31 August 2023 , 05:57
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The death of Princess Diana on August 31, 1997, sent shockwaves across the globe.
All over the world, millions grieved the loss of the woman they had watched grow from a shy teenaged nursery school teacher to a glamorous celebrity who was at the forefront of the AIDS epidemic. At just 36, Diana died in a car crash in Paris, an event that would go on to change the Royal Family forever.
“I think we need to remind ourselves that she was probably the best-known woman in the English-speaking world, aside from perhaps Queen Elizabeth II herself,’’ said historian Ed Owens. “And, given this massive celebrity persona that she had developed, to have that extinguished overnight, for her to die in such tragic circumstances, at such a young age, I think really came as a massive shock to many people.”
Tens of thousands came to pay their respects to the princess at her home in Kensington Palace, mourning the loss of a woman many of whom had never met. This cemented her legacy and forced the royals to recognise that she had connected with people in ways many of them had never been able to before.
Years later, other royals would find inspiration in her still, including her own sons Prince William and Harry. The brothers' approach to public life has often appeared more approachable and informal than the family's usual stoic resolve.
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William and Harry continue the work their mother had started (Getty Images)
Diana became one of the most famous women in the world (Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)Take the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee concert celebrating her 70 years on the throne - rock bands, opera singers, dancers and lasers that turned into pictures of corgis in the sky, all a symbol of modern British life and entertainment. Perhaps even Elizabeth II had taken note, for she appeared in a short film to share a pot of tea with Paddington Bear, which met with applause.
But when Diana first married the then Prince Charles aged 20, there wasn't a sign she would be later seen as a rebel who challenged the stereotypes of the royals. She was known as a member of the aristocratic Spencer family, her flouncy bows and sensible skirts with a boyish bob.
After leaving school at 16, she spent time at a finishing school in the Swiss Alps and worked as a nanny and preschool teacher while living in London. But the turning point came when she stepped foot out of St Paul's Cathedral on her wedding day in the infamous gown and 25-foot train.
From that moment on, she was hounded by reporters and photographers who wanted to know everything about her. While she hated the intrusion, she quickly learned how to work it to her advantage.
Opening the first specialised ward in the UK for AIDS patients on April 9, 1987, she used her fame to change public perceptions of the virus. Once the formality of the ribbon-cutting ceremony was over, she took the hands of a young patient.
The moment, captured by photos beamed worldwide, helped combat the fear, misinformation and stigma surrounding the AIDS epidemic. Then years later, seven months before she died, Diana was in Angola promoting the work of the HALO Trust.
Donning a protective visor and flak jacket, she walked down a path cleared through a minefield with the group, who worked to remove mines from former warzones. When she noticed photographers didn't get the shot, she turned around and did it again.
These images brought international attention to the campaign and today, a treaty banning land mines has been signed by 164 countries. But as her public prowess grew, her private life was suffering.
Her marriage was falling apart, which Diana blamed on Charles' affair with Camilla. She was also struggling with bulimia and suicide attempts, according to Diana: Her True Story — In Her Own Words, based on tapes Diana sent to author Andrew Morton.
Diana always wanted to be remembered as the queen of people's hearts (Getty Images)
William and Kate's work with mental health echo Diana's charitable spirit (Getty Images for TGI Sport)“When I started my public life, 12 years ago, I understood the media might be interested in what I did,’’ Diana said in 1993. “But I was not aware of how overwhelming that attention would become. Nor the extent to which it would affect both my public duties and my personal life, in a manner that’s been hard to bear.”
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Ultimately, it contributed to her death. On August 30, 1997, a group of paparazzi camped outside the Hotel Ritz in Paris in hopes of getting shots of Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Fayed pursued their car to the Pont de l’Alma tunnel, where their driver lost control and crashed.
She died a day later. The public outpouring of grief prompted a wave of criticism for the royal family, who were slammed for not appearing in public and refusing to lower the Buckingham Palace flag to half-staff.
The mourning prompted soul-searching among members of the House of Windsor. They set about to better understand why Diana’s death had prompted such an overwhelming spectacle, said Sally Bedell Smith, a historian and author of “Diana in Search of Herself.’’
“I think her legacy was something that the queen in her wisdom (sought) to adapt in the early years after her death,’’ Smith said of focus groups and studies the monarchy used to grasp Diana’s appeal. “The queen was more likely to interact with people, and I think you see the informality magnified now, particularly with William and Kate,” she said.
William and Kate have made improving mental health services a main goal, even discussing their own struggles publicly. Harry is also a champion for wounded military veterans. And while outrage continued to pour following Diana's death, Charles' reputation plunged.
Only in recent years following his marriage to Camilla and accession to the throne has he managed to rebuild this, but it appears the royals still have more to learn. The Firm continues to struggle with the fallout following Prince Andrew's links to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Then, there's Meghan and Harry's decision to step down as working royals for a new life in California. Meghan said she felt constrained by palace life and her mental health suffered in the months after her marriage to Harry.
Despite Diana's struggles, she was firm in the way she wished to be remembered: "I’d like to be a queen of people’s hearts, in people’s hearts, but I don’t see myself being queen of this country. I don’t think many people will want me to be queen.”