none of them were wearing seat belts).
Elizabeth II was against the declaration of national mourning, insisting that Lady Diana no longer belonged to the royal family at the time of her death. However, ignoring the death of Diana caused popular anger. A crowd of people wishing to say goodbye to Diana held the defense near Buckingham Palace for several days, demanding that the flags be lowered as a sign of a national tragedy. Then Elizabeth surrendered, but the Queen still refuses to restore the title of Diana, although Princes William and Harry insist on this.
Lady Diana. Princess of human hearts Benoit Sophia
Chapter 2
It was often said about Diana: incredibly, a simple teacher became a princess! Yes, this is the story of a modern Cinderella! Of course, the rise of a modest girl is like a fairy tale. But is this fairy tale about the people's princess so simple, and can the family of monarchs easily accept a simpleton from the street into their ranks? If you believe this, you should check out the pedigree of the shy "Cinderella".
The mother of the future Princess of Wales, Frances Althorp, was descended from an Irish politician, a member of the British Parliament, Edmund Burke Roche, who lived in the 19th century. For services to the prosperity of the British Empire, Queen Victoria granted Mr. Edmund Roche the title of baronet, after which he began to be called the first Baron Fermoy.
The third Baron Fermoy, Edmund's youngest son James Roche, married Frances Wark in 1880, the daughter of a wealthy American stockbroker. As historians testify, in those days marriages between the offspring of the British aristocracy and the "dollar princesses" of the New World were common when two components were mixed: title and money. In this case, the marriage of convenience broke up after eleven years. Taking three children, the woman returned back to New York. Her father, Frank Wark, left his grandsons Maurice and Francis thirty million pounds each, provided that the heirs ... renounce British titles and take American citizenship. But the brothers refused to accept such conditions. However, when Frank Wark died in 1911, they found a way to get most of the inheritance and live a comfortable life. An amazing fate befell Maurice; the young man fought during the First World War; due to family circumstances, he was forced to accept the title of fourth Baron Fermoy and return to Great Britain in 1921.
Edmund Burke Roche - 1st Baron Fermoy
The experience of American life made him a stranger among his own. But the education received at Harvard, sincerity and lack of snobbery, and military training made his image attractive in the eyes of many young ladies of high society. However, sympathy for him was strong from different sides, which confirms his repeated election to the House of Commons.
Maurice managed to make friends with Albert, Duke of York, the youngest son of King George V. The royal friend managed to secure such a privilege: the Fermoys leased the Park House guest house located on the territory of the royal estate of Sandringham. Here, on January 20, 1936, Frances, the second daughter of Maurice, who later became the mother of Diana, will be born. The girl was born on a fateful day: on the day of the death of King George V.
The British crown went to the eldest son of the late monarch, Edward VIII. Who, as we know from history, was madly in love with American Wallis Simpson. He dreamed of marrying his chosen one, but she was a divorced woman, and such a marriage could not take place in the royal family. The same story - an affair with the ex-wife of an officer Camilla - will be experienced by the heir to the British throne, Prince Charles, and the beautiful Diana will be drawn into this ill-fated love triangle by the will of fate.
British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin threatened King Edward with legal resignation if he did not give up the unequal marriage. The prime minister's statement put the monarch before a choice: either the throne or love. Edward rushed to seek advice from his friend William Churchill, but received evasive answers. As a result, the monarch chose love and on December 10, 1936, he abdicated in favor of his younger brother Albert.
Edward, Prince of Wales and Wallis Simpson in 1935. It was the desire of the future king to marry the divorced Wallis that caused him to abdicate the throne in December 1936.
The Duke of York, Albert Frederick Arthur George, who ascended the throne under the name of George VI, favored his close friend Maurice Fermoy. It is not surprising that the friend of the king was desired in the eyes of many beauties of high society. Lady Glenconner once remarked:
Maurice was still some kind of red tape. Even I was a little afraid of him.
In 1917, during another trip to America, a successful womanizer met a pretty American Edith Travis and fell in love with her. They had an illegitimate daughter; many years later, she published a book of memoirs "Lilac Days", talking about the passionate feelings of her parents Maurice and Edith.
The wife of Maurice was a more successful and more prudent girl named Ruth Gil, whom the loving Briton met in Paris, where the daughter of a Scottish colonel studied piano at the conservatory. However, before meeting Maurice, Ruth dated his younger brother Francis. Realizing that the elder brother inherits the family title and position in society, the young musician immediately went over to Maurice.
She was 23 years old, he was 46 when they signed. This significant event took place in 1931. Ruth was not only ambitious, but also a smart girl who knew perfectly well what she wanted to get from life. She learned to play by the rules of high society and easily turned a blind eye to her husband's love affairs. And she competently used her passion for music, becoming the patron of the brainchild created by her in 1951 - the Festival of Art and Music in King's Lynn.
Maurice Rocher, 4th Baron de Fermoy - Diana's maternal grandfather
Diana's grandmother managed to make friends with the Queen Mother, becoming the best friend for the monarch. Perhaps, when it came to endorsing her granddaughter's candidacy for the role of Princess of Wales, the royal family expected to see in Diana the qualities of her grandmother, Lady Ruth Fermoy? But instead of patience and accommodating over the years, only one thing appeared in Diana - a masterful desire for freedom. However, there were reasons for that ...
The family of Maurice and Ruth had two daughters - the eldest "bug-eyed" (as she was called) Mary and the younger "attractive, cheerful and sexy" (by the definition of school friends) Francis. Years later, an employee who worked for Prince Charles admits:
When Frances looks at you with her bright blue eyes, she seems grander than the queen herself!
Among the admirers of the girl was John, the eldest son of the seventh Earl Spencer, the equerry of George VI, Viscount Althorp. Perhaps he would not have paid attention to the fifteen-year-old exalted baby, if not for her imperious mother, Lady Ruth Fermoy, who immediately set a goal to get John as a son-in-law. She did everything to awaken interest in her daughter in a man: she set up “casual” dates, found common interests between them, slipped cute gifts allegedly on behalf of Francis ...
Viscount Althorp was no doubt an advantageous match for the pretty youngest daughter of the Baron Fermoy. And soon he believed that Francis was a charming girl, without whom he could not live.
And so, a few months after Francis turned seventeen, John announced his break with his fiancée Lady Anne Coke and his engagement to Frances Rocher Fermat. In June 1954, a wedding ceremony was held at Westminster Abbey, which was attended by almost 2,000 guests, including Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
Mothers of many families dreamed of such a groom as John. Still - the eldest son of Earl Spencer, the heir to thirteen thousand acres in the counties of Northamptonshire, Warwickshire and Norfolk, the owner of the family castle Elthorp House, stuffed with priceless works of art!
The wedding of Diana's parents in June 1954
The British, boasting of their pedigrees, will never fail to emphasize their superiority over others. The Spencers also had their big plus. It turns out, and as the author of the book “Diana: The Lonely Princess” D. Medvedev informs us, “The first mention of the Spencers appeared 250 years before the arrival of the famous Hanoverian dynasty, which began in 1714 by King George I, and 430 years before the accession of the current the ruling dynasty of the Windsors (until 1917 - Saxe-Coburg-Gotha). The Spencers not only served the monarchy, they were among its creators. They lent money to King James I, contributed to the fall of his grandson James II and the enthronement of George I. They were more than once related to the royal dynasties and famous families of the United Kingdom. As a result of genealogical intricacies, Diana was a distant relative of British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, seven US presidents, including George Washington and Franklin Roosevelt, and also - which is absolutely amazing! - eleventh cousin of her own husband, Prince Charles.
However, on separate sites you can find more extensive information about the pedigree of Lady Dee, and among her ancient relatives there are: Rurik of Novgorod; Igor Kyiv; Svyatoslav of Kyiv; Prince of Kyiv Vladimir the Great; daughter of Prince Vladimir, wife of the Polish king Boleslav the Brave Maria Dobronega; as well as many, many famous representatives of the noble ducal and count families of Bavaria, Bohemia, Austria and England, as if they made up one highly branched genealogical tree. The newfangled theory that the world is ruled by representatives of the same families easily fits into this alignment, and some researchers see this as an all-planetary conspiracy, a Masonic plan, and even ... a conspiracy of reptiles.
Wikipedia, which is popular with Internet users, reports that Diana “was born July 1, 1961 in Sandringham, Norfolk, in the family of John Spencer. Her father was Viscount Althorp, a branch 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. The Spencer Earls have long lived in the heart of London, at Spencer House.
Despite the low self-esteem of the representative of the Spencer family, Diana, the self-esteem of this entire strong family was fundamentally high, which was also confirmed by the motto on the coat of arms: "God save the right." And the British establishment respected the claims of the Spencers "to be right" and to be chosen.
Diana's father, John Althorp, was of noble birth, but unlike his fellows in the traditionally prim British society, he was an open person, preferring to show his emotions rather than hide them. His friend, Lord St. John Fousley, assured that John was not afraid to openly talk about his feelings and preferred to live life to the fullest. About her father, the viscount, his eldest daughter Sarah spoke like this:
My father had an innate ability to find a way to people's hearts. If he talked to someone, he really began to be carried away by the feelings of the interlocutor. He knew how to love people! I don’t think that this quality can be learned: you either have it from birth, or you don’t have it ...
Albert Edward Jack Spencer, Viscount Althorp is Diana's paternal grandfather. Photo from 1921
Such a character was formed in John as a kind of opposite to the character of his father - the conservative and despotic Viscount Jack Spencer, who neglected everyone who was below him in the caste. He even spoke with his servants with gestures, contemptuously pursing his lips. It is not surprising that many, including his son, were afraid of this overweight and rude man.
Due to his gentle nature and excessive openness, John was drawn to strong women; Francis turned out to be just like that - confident and strong-willed. One of his relatives confessed:
Johnny loves to communicate with strong and strong-willed ladies. There is a feeling that they are a real tonic for him.
Jack Spencer, strangling any initiative of his son, making him dependent in everything, immediately disliked the young daughter-in-law. Understandably, Frances repaid Jack in kind. Moreover, she not only hated her father-in-law, but also contemptuously treated his beloved, protected and cherished offspring - the family castle of Althorp. The young woman openly declared:
The castle induces depressing melancholy, as if you are always in a museum, closed after the departure of regular visitors.
Saving his strength for the decisive struggle with his daughter-in-law, the father-in-law warned that he was expecting the first-born, to whom he could pass the title (girls in British society do not inherit the title). Nine months after the wedding, the first child was born - daughter Sarah, whom the happy young mother immediately dubbed the "honeymoon child."
Earl Spencer, who ordered on the eve of the birth to prepare brushwood in Althorp for future festive bonfires in honor of the appearance of his grandson, in anger ordered everything to be curtailed until better times.
Francis and John Spencer
Two years later, Frances gave birth to her second child, and again it was a girl. She was given the name Jane. On January 12, 1960, the boy John was finally born into the family of Viscount Althorp, whose life lasted only eleven hours. As it turned out, the baby had lung dysfunction, which actually deprived him of the chance to survive.
Earl Spencer, dissatisfied with what was happening and devoid of all sympathy, began to insistently demand the birth of an heir. But on a warm evening on July 1, 1961, a girl, Diana Francis, is born. And only in May 1964, the long-awaited heir to the Spencer family, Charles, was born.
Diana is two years old
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Diana, Princess of Wales: biography
Diana Francis Spencer was born on 07/01/1961 at Park House, near Sandringham, Norfolk. She was the youngest daughter of Viscount and Viscountess Eltrop, the now deceased Earl Spencer, and Mrs. Shand-Kydd. She had two older sisters, Jane and Sarah, and a younger brother, Charles.
The cause of Diana's self-doubt is to be found in her upbringing, despite her privileged position. The family lived on the Queen's estate at Sandringham, where the father rented Park House. He was the royal equerry to the king and the young queen, Elizabeth II.
The Queen was the chief guest at Diana's parents' wedding in 1954. The ceremony then held in Westminster Abbey became one of the social events of the year.
But Diana was only six when her parents divorced. She will always remember the sound of her mother leaving on the gravel road. The children became pawns in a bitter custody dispute.
Lady Diana was sent to a boarding school, and ended up at West Heath School in Here she excelled in sports (her height, equal to 178 cm, contributed to this), especially in swimming, but failed all the exams. Nevertheless, later on she fondly remembered her school days and supported her school.
After completing her studies, she worked in London as a nanny, a cook and then as an assistant teacher at Young England Nursery in Knightsbridge.
Her father moved to Altrop near Northampton and became the 8th Earl Spencer. Her parents divorced, and a new Countess Spencer, daughter of the writer Barbara Cartland, appeared. But soon Diana became a family celebrity.
Engagement
Rumors spread that her friendship with the Prince of Wales had developed into something more serious. The press and television besieged Diana at every turn. But her days at work were numbered. The palace tried in vain to cool the speculation. And on February 24, 1981, the engagement became official.
Wedding
The wedding took place at St. Paul's Cathedral on a perfect July day. Millions of television viewers around the world were mesmerized by the event, and another 600,000 people gathered along the route from Buckingham Palace to the cathedral. Diana became the first Englishwoman in over 300 years to marry the heir to the throne.
She was only 20. Under the gaze of her mother, leaning on her father's hand, Diana of Wales (photo posted in the article) prepared to take a wedding vow. She only showed nervousness once when she tried to put her husband's many names in the correct order.
Welcome newbie. It was a moment of special satisfaction for the Queen Mother, who herself came from a simple family and also made this journey 60 years ago.
Popularity
After the wedding, the Princess of Wales Diana immediately began to take an active part in the performance of official duties of the royal family. She soon began making visits to schools and hospitals.
The public noted her love for the people: it seemed that she sincerely rejoiced at her stay among ordinary people, although she herself was no longer like that.
Diana brought her own fresh style to the mix that was the House of the Windsors. There was nothing new about the idea of royal visits, but she added a spontaneity to it that charmed almost everyone.
During her first official trip to the United States, she provoked almost hysteria. There was something special about someone other than the American president becoming the center of attention, especially for Americans. Since the dazzling appearance during her first public outing with her husband, Diana's wardrobe has become a constant center of attention.
Charity
Diana, Princess of Wales, whose rise in popularity owes much to her philanthropic work, has been instrumental in spreading awareness of the plight of people with AIDS. Her speeches on this subject were candid, and she did away with many prejudices. Simple gestures, such as Diana of Wales shaking hands with an AIDS patient, proved to society that social contact with the sick is safe.
Her patronage was not limited to boardrooms. She occasionally dropped in for tea at the charities she supported. Abroad, Princess Diana of Wales spoke of the plight of the underprivileged and outcast. During her visit to Indonesia in 1989, she publicly shook hands with lepers, dispelling widespread myths about the disease.
Family life
Diana always dreamed of a big family. A year after her marriage, on June 21, 1982, she gave birth to a son, Prince William. In 1984, on September 15, he had a brother, Henry, although he was better known simply as Harry. Diana was in favor of raising her children as conventionally as royal circumstances would allow.
William became the first male heir to be brought up in kindergarten. Private teachers did not teach their sons, the boys went to school with others. The mother insisted that the education they receive be as ordinary as possible, surrounded them with love and provided entertainment during the holidays.
But by the time Prince Harry was born, the marriage had become a façade. In 1987, when Harry went to kindergarten, the couple's separate life became public. The press has a holiday.
During an official visit to India in 1992, Diana sat alone at the Taj Mahal, the great monument of love. It was a graphic public announcement that while the couple had formally stayed together, they had in fact broken up.
Revealing book
Four months later, the publication of Diana: Her True Story by Andrew Morton did away with the tale. The book, based on interviews with some of the princess's closest friends, and with her own tacit consent, confirmed that the relationship with her husband was cold and distant.
The author recounted the princess's half-hearted suicide attempts during the first years of her marriage, her struggle with bulimia, and her obsession with believing Charles was still in love with the woman he dated years before, Camilla Parker-Bowles. The prince later confirmed that he and Camilla did indeed have an affair.
During a state visit to South Korea, Princess Diana of Wales and Charles were seen growing apart. Shortly thereafter, in December 1992, the divorce was officially announced.
Divorce
Diana continued her charitable work after the spat. She spoke about social issues, and sometimes, as in the case of bulimia, her donations were based on personal suffering.
Wherever she went, on public or private business, often with her children to whom she dedicated herself, the media was present to document the event. It became something of a PR battle with her ex-husband. Since her divorce, Diana, Princess of Wales has shown her skill in using the media to present herself in a favorable light.
She later spoke about what she thought her ex-husband's camp had done to make life difficult for her.
On 11/20/1995, she gave an unprecedented and surprisingly open interview to the BBC. She spoke to millions of television viewers about her postpartum depression, the breakdown of her marriage to Prince Charles, her tense relationship with the royal family in general, and, most shockingly, she claimed that her husband did not want to be king.
She also predicted that she would never become a queen and that instead she would like to become a queen in people's hearts.
Diana, Princess of Wales and her lovers
The pressure of the popular newspapers on her was relentless, and stories of male friends shattered her image as a resentful wife. One of these friends, Army officer James Hewitt, became the source of a book about their relationship, to her dismay.
Diana of Wales accepted the divorce only after insistence from the Queen. When it came to its logical conclusion on August 28, 1996, she said that it was the saddest day of her life.
Diana, now officially the Princess of Wales, abandoned most of her charitable work and began to look for a new field of activity for herself. She had a clear idea that the role of "queen of hearts" should remain with her, and she illustrated this with visits abroad. In June 1997, Diana visited who was in poor health.
In June, she auctioned off 79 dresses and ball gowns that have appeared on the covers of magazines around the world. The auction raised £3.5m for charity and also symbolized a break with the past.
Tragic death
In the summer of 1997, Diana of Wales was spotted with Dodi Fayed, the son of millionaire Mohammed Al Fayed. Photos of the princess with Dodi on a yacht in the Mediterranean appeared in all the tabloids and magazines in the world.
The couple returned to Paris on Saturday 30 August after another holiday in Sardinia. After dinner at the Ritz that same evening, they drove out in a limousine and were pursued by motorcycle photographers who wanted to take more pictures of the couple in love. The chase led to tragedy in an underground tunnel.
Princess Diana of Wales was a breath of fresh air and brought glamor to the Windsor household. But she became a sad figure for many when the truth about her failed marriage was revealed.
Critics accuse her of depriving the monarchy of the mystical veneer so essential to its survival.
But by the strength of her character in difficult personal circumstances, and by her relentless support for the sick and destitute, Diana of Wales earned her respect. She remained a figure of public admiration and love to the end.