Princess Diana

Born to an aristocratic British family with royal ancestry, Princess Diana, as we know her today, was the fourth of five children of Edward John Spencer, Viscount Althorp, and Frances Ruth Burke Roche Viscountess Althorp. Christened Diana Frances, she was the third daughter for the Spencer couple, who were anticipating a son when Diana was born.

Diana had an infant brother John, who died only a year before she was born. The lack of an ‘heir’ strained the relationship between Diana’s parents so much so that the couple filed for a divorce.

Much of young Spencers’ former years were spent in Park House, at the Sandringham estate. Following the divorce, Diana started living with her mother until Lord Althorp gained custody of Diana and her siblings.

As far as her education is concerned, Diana was enrolled at the Riddlesworth Hall near Diss, Norfolk, post which she took admission at the boarding school, The New School at West Heath, in Sevenoaks, Kent. Diana was academically poor, and it is said that she failed to clear all of her O-levels twice.

Since a young age, Diana was no stranger to the British royal family. She was friends with Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, whom she played with as a child.

Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales resumed the responsibilities that came with the title soon after her marriage to Prince Charles. She accompanied him on a three day visit to Wales in October 1981, which was her first tour, following which she accompanied the Prince of Wales to Netherlands.

In 1983, post the birth of Prince William, she accompanied Prince of Wales on a tour to Australia and New Zealand where the two met with the local Australian natives. This was officially the first tour of infant Prince William and the Royal couple recently turned parents.

Thereafter, Diana accompanied Prince Charles on a number of visits to numerous countries including Canada, Italy and United States, the latter being her first overseas trip. During her visit to the United States, the royal couple met President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan at the White House.

Diana accompanied Prince Charles on his tour to Japan, Spain, Indonesia and Canada. What’s more, she even convoyed him to Portugal, Germany, France, United Arab States, Nigeria, Cameroon, Brazil, Hungary, India and South Korea.

While their tour to Portugal coincided with the anniversary of the Treaty of Windsor which bounded Britain and Portugal in perpetual friendship, in Germany and France, the royal couple attended the Cannes Film festival. They were invited for the enthronement of Emperor Akihito of Japan in 1990. Following year, they were invited to Canada to present replica of Queen Victoria's Royal Charter to Queen's University on its 150th anniversary.

Ever since her appointment as Her Royal Highness Princess of Wales, Diana’s already compassionate nature and temperament surfaced a little more, as she took active part in charitable events and was closely associated with numerous charities.

She made regular public appearance, touring hospitals, schools, and other facilities. Unlike other people of the royal lineage, Diana took interest in working towards helping people suffering from serious illnesses and health-related matters, including AIDS and leprosy. In addition to this, she worked for the homeless, youth, drug addicts, and the elderly.

At the time of her marriage with Prince of Wales, she had been involved with more than 100 charities. She was elected as the President of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and President of the British marital advice organisations.

After her divorce with Prince Charles, she paid close attention to only six charities and withdrew her name from the rest. The charities in which she retained her patronage include Centrepoint (homeless charity), English National Ballet, Leprosy Mission and National AIDS Trust, and as President of the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street and of the Royal Marsden Hospital.

She was an active supporter of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and was influential in signing of the Ottawa Treaty. The campaign won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997, a few months after her death.