Known as the People’s Princess because of her nurturing and compassionate nature, as well as love for the ordinary citizens, Lady Di will forever be remembered as the woman who changed Britain and the Monarchy.
This incredible Princess rose to prominence upon her engagement to Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest son and heir apparent to the British throne. Ever since the world learned of her, she was under the spotlight. The paparazzi followed her every move, and according to many, pushed her to her death.
A ski trip with her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.
Unlike the rest of the engagement rings of the British royals, which are custom made, Diana’s 12-carat sapphire ring surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds set in white gold was ordered from a Garrard jewelry collection catalog. Upon her passing, the ring went to Kate Middleton after William proposed to her with it.
On her wedding day, Diana was so excited and even confused that she called her future husband Philip Charles Arthur George instead of just Charles Philip.
According to her brother Charles Spencer, Diana had a hard time wearing the tiara at the beginning because it caused her headaches.
“In the evening we all went to a sort of semi-private party and she was there and I just remember she had a cracking headache also since she wasn’t used to wearing a tiara all morning,” he said in an interview.
As much as it was very special, Diana’s wedding dress caused her some trouble as the designers of the 25-foot train failed to take into an account how challenging it would be to walk in. When she entered the carriage, Lady Di’s dress slightly crushed and appeared wrinkled as a result.
When asked whether they were in love with each other shortly after their engagement, Charles replied, “Whatever ‘in love’ means,” to Diana’s “Of course.”
Diana is shown the sketches of her gown which were later torn apart in case someone wanted to get a peek.
The wedding gifts Charles and Diana received were perfectly unique. The Reagans, for one, gifted them a handcrafted porcelain centerpiece and an engraved Steuben glass bowl. They also received gloves made of 100-year-old silk and a timepiece set with diamonds and sapphires, among the rest.
Once the wedding took place, it was exposed with the public that Charles and Diana shared a common ancestor in Henry VII of the Tudors. They were 16th cousins once removed.
Charles and Diana are photographed on their honeymoon. A lip reader said at the time that during their conversation, the newlyweds said, “The honeymoon was the ideal time to catch up on sleep…”
This photograph was taken in 1980, before Diana became a Princess.
Diana on her trip to Angola in 1997 where she visited landmine victims.
