Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales was called the “People’s Princess.” She injected personality, beauty and heart into a Royal bloodline that had grown stale. She was the breath of fresh air the Windsor family needed to reinvigorate their line and excite the public. Coming from a lesser Royal house, Diana didn’t put on any airs — it was easy for people to relate to her and her unassuming nature. In 1981, she married Prince Charles in a fairy tale wedding that was seen by 750 million viewers world-wide. However, the romance was anything but a “fairy tale.” Charles was stuffy, distant and 13 years Diana’s senior — he also remained in love with his former flame, Camilla Parker Bowles. Despite great marital turmoil, Diana gave birth to the Princes William and Harry and raised them in a happy and healthy environment. She also instilled in them her passion for humanitarian causes that spanned the globe. She was not content to be a Royal figurehead — she wanted to make a difference.
Despite being loved unconditionally by the public, Diana was never fully accepted by Queen Elizabeth II, or the rest of the royal family. The unmerciful British Media, who are among the most savage and unrelentingly in the world, picked up on the story and never left her alone. They printed sensational stories filled with lurid affairs and hateful gossip. After a long separation, Diana and Charles finally ended their marriage in 1996. Nevertheless, Diana continued her work in charity and championing many causes, including landmines and AIDS research. The ravenous press, however, would not leave her alone. On August 31, 1997, while fleeing from a pack of hyper-aggressive paparazzi looking to publish another sensational “story,” Diana was involved in a high-speed car chase through the Parisian night. In the confusion, her 1994 Mercedes-Benz S280, which also carried driver Henri Paul and her friend Dodi Fayed, violently crashed killing all three occupants. The “People’s Princess” was dead at the young age of 36. There were inquiries and investigations made, which blamed the accident as a planned murder by the Royal Family, or even the paparazzi for purposively causing the crash to generate headlines. The inquisitions were called off out of respect for Diana’s young children, but it’s likely that there is some truth to both theories. Princess Diana may have died, but her legacy lives with the Princes William and Harry, and Will’s wife Kate Middleton. They continue her work in humanitarian causes and give the family of Windsor a much needed positive identity. Now grown, both young men have their mother’s charm, brains, bright personality and grounded demeanor that endears them to supporters around the world.
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