Lady Diana Frances Spencer
July 1, 1961 to August 31, 1997
Princess Diana, my most favourite woman. The most charming women with a charming smile against her pure face. I love her for her kindness and love towards people.
“I knew what my job was, it was to go out and meet the people and love them”
– Princess Diana.
Edward Spencer, Diana’s father divorced her mother, Frances Spencer, when Diana was 6 years old, which left an emotional scar upon her. Diana and her brother Charles after a battle of custody finally made to settle with their father.
Diana was regarded as an academically below average student. Diana excelled in sports, especially swimming. She is an amateur singer and longed to be a ballerina. After leaving school she got a job as a nanny and a part time cook. Later she took a assistant teaching post at a kindergarten school. It was at this kindergarten school that the famous iconic snap of a 19-year-old Lady Diana Spencer was taken by John Minihan with the morning sun to her back.
Diana was not personally a princess. Diana's family, the Spencers, had been close to the British Royal Family for decades. The Prince's love life had always been the subject of press speculation, nearing his mid-thirties, he was under increasing pressure to marry. Prince insisted that any potential bride had to have an aristocratic background, could not have been previously married, should be Protestant and, preferably, a virgin, would make my wife. Diana fulfilled all of these qualifications.
Buckingham Palace announced the engagement on 24 February 1981. The wedding took place at St Paul's Cathedral in London on Wednesday 29 July 1981. Charles and Diana had two children, Prince William of Wales on 21 June 1982 and Prince Henry of Wales (commonly called Prince Harry) on 15 September 1984.
Unfortunately her marriage fell apart. In June1992, Andrew Morton's biography, Diana, Her True Story written with her tacit approval, details her depressions, bulimia and unhappy married life. In Dec 9, 1992, Buckingham Palace announces the separation of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Diana was a shy 20-year-old woman when she was thrust into the media spotlight. Through her marriage to Prince Charles, she joined one of the most famous families in the world and became an object of intense media interest. Diana’s personal difficulties are well documented. However to appreciate the accomplishments of Princess Diana we should not focus on these human weakness, which without exception, are common to us all.
Diana had a sincere and genuine interest in other people. Her heart of sympathy extended to many people, in whatever situation they were in. She often spent time visiting the homeless, or terminally ill patients in various hospices.
True these were often photographed, but this wasn’t her motivation for seeing patients. It is said by some hospital staff that, Diana would sometimes visit in the evening, away from the glare of the media. When she did meet patients they responded very positively to her.
Princess Diana had a great capacity to get on with people, whatever their social status. Friends and nurses tell how she had very positive life energy, which was infectious in its capacity to uplift people.
"Everyone needs to be valued. Everyone has the potential to give something back."
- Princess Diana
She campaigned against the use of landmines and helping the victims of AIDS. In December 2001, Bill Clinton said,
"In 1987, when so many still believed that AIDS could be contracted through casual contact, Princess Diana sat on the sickbed of a man with AIDS and held his hand. She showed the world that people with AIDS deserve no isolation, but compassion and kindness. It helped change world opinion, and gave hope to people with AIDS with an outcome of saved lives of people at risk."
She supported a ban on landmines because they are responsible for so many post conflict deaths and injuries. Often it is young children who are most affected by the legacy of landmines.
She is widely acclaimed for her influence on the signing by the governments of the UK and other nations of the Ottawa Treaty in December 1997, after her death, which created an international ban on the use of anti-personnel landmines. Introducing the Second Reading of the Landmines Bill 1998 to the British House of Commons, the Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, paid tribute to Diana's work on landmines:
" All Honourable Members will be aware from their postbags of the immense contribution made by Diana, Princess of Wales to bringing home to many of our constituents the human costs of landmines. The best way in which to record our appreciation of her work, and the work of NGOs that have campaigned against landmines, is to pass the Bill, and to pave the way towards a global ban on landmines. "
On 31st August 1997, Diana is said to have died in a car crash. Her life left in the hospital. She was taken to an island on the Althorp estate for burial.
Princess Diana was a unique royal; by engaging in her charity work on a deeply personal level she became a real people’s princess. People from around the world could identify with her. In particular they appreciated her heart centred approach to life.
She was not just appreciated in her home country the UK, but around the world. She captured the heart of America and received much support and encouragement even from American newspapers.
“After giving her time and property to charities and causes ranging from the treatment of AIDS to the abolition of landmines, her destiny is clear. She will never be the queen of England, but she will be the queen of our hearts.”
from: Newsday July 7th 1997
Spiritual Teacher Sri Chinmoy wrote:
"Princess Diana yours is a temple-heart of sympathy, Self giving and oneness delight"
Princess Diana’s Words
"Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you."
"Hugs can do great amounts of good - especially for children. "
"I understand people's suffering, people's pain, more than you will every know yourself..."
"I had a very bad time with the press - they literally haunted and hunted me. I haven't felt well since day one. I don't think I'm made for the production line."
"I think the biggest disease the world suffers from in this day and age is the disease of people feeling unloved. I know that 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, I want to do that."
"The public... they wanted a fairy princess to come and touch them, and everything will turn into gold and all their worries would be forgotten. Little did they realise that the individual was crucifying herself inside because she didn't think she was good enough."
"Only do what your heart tells you."
“Yes, I do touch. I believe that everyone needs that”
“I've always though that people need to feel good about themselves and I see my role as offering support to them, to provide some light along the way....”
“It's vital the monarchy keeps in touch with the people. It's what I try and do....”
“I don't go by the rule book, I lead from the heart, not the head”
“I knew what my job was, it was to go out and meet the people and love them”
“I will fight for my children on any level so they can reach their potential as human beings and in their public duties”
“I wear my heart on my sleeve”.
“The kindness and affection from the public have carried me through some of the most difficult periods, and always your love and affection have eased the journey”
“I wish all the mothers, fathers and children out there realize how much I need them and how much I value their support”.
“I'd like people to think of me as someone who cares about them”
“Everyone needs to be valued. Everyone has the potential to give something back”.
“I'm aware that people I have loved and have died and are in the spirit world look after me”
