Diana Frances Spencer was born at Park House near Sandringham, England, to an aristocratic family. For several generations, her family was close to the British royal family, and as a child, she used to play with Queen Elizabeth II’s sons, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. At 7, her parents divorced, and she lived with her father. In her early years, Diana was home-schooled, and later she attended Silfield Private School and then the Riddlesworth Hall School for girls and West Heath Girls’ School. At 16, she studied a semester at the Institut Alpin Videmanette in Switzerland. On her return to England, she settled in London, working in various low-paying jobs, including a dance instructor, nanny, kindergarten assistant, cleaning lady, and a hostess at parties. In 1977, 17 years old Diana met 29 years old Charles, Prince of Wales, who was dating her older sister at the time. A few months later, they began dating. Their relationship got the approval of the royal family as well as the public, who adored her beauty, shy demeanor, and fashion style. They got engaged in early 1981, and on July 29th, 1981, they married in St. Paul’s Cathedral. It was a fairy tale wedding broadcasted and viewed by hundreds of millions worldwide. After the wedding, now with the title of Princess of Wales, Diana took on herself a wide range of royal duties. She went with The Prince of Wales on various royal tours, became a patron of more than 100 charities, and used her fame and the attention of the press to aid and promote causes that were closed to her heart, such as cancer, homelessness, and AIDS. She also channeled her fashionista statues to increase the profile of British designers. In 1982, at the age of 21, Diana had her first child, Prince William, followed by Prince Harry two years later. She wanted her sons to know the world outside the palace, and she often brought them with her on visits to hospitals, orphanages, and homeless shelters. She also took them on public transportation and to eat at fast-food restaurants. Diana became known as the People’s Princess for her compassion, accessibility, and personal warmth. From the beginning, her marriage to Prince Charles suffered many difficulties and infidelities on both sides, and throughout the years, the couple became estranged. During this time, she struggled with postnatal depression, eating disorders, low self-esteem, and the pressure of being chased constantly by the media, especially the paparazzi. By the early 90s, it became apparent that the royal couple was no longer together, and in 1992 they formally separated. The divorce got finalized in 1996. Despite losing the title of “Her Royal Highness,” the public still refers to her as a princess. After the divorce, Diana resigned from most of her patronages but maintained a public figure and continued the philanthropic and charity work. She served as an International Red Cross VIP volunteer and led a high-profile campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of leftover landmines in Angola. In 1997, Diana began a public relationship with the Egyptian heir Dodi Fayed. While attempting to escape a trail of paparazzi that followed them on the streets of Paris, Diana, Fayed, and their driver Henri Paul, had been killed in a car accident. She was 36 years old. Read more...