Diana, Princess of Wales (Diana
Frances Mountbatten-Windsor, née
Spencer) (1 July 1961–31 August
1997) was the first wife of HRH The
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales.
From her marriage in 1981 to her d
ivorce
in 1996 she was styled Her Royal
Highness The Princess of Wales. She
was almost always called Princess
Diana by the media despite never
having had the right to that title,
as it would imply that she was a
princess by birthright rather than
by marriage. Though she was noted
for her pioneering charity work, the
Prince
ss's
philanthropic endeavours were
overshadowed by a scandal-plagued
marriage. Her bitter accusations of
adultery, mental cruelty and
emotional distress riveted the world
for much of the 1990s, spawning
biographies, magazine articles and
television movies. From the time of
her engagement to the Prince of
Wales in 1981 until her death in a
car accident in 1997, Diana was
arguably the most famous woman in
the world, the pre-eminent female
celebrity of her generation: a
fashion icon, an ideal of feminine
beauty, admired and emulated for her
high-profile involvement in AIDS
issues and the international
campaign against landmines. During
her lifetime, she was often referred
to as the most photographed person
in the world. To her admirers,
Diana, Princess of Wales was a role
model — after her death, there were
even calls for her to be nominated
for sainthood — while her detractors
saw her life as a cautionary tale.
ivorce
in 1996 she was styled Her Royal
Highness The Princess of Wales. She
was almost always called Princess
Diana by the media despite never
having had the right to that title,
as it would imply that she was a
princess by birthright rather than
by marriage. Though she was noted
for her pioneering charity work, the
Princess's
philanthropic endeavours were
overshadowed by a scandal-plagued
marriage. Her bitter accusations of
adultery, mental cruelty and
emotional distress riveted the world
for much of the 1990s, spawning
biographies, magazine articles and
television movies. From the time of
her engagement to the Prince of
Wales in 1981 until her death in a
car accident in 1997, Diana was
arguably the most famous woman in
the world, the pre-eminent female
celebrity of her generation: a
fashion icon, an ideal of feminine
beauty, admired and emulated for her
high-profile involvement in AIDS
issues and the international
campaign against landmines. During
her lifetime, she was often referred
to as the most photographed person
in the world. To her admirers,
Diana, Princess of Wales was a role
model — after her death, there were
even calls for her to be nominated
for sainthood — while her detractors
saw her life as a cautionary tale.
RIP 31st August 1997
