Princess Diana is one of the most enduring members of the royal family, even though she died many years ago. “The royal, known as the “People’s Princess’, lived a complicated and often difficult life, but with grace and integrity, she was able to endure many difficult times. Princess Diana may have been only 36 at the time of her death, but she packed a lot of life into those years – and she never forgot where she came from.
Although many royal fans mistakenly assume that Princess Diana was born a commoner, she was in fact part of a very wealthy family long before she married Prince Charles. Born in 1961, Diana Spencer grew up on an estate relatively close to the royal family.
She had four siblings, including an older sister who indirectly introduced her to a member of the royal family who played an important role in her life. In 1977, Lady Sarah Spencer, Diana’s older sister, began dating Prince Charles, who was the most eligible bachelor in England at the time.
Princess Diana was a passionate fan of sport and all outdoor activities, including skiing and tennis. She was also particularly fond of ballet dancing and aspired to a career as a professional ballet dancer one day. As she matured, the young woman also took on a number of odd jobs, including babysitting and house cleaning. All of Diana Spencer’s professional ambitions were thwarted, however, when she developed a budding romance with Prince Charles, who by then had broken off his relationship with Sarah Spencer.
On 29 July 1981, Princess Diana and Prince Charles were married in an extravagant ceremony that was watched by fans around the world. Diana seemed to be part of a fairytale when she officially became a member of the Royal Family. In reality, however, Princess Diana was in trouble from the start.
According to many reports, Diana’s emotional difficulties began after she took a bribe because she suspected not only that her new husband was having an affair with her long-time mistress-in-law Camilla Parker Bowles – now Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall – but also that the royal family would never really be able to accept her for who she is.
Although Princess Diana’s time as a royal did not get off to a good start, she did manage to enjoy some happy moments in the months that followed. Meetings with the people of England, who all expressed their love and admiration for Princess Diana, helped lift her spirits. And in November 1981, just a few months after the wedding, it was announced that Diana was pregnant.
Royal Family: Princess Diana’s Marital Troubles
In the late 1980s, Princess Diana and Prince Charles’ marriage began to experience significant problems. They became increasingly estranged and the extramarital relationship created serious tensions in the union. In particular, Charles’s long-standing relationship with Camilla was a constant source of stress for Diana, with the Queen even confronting Camilla at one point. “I said, ‘I know what’s going on between you and Charles and I just want you to know that,'” Princess Diana later revealed. The awkward confrontation didn’t end the relationship, however, and eventually Diana embarked on an affair of her own, including with her riding instructor James Hewitt.
Throughout the divorce, Princess Diana found solace in her children and her work with the underprivileged. She had a particular passion for charities working with people suffering from AIDS and leprosy. Her charity became one of her most enduring legacies and throughout her life she sought ways to help those in need.
Princess Diana later confessed that ‘nothing brings me greater happiness than trying to help the most vulnerable in society’, admitting that this was perhaps her greatest blessing as a member of the Royal Family.
