Video: Off protocol: "the people's princess" who defied the prim customs of the British court
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
History Princess Diana - this is the story of a real Cinderella. She, who worked as a nanny, quite unexpectedly became the wife of a real prince. And all would be fine, but the fabulous "they lived happily ever after" never happened. The open, charming Diana could not come to terms with the prim traditions of the British court and live by protocol. She suffered a tragic fate, but in the hearts of ordinary people she remained a beloved "people's princess".
Before meeting the royal family, Diana Spencer's life had little resemblance to that of a princess. As a child, Diana did not show much success in her studies. The girl dreamed of becoming a ballerina, but due to her high growth (178 cm) she had to forget about it. When the girl grew up, she chose a job not according to the degree of prestige, but because she liked them: Diana nursed the children, organized parties.
Meanwhile, the royal court was actively looking for a candidate for the role of the bride of Prince Charles. Key to Diana and Charles' pimping were her grandmother's proximity to the Queen Mother and the proximity of the Spencer estate and the royal residence in Norfolk. Now the most important thing was to organize everything so that Diana was at the right time in the right place. Several "chance" meetings, and after someone casually dropped the phrase that Charles had a new girlfriend, it all started.
The paparazzi began to speculate so actively on this news that Charles' father Prince Consort Philip wrote a letter to his son, in which he insisted on protecting the girl's reputation. Prince Charles decided that this was an order, and made an offer to Diana. The girl agreed without delay. Although she had known the prince for only a few months, she had been in love with him for a long time. And the prospect of becoming a real princess turned her head.
On July 29, 1981, the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer took place, which was dubbed "the wedding of the century." The ivory wedding dress with a nearly 8m train was stunning. It was made in Victorian style. The only thing that the designers did not take into account is that all this airy splendor will need to fit in a small carriage. Diana had to go to the altar in a rumpled dress.
The wedding ceremony itself was not as perfect as Diana read about it in the books. Addressing the groom, she mixed up the words in his long name. Instead of Charles Philip Arthur George, she pronounced Philip Charles Arthur George. The prince, too, did not remain in debt, and during the vow, instead of "I promise to share with you everything that belongs to me," said "I promise to share with you everything that belongs to you." Diana also did not utter the obligatory words about obedience to her husband. Instead, Diana promised to “love, support, honor and cherish” him.
On August 15, 1981, just two weeks after the wedding, Diana wrote to her maid of honor that the honeymoon is a great opportunity to sleep.
The couple had two sons - William and Harry. As Diana recalled, it was these few years that were happy in the life of the royal couple. The four of them spent a lot of time. Diana, as best she could, tried to ensure that her sons were brought up as ordinary children. They knew what McDonald's was and went to amusement parks. The princess tried to personally pick them up from school.
The family idyll did not last long. The 13-year age difference between the spouses gradually made itself felt. Charles is an aristocrat to the tips of his nails. He received an excellent education, was incredibly well-read, and Diana's favorite book was The King's Bride. Diana was frankly bored at social events, was not interested in her husband's hobbies. Gradually, this led to the prince returning to the arms of his mistress Camilla Parker Bowles, with whom he had an affair for 9 years before the wedding. In retaliation, Diana became close to James Hewitt, a horse riding instructor.
The ubiquitous journalists demanded clarification of such juicy details from the personal lives of the prince and princess. In one of the interviews, Diana could not restrain herself and said: "There are too many people in my family." She wasn't just referring to the presence of Charles's mistress. The entire royal family actively intervened in the couple's relationship. If Charles was forgiven for the connection with Camilla, then Diana was constantly expressed outrage at her defiant behavior. And it was not only about the personal relationship between the spouses, the queen did not like the princess's too active public participation in charity.
While Diana was being persecuted at the royal court, the common people literally idolized her. The princess visited orphanages, rehabilitation centers, donated funds for the fight against AIDS and encouraged her entourage to do the same, loved to take part in children's activities. For this she was dubbed "the people's princess", "queen of hearts". Unsurprisingly, when discussing conflicts within the royal family, people sided with Diana.
In 1996, Diana and Charles received legal permission to divorce. Diana was paid 17 million pounds in compensation, retained the right to raise children, but was deprived of royal privileges. Little William, seeing his mother upset, told her not to cry. When he grows up, he will definitely return the title to her. Unfortunately, the son's promise never came true.
After the divorce, Diana hoped that the journalists would leave her alone, but it turned out quite the opposite. The paparazzi followed her every step: what event Diana attended, what she was wearing, who her lover was.
On August 31, 1997, trying to escape from the paparazzi pursuing her, Diana died in a car accident in Paris. Watching people pouring flowers on the square in front of Buckingham Palace, Elizabeth II was forced to make an appeal on television, expressing her grief over the death of the mother of her grandchildren.
In April 2017, the opening of the White Garden Memorial Garden in London's Kensington Palace was timed to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the death of Princess Diana. In memory of Lady Dee, 1200 flowers of white shades were planted on its territory. Anyone can visit the seasonal garden right up to autumn.
Ironically, the day of the death of Princess Diana marked the beginning of a new stage in the life of Charles and his longtime lover. Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles have been waiting for their happiness for 35 years.
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