From a shy girl to the Princess of Wales
Princess Diana, the Princess of Wales is still on our mind and our hearts! She was a women full of like, full of fun and gave so much joy to so many people. Everyone wanted a touch of Diana’s magic. She was also known for her charity work, her fashion photography and her style. By the time she died, Diana had transformed herself from a shy, nursery school assistant to possibly the most powerful woman in Britain – stylish, cosmopolitan. Such an inspiring woman! From the outside looking in, the life of Diana, appeared equal parts fabulous and tragic.
Now let’s take a look at her life and her style.
Diana’s early years
Diana Spencer was born into British aristocracy, though a commoner, not royal. Her father was (Edward) John Spencer, Viscount Althorpe and her mother was the Hon. Frances Shand-Kydd, formerly the Hon. Frances Ruth Burke Roche.
Diana, what a babe!
Diana with her brother Charles
Diana was still young when her parents’troubled marriage came to an end in 1969.
Diana with her father, brother, and sisters, Sarah and Jane
A childhood spent in the country was ideal for Diana, who loved climbing and playing with animals.
Diana with a shy smile
Diana showed real promise in the arts with a particular talent for piano-playing and ballet, as well as athletic sports or swimming.
The fairytale begins…
When Diana Spencer met Prince Charles, a love story came to life.
Diana was a feature in Charles’life from a young age, as they first met when se was just 16 and he was dating her older sister Lady Sarah. She made some impression on him, but she was still too young for him to date. In 1980, Diana and Charles met again and they began to date, and six months later he proposed. He proposed in February 1981 and Diana chose her ring from Garrard’s collection: a 12 carat Ceylon sapphire surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds set in 18 carat white gold.
Royal Bride
With her future as a royal bride, she worked as a nursery school assistant at the young England Kindergarten, Pimlico.
Diana as Kindergarten assistant
The day her world CHANGED!
“I didn’t know what I’d let myself in for. One day I was going to work on the Nog bus and the next I was a princess”, have said Diana.
All eyes were on Lady Diana on 29 July 1981. Diana traveled to the ceremony with her father in the coach previously used by the Queen and the Prince Philip. That’s been called the “wedding of the century.” She was the first British citizen to marry the heir to the British throne in almost 300 years.
The wedding day of Prince Charles and Lady Diana was considered a national holiday. There were 3,500 people in the congregation at St. Paul’s Cathedral. Another 750 million people watched the ceremony worldwide, according to BBC figures on the broadcast shown in 74 countries.
Her Dress
Diana’s wedding dress was a puff ball meringue dress, with huge puffed sleeves and a frilly neckline. Created by design duo David and Elizabeth Emanuel, the ivory silk taffeta gown was valued at 9000 pound. The tiara that she wore was a Spencer family heirloom.
After the Wedding
Diana immediately began making public appearances.
Diana’s charity work
As soon as she became Princess of Wales, Diana’s commitment to charitable causes was inspiring. She loved to work for children and she was always evident in her charitable work. Princess Diana was president of young people’s charity Barnado’s from 1984-1996, attending more than 100 events on the charity’s behalf. “The biggest disease the world suffers from is feeling unloved. I can give love for a minute, for half an hour, for a day, for a month, but I can give. I am very happy to do that”, Princess Diana said.
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- 18 Sep 1990, Newham, London, England, UK — Princess Diana touches the cheek of an elderly woman at the Lord Cage Center in Newham. — Image by © Tim Graham/CORBIS
“Family is the most important thing in the world”
Diana rather quickly became pregnant, giving birth to Prince William (William Arthur Philip Louis) on June 21, 1982, and then to Prince Harry (Henry Charles Albert David) on September 15, 1984. Diana broke most royal precedents in order to spend more time with her children. Quite simply, for Diana, motherhood was to be her most important role, because Diana was a mother first and a princess second. She made sure her sons had as ‘normal’ a childhood as possible, too. For Diana, it was crucial that William and Harry grew up outside of the protected palaces and did the same things any other child would do, including to theme parks and McDonald’s.
Divorce
Behind closed doors, the princess was also dealing with the heartache of her marriage to Prince Charles falling apart. Diana suffered from postnatal depression. Though the marriage ended officially with their divorce just over a year ago, on Aug. 28, 1996. “I think like any marriage, especially when you’ve had divorced parents like myself, you’d want to try even harder to make it work and you don’t want to fall back into a pattern you’ve seen happen in your own family”, have said Princess Diana.
Fashion Icon
Princess Diana’s style has been examined endlessly and the obsession with her clothes shows no sign of slowing down. Princess Diana holds a special place in the hearts of people around the world and her iconic style continues to captivate audiences to this day.Her sophisticated style dictated fashion trends. She had a fashion sense all her own. Princess Diana’s glamour and elegance were timeless. Her most iconic casual outfits are now a trend.
