On July 29, 1981 in London, at St. Paul's Cathedral, the heir to the British crown, 33-year-old Prince Charles of Wales, was married to a representative of an old noble family, 20-year-old Diana Spencer. She was to become one of the most popular women of the twentieth century. And one of the most unfortunate.
Girl from a good family
Diana Francis Spencer was born on July 1, 1961 in Sandringham, Norfolk, the son of Viscount Althorp John Spencer and Frances Ruth Burke Roche. When the girl was six years old, her parents divorced. Mother moved to London, where she soon married American businessman Peter Shand-Kid. John Spencer also remarried. Perhaps it was the psychological trauma of childhood that caused Diana's further self-doubt.
In the winter of 1977, 16-year-old Diana met Prince Charles of Wales for the first time at the family estate in Althorp. But young people then did not pay special attention to each other.
Diana really wanted independence. Her father gave her an apartment in London to come of age. The girl even got a job as an assistant teacher in a kindergarten, she liked to babysit the children.
Meanwhile, the crown prince reappeared in Diana's life. He began courting her older sister Sarah Spencer. In November 1979, Charles invited Diana to participate in a fox hunt. She perfectly kept in the saddle, and the prince called her "a charming, lively and witty girl with whom it is interesting."
The heart of the most enviable groom in Great Britain at that time was not free: since 1972, he met with Camilla Parker-Bowles, the wife of officer Andrew Parker-Bowles, who is a member of the royal family. However, at court, Camilla was considered a completely unsuitable candidate for the role of the future queen. Upon learning of the ensuing relationship between Charles and Diana, Prince Philip invited his son to marry her: the girl came from a noble family, was young, healthy, well-brought up.
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Broken hopes
On July 29, 1981, perhaps the most magnificent wedding in the history of the British crown took place. It spent 2.859 million pounds sterling.
At first, Diana was happy. Two sons were born - William and Harry. Diana insisted that they go to a regular school and be as close to the people as possible. She did this herself. The princess was actively involved in charitable and peacekeeping activities: she personally organized the collection of donations for children's hospitals, various foundations and missions, advocated the abandonment of the use of anti-personnel mines.
Meanwhile, in her personal and family life, Diana was very unhappy. The husband turned out to be completely indifferent to her and did not end his relationship with the "woman of her life" Camilla Parker Bowles. Diana, in response, started adultery with her riding instructor James Hewitt. By the beginning of the 90s, only one appearance remained from her marriage to Charles. Diana began to suffer from depression and bulimia - bouts of painful hunger.
The couple decided to leave. In December 1995, Diana appeared on the BBC's program, telling the truth about her marriage. On August 28, 1996, Charles and Diana filed for divorce.
Diana endured a lot of suffering, and perhaps this is what prompted her to help those who were even worse in life. Charity for her was not just PR, as for many others, she really devoted her life to serving people. In addition, she tried to destroy many existing prejudices, for example, shaking hands with AIDS patients and lepers.
Queen of Hearts
In the summer of 1997, rumors circulated about Diana's romance with film producer Dodi Al-Fayed, the son of the Egyptian billionaire Mohammed Al-Fayed.
On August 30, the couple dined at the restaurant of the Ritz Hotel in Paris. After midnight, they left the hotel via a service exit to avoid meeting the paparazzi. Driving through the tunnel under Alma Square, Mercedes-Benz crashed into the convoy. Only Trevor Rhys-Jones's bodyguard survived. But he didn't remember anything.
Many versions have been put forward. It was said that the driver was drunk and lost control, that the accident was provoked by the paparazzi pursuing the car, and, finally, that the British royal family or special services were involved in the death of the princess. The investigation found that the cause of the accident was a collision with a white Fiat Uno, the driver of which fled the scene. But the mysterious car was never found.
In an interview, Diana said that she would like to become "the queen of human hearts." She succeeded. She has forever remained in the hearts and memory of many people, becoming a source of inspiration and support for them.