Diana, Princess of Wales 1961-1997
Diana, Princess of Wales, the former Lady Diana Frances Spencer, was born on 1 July 1961, the daughter of the then Lord and Lady Althorp - now the late Earl Spencer and the late Honourable Mrs ShandKydd. Her father, a former Captain in the Royal Scots Greys, was Equerry to the late King George VI and subsequently Queen Elizabeth II.
The Princess had two elder sisters and a younger brother. She was brought up at her father's house on the Queen's estate at Sandringham and then at the family home of Althorp in Northamptonshire. After attending Riddlesworth Hall and West Heath School in Kent she completed her education in Switzerland and then taught at a kindergarten in Central London.
On 29 July 1981, the Princess married HRH The Prince of Wales at St Paul's Cathedral in London, the first Englishwoman to marry an heir to the throne for over 300 years. Their first son, William Arthur Philip Louis was born on 21 June 1982 and Henry Charles Albert David on 15 September 1984. Prince William and Prince Harry are second and third respectively in line of succession to the throne. The Prince and Princess of Wales were divorced on 28 August 1996. The Princess of Wales's London home was Kensington Palace where she was joined by her sons during their school holidays.
The Princess died on 31 August 1997.
The Princess's Humanitarian Work
Humanitarian work played an important part in the Princess's life, both at home and abroad. Her interests were reflected in the organisations of which she was Patron or President. These included the Great Ormond Street for Sick Children in London and the Royal Marsden Hospital, which specialises in the treatment of cancer. Her patronages also included Centrepoint, an organisation working with the homeless, The National Aids Trust and The Leprosy Mission. The Princess's love of the arts was underlined by her involvement as Patron of the English National Ballet. During her lifetime she was at some time patron of an additional 100 charities.
She made many visits to North America, visiting hospices, schools, charities and fundraising galas, and touching the lives of many wherever she went. Other major overseas visits included Angola, Australia, Bosnia, Egypt, India, Pakistan, and many European countries.
The Princess spoke out on a wide range of issues and used her high profile to raise awareness as well as funds for charitable causes. She is rightly recognised and respected today as a true humanitarian.
Connecting with people
The Princess is remembered by everyone she met for her warmth and genuine interest in their situation and difficulties. She threw herself into her charity work in a very personal way, spending countless hours listening to the individual stories and problems of the people she visited.
She had the ability to make everybody feel special, in particular vulnerable young people who were touched by her warmth and affection. In 1984, she became President of Barnardo's, a British charity which helps the most vulnerable children and young people transform their lives and fulfil their potential.
She also had a natural empathy with people who were close to death or those who had lost a loved one - something which was clear through her visits to hospitals and hospices in the UK and abroad.
She described her work with the Royal Brompton Hospital, London, like this: 'I make the trips at least three times a week, and spend up to four hours at a time with patients holding their hands and talking to them. Some of them will live and some will die, but they all need to be loved while they are here. I try to be there for them.'
In February 1992 the Princess visited Mother Teresa's Hospice for the Sick and Dying in Kolkata, India, and visited every one of the 50 patients who were close to death. In Rome shortly afterwards, and later in London and New York, she met Mother Teresa and the two formed a strong personal connection.
Changing public attitudes
Diana, Princess of Wales understood the power of her role in the public's eye, and used that understanding to change attitudes to important issues of the day. She is remembered for her devotion to all the causes she supported, but particularly for her championing of hitherto ‘unpopular' causes - such as those suffering from HIV/AIDS; those afflicted by leprosy and those whose lives had been devastated by landmines. She was not afraid to speak out and show her support of those marginalised by society by becoming actively involved in highlighting their plight.
The image of the Princess standing in a minefield in Angola in January 1997 put the issue of landmines in the headlines the world over. It is still an inspiring image today. When she spoke out with simple but practical words about HIV or was photographed holding the hand of someone with AIDS, she helped reduce stigma and the world took notice.
A Chronology of the Life and Work of Diana, Princess of Wales
1961 - 1 July
The Honourable Diana Frances Spencer is born at Park House, Sandringham Estate, Norfolk, England.
1975
Diana becomes Lady Princess Diana Spencer when her father succeeds her grandfather and becomes the 8th Earl Spencer. The family then moves to Althorp House, Northamptonshire.
1977
Lady Diana goes to finishing school at the Institute Alpin Videmanette in Rougemont, Switzerland.
1978
Lady Diana moves into a flat at Coleherne Court, London and starts work at a London kindergarten a year later.
1981
Lady Diana has her first official three-day tour with HRH The Prince of Wales.
24 February
Lady Diana Spencer and The Prince of Wales are engaged. She moves to Clarence House, London, the home of HRH Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.
29 July
HRH The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer are married at St Paul's Cathedral, London.
August
HRH The Princess of Wales sets up a trust in her own name, so she could donate her own money to others.
1982 - 21 June
HRH Prince William Arthur Philip Louis is born.
1984 - 15 September
HRH Prince Henry (Harry) Charles Albert David is born.
1985 - October
HRH The Princess of Wales begins to make solo trips abroad and visits the Royal Hampshire Regiment's base in Berlin.
1987
Visits Middlesex Hospital, London, and was the first to shake hands with an AIDS patient. Palace advisors had initially tried to dissuade her.
1989 - February
HRH The Princess of Wales visits sufferers at a leprosy clinic in Indonesia.
HRH The Princess of Wales visits the AIDS paediatric unit at Harlem Hospital, US, where she held a baby with AIDS.
1990 - March
Visits Yaounde Deaf School, Cameroon, and Lagos Hospital, Nigeria.
1991
HRH The Princess of Wales visits a shelter for abandoned children with AIDS in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
April
Visits Six Acres Day Centre, Taunton, Devon.
September
Visits Pakistan's Badshahi Mosque, Norpoor Family Centre and Khyber Regiment.
October
HRH The Princess of Wales and HRH Prince Charles visit Canada.
1992 - February
Visits India, including Mother Teresa's Hospice for the Sick and Dying, Calcutta.
December
HRH The Princess of Wales visits Westlawn Special School, Tyne and Wear.
The Prime Minister announces the official separation of HRH Prince Charles and HRH The Princess of Wales.
1993 - March
HRH The Princess of Wales visits Red Cross relief projects.
July
HRH The Princess of Wales visits the Tgongora refugee camp, Zimbabwe, and the Nemazura refugee camp, Zimbabwe, where she helps serve their food.
December
HRH The Princess of Wales cuts down the number of official engagements, but after a lengthy break continues to do more for the charities she supports.
1994
HRH The Princess of Wales is awarded the title of 'International Humanitarian of the Year' in the US.
1995 - January
Attends the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts' charity gala dinner, New York.
June
HRH The Princess of Wales arranges a Concert of Hope in Cardiff in June 1995 to raise money for Ty Hafan, a new hospice set up in July 1995.
July
HRH The Princess of Wales and HRH The Prince of Wales' last official engagement together at the VJ Day celebrations, London.
September
Visits Italy in association with the Red Cross.
November
Attends charity dinner in Argentina.
1996
HRH The Princess of Wales raises $1.4 million for a US breast cancer benefit.
February
HRH The Princess of Wales attends dinner at Harrods to raise funds for heart research, especially for the work done at the Papworth Hospital, of which the Princess was a high profile supporter.
June
HRH The Princess of Wales attends a breast cancer symposium during her 48-hour fundraising blitz in Chicago.
28 August
HRH The Princess of Wales' marriage to HRH Prince Charles is dissolved with the granting of a decree absolute.
24 September
Diana, Princess of Wales goes to Washington D.C. to attend a White House breakfast hosted by Mrs Clinton to raise money for breast cancer research.
October
Diana, Princess of Wales visits London Lighthouse AIDS centre.
Diana, Princess of Wales receives a humanitarian award in Italy from the Pio Manzu Centre.
1997
Diana, Princess of Wales joins the British Red Cross's new campaign against landmines.
January
Diana, Princess of Wales visits The Halo Trust on site in Angola.
June
79 of Diana, Princess of Wales' dresses are auctioned in New York, raising $3.25m (£1,960,150) for cancer and AIDS charities.
18 June
Diana, Princess of Wales visits Mother Teresa at the Missionaries of Charity residence in the South Bronx.
21 July
Diana, Princess of Wales carries out her last official engagement at the children's unit at Northwick Park and at St Mark's Hospital in London.
August
Diana, Princess of Wales visits Bosnia with the Landmine Survivors Network.
31 August
Diana, Princess of Wales dies following a car crash in Paris, France.
6 September
Funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales takes place at Westminster, London.
Diana, Princess of Wales is buried on a small island in a lake on the Althorp estate, her family's ancestral home.
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