The Spencer family: who is really behind the tragedy of Princess Diana. The story of Princess Diana: from a simple girl to the queen of hearts What family are Princess Diana's parents from?

The tragic death of Diana was perceived by many as a personal tragedy; a huge number of books, films and musical works are dedicated to it. Why Princess Diana was so popular among ordinary people, we will try to understand this material.

Childhood and family

Diana became the third girl in the Spencer family; she has two older sisters - Sarah (1955) and Jane (1957). A year before her birth, a tragedy occurred in the family - a boy born on January 12, 1960 died ten hours after birth. This event seriously affected the already ideal relationship between parents, and the birth of Diana could no longer correct this situation. In May 1964, the Spencer couple gave birth to the long-awaited heir Charles, but their marriage was already falling apart at the seams, the father spent all his time hunting and playing cricket, and the mother took a lover.

From early childhood, Diana felt like an unwanted and unloved child, deprived of attention and love. Neither her mother nor her father ever told her simple words: "We love you". The divorce of her parents was a shock for the eight-year-old girl, her heart was torn between her father and mother, who no longer wanted to live as one family. Frances left the children to her husband and left with her new chosen one for Scotland; Diana’s next meeting with her mother took place only at the wedding ceremony with Prince Charles.

IN early childhood Diana was raised and educated by governesses and home teachers. In 1968, the girl was sent to the prestigious private school West Hill, where her older sisters were already studying. Diana loved to dance, drew beautifully, and went in for swimming, but other subjects were difficult for her. She was unable to pass her final exams and was left without a matriculation certificate. School failures were caused by to a greater extent lack of self-confidence and low self-esteem, rather than low intellectual abilities.

In 1975, John Spencer inherited the title of Earl from his deceased father, and a year later he married Raine, Countess of Dartmouth. The children disliked their stepmother, boycotted her and refused to sit at the same table. Only after the death of her father in 1992, Diana changed her attitude towards this woman and began to communicate warmly with her.

In 1977, the future princess went to Switzerland to continue her education. Homesickness made her return without finishing educational institution. The girl moved to London and got a job.

In English aristocratic families, it is customary for grown-up children to work on an equal basis with ordinary citizens, so Diana, despite her noble origins, worked as a teacher in kindergarten Young England, which still exists in the respectable London area of ​​Pimlico and is proud of its connection with royal family.

She lived in a small apartment, given to her by her father when she came of age, and led a lifestyle typical of English youth. At the same time, she was a modest and well-mannered girl, avoided noisy London parties with marijuana and alcohol, and did not start serious affairs.

Meeting Prince Charles

The Queen was not satisfied with this state of affairs, and she began to consider Diana as a possible bride for her son. And Sarah happily married a calm, reliable man with a wonderful sense of humor, bore him three children and lived a happy family life.

The queen's desire to quickly marry her son was caused by his relationship with Camilla Shand, an intelligent, energetic and sexy blonde, but not well-born enough to become the heir to the throne. And Charles liked such women: experienced, sophisticated and ready to carry him in their arms. Camilla was also not averse to becoming a member of the royal family, however, as a smart woman, she had a backup option in the person of officer Andrew Parker-Bowles. Here's Andrew's heart for a long time occupied by Princess Anne, Charles' sister.

The marriage of Camilla and Bowles became a solution to two problems at once for the royal family - at that time Charles served in the navy, and when he returned, he met his beloved as a married lady. That didn't stop them from continuing love relationship, which did not stop with the appearance of Lady Diana’s prince in her life. Looking ahead, we add that eight years after the death of Lady Spencer, the prince married Camilla.

Diana was a modest, pretty girl without a trail of scandals and with an excellent pedigree - an excellent match for the future heir to the throne. The queen persistently suggested that her son pay attention to her, and Camilla was not against her lover’s marriage to a young, inexperienced person who did not pose any threat to her. Submitting to the will of his mother and realizing his duty to the dynasty, the prince invited Diana first to the royal yacht, and then to the palace, where, in the presence of members of the royal family, he proposed to her.

The official announcement of the engagement took place on February 24, 1981. Lady Di showed the public a luxurious sapphire and diamond ring, which now adorns the finger of Kate Middleton, the wife of her eldest son.

The coldness and aloofness of the royal family negatively affected Diana’s psyche, her childhood fears and insecurities returned, and her attacks of bulimia became more frequent. Before the wedding, the girl lost 12 kilograms; her wedding dress had to be sewn in several times. She felt like a stranger in the royal palace, it was difficult for her to get used to the new rules, and the environment seemed cold and hostile.

On July 29, 1981, a magnificent wedding ceremony took place, which was seen on television screens by about a million people. Another 600 thousand spectators greeted the wedding procession on the streets of London, all the way to St. Paul's Cathedral. On that day, the grounds of Westminster Abbey could barely accommodate everyone who wanted to take part in this historical event.

Princess Diana's wedding. Chronicles

There were some incidents - the luxurious taffeta dress was badly wrinkled during a ride in a horse-drawn carriage and did not look its best. In addition, the bride, during the traditional speech at the altar, mixed up the order of Prince Charles's names, which violated etiquette, and also did not swear to her future husband of eternal obedience. Royal press attaches pretended that this was the plan, forever changing the text of the wedding vows for members of the British court.

Birth of heirs and problems in family life

The Princess of Wales's pregnancy was officially announced on November 5, 1981. This news caused rejoicing in English society, people were eager to see the heir to the royal dynasty.

Diana spent almost her entire pregnancy in the palace, gloomy and deserted. She was surrounded only by doctors and servants, her husband rarely came to her chambers, and the princess suspected something was wrong. She soon learned of his ongoing relationship with Camilla, which Charles did not even try to hide. Her husband's infidelities depressed the princess; she suffered from jealousy and self-doubt, and was almost always sad and depressed.

The birth of the first-born William (06/21/1982) and the second son Harry (09/15/1984) did not change anything in their relationship. Charles still looked for solace in the arms of his mistress, and Lady Di shed bitter tears, suffered from depression and bulimia and drank sedative pills by the handful.

Intimate life the number of spouses practically disappeared, and the princess had no choice but to find another man. He became Captain James Hewitt, a former military man, courageous and sexy. In order to have a reason to see him without arousing suspicion, Diana began taking riding lessons.

James gave her what a woman could not get from her own husband - love, care and the joy of physical intimacy. Their romance lasted nine years, it became known in 1992 from the book Diana: Her True Story by Andrew Morton. Around the same time, recordings of intimate conversations between Charles and Camilla were made public, which inevitably led to loud scandal in the royal family.

Divorce of Diana and Charles

At first, Diana's popularity played into the hands of the royal court. She was called the “queen of hearts”, “the sun of Britain” and “the people’s princess” and was put on a par with Jacqueline Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor and other great women of the 20th century.

But over time, this universal love finally destroyed the marriage of Charles and Diana - the prince became jealous of his wife for her fame, and Lady Di, feeling the support of millions, began to boldly and confidently declare her rights. She decided to show the whole world evidence of her husband’s infidelity, told her story on a tape recorder and handed over the recordings to the press.

After this, Queen Elizabeth disliked Princess Diana, but the royal family could not stay away from the scandal, and on December 9, 1992, Prime Minister John Major officially announced Diana and Charles' decision to live separately.

In November 1995, Lady Di gave a sensational interview to the BBC channel, in which she spoke in detail about her suffering caused by her husband's infidelities, palace intrigues and other unworthy actions of members of the royal family.

Candid interview with Princess Diana (1995)

Charles responded by portraying her as a psychopath and hysterical and demanding an official divorce. The Queen supported her son and appointed ex-daughter-in-law generous allowance, but deprived her of the title Your Royal Highness. August 28, 1996 divorce proceedings was completed, and Diana became a free woman again.

last years of life

Diana really wanted to believe that men loved her not only for her title, but also for her personal qualities, and the Pakistani heart surgeon Hasnat Khan seemed to her to be just such a person. She fell in love with him without looking back, met his parents and even covered her head as a sign of respect for Muslim traditions.

It seemed to her that in the Islamic world a woman was protected and surrounded by love and care, and this was exactly what she had been looking for all her life. However, Dr. Khan understood that next to such a woman he would always have to remain on the sidelines, and was in no hurry to propose marriage.

In the summer of 1997, Diana accepted an invitation from Egyptian billionaire Mohammed al-Fayed to relax on his yacht. An influential businessman, owner of luxury real estate in London, wanted to get to know such a popular person better.

So that Diana would not get bored, he invited his son, film producer Dodi al-Fayed, to the yacht. Lady Di at first considered this trip as a way to make Dr. Khan jealous, but she herself did not notice how she fell in love with the charming and courteous Dodi.

The tragic death of Princess Diana

The driver's blood contained an alcohol content several times higher than the permissible limit, and the car was moving at great speed, trying to break away from the paparazzi pursuing it.

Diana's death was a huge shock for the world community and gave rise to many rumors and speculation. Many blamed the death of the princess royal family, believing that this accident was staged by the British intelligence services. Information appeared in the press that the driver was blinded by a laser by a man on a motorcycle in order to avoid Diana’s pregnancy from a Muslim and the subsequent scandal. However, all this is from the field of conspiracy theories.

Princess Diana's funeral

All of England mourned the death of the “people's princess”, because before this no person of royal blood had been so loved by the common people. Under public pressure, Elizabeth was forced to interrupt her vacation in Scotland and give her former daughter-in-law the necessary honors.

Diana was buried on September 6, 1997 at the Spencer family estate in Althorp in Northamptonshire. Her grave is hidden from prying eyes on a secluded island in the middle of the lake, access to it is limited. Those wishing to honor the memory of the “people’s princess” can visit the memorial located not far from the burial.

Reasons for popular love

For example, Diana became one of the first famous people to talk about the problem of AIDS. The disease was discovered in the early 1980s, and even ten years later, little was known about the virus and how it spreads. Not all doctors decided to contact people infected with HIV, for fear of contracting a fatal disease.

Traveling through third world countries, Diana communicated with leprosy patients: “When meeting them, I always tried to touch them, hug them, to show them that they were not outcasts, not outcasts.”

Having visited Angola in 1997 (there was a Civil War), Diana walked through a field that had just been cleared of mines. No one guaranteed complete safety - the likelihood that mines remained in the ground was very high. Returning to Britain, Diana launched an anti-mine campaign, calling on the army to abandon this type of weapon. “Angola has the highest percentage of amputees. Think about it: one in 333 Angolans lost a limb to mines.”

During her lifetime, Diana did not achieve “deminization,” but her son, Prince Harry, continues her work. He is a patron of the charity The HALO Trust, whose goal is to free the world from mines by 2025, that is, to neutralize all old shells and stop the production of new ones. Volunteers cleared mines in Chechnya, Kosovo, Abkhazia, Ukraine, Angola, and Afghanistan.

In her native London, the princess regularly visited centers for the homeless and took Harry and William with her so that they could see the other side of life with their own eyes and learn compassion. Prince William later claimed that these visits were a revelation for him and he was grateful to his mother for this opportunity. After Diana's death he became patron charitable organizations, which she previously supported.

At least three times a week she went to children's hospices, where children dying from cancer were kept. Diana spent at least four hours with them. “Some will live, others will die, but while they are alive, they need love. And I will love them,” the princess believed.

Diana changed the face of the British monarchy. If earlier they were associated among ordinary people with yet another suffocating measures like tax increases, then after her actions, as well as a 1995 BBC interview (“I would like monarchs to have more contact with the people”), the monarchy turned into a defender of the disadvantaged. After Lady Di's tragic death, her mission continued.

Diana Frances Spencer was born on July 1, 1960. The third girl in the family, she became another disappointment for Earl John Spencer, who was expecting a son - the heir to titles and estates. But as a child, Diana was surrounded by love: as the youngest, she was spoiled by both relatives and servants.

The idyll did not last long: caught in adultery, Countess Spencer left for London, taking her younger children. The divorce process was accompanied by a scandal - at the trial, Diana’s grandmother testified against her daughter. For Diana, family discord remained forever associated with the terrible word “divorce.” The relationship with her stepmother did not work out, and for the rest of her childhood Diana rushed between her mother’s mansion in Scotland and her father’s in England, not feeling at home anywhere.

Diana (far right) with her father, sisters Sarah and Jane and brother Charles

Popular

Diana was not particularly diligent, and teachers spoke of her as an intelligent, but not very gifted girl. The real reason for her indifference to science was that she was already absorbed in another passion - ballet, but her high growth prevented her passion from becoming her life's work. Deprived of the opportunity to become a ballerina, Diana turned to social activities. Her enthusiastic nature and ability to infect others with her enthusiasm were noted by everyone around her.

Not just a friend

Prince Charles and Diana met when she was 16. Diana's sister Sarah was then dating the heir to the British throne, but the romance ended after a careless interview with the girl. Soon after the breakup, Charles began to look closely at the one in whom he had previously seen only the younger sister of his girlfriend, and soon came to the conclusion: Diana is perfection itself! The girl was flattered by the prince's attention, and everything went to a happy ending.

Over the weekend in Zago home The friends were followed by a cruise on the yacht Britannia, and then an invitation to Balmoral Castle, the summer residence of the English monarchs, where Diana was officially introduced to the royal family. To marry, the future monarch requires permission from the current monarch. Formally, Diana was the ideal candidate for the role of the bride. Possessing all the advantages of a less fortunate sister (noble birth, excellent upbringing and attractive appearance), she could boast of innocence and modesty, which the lively Sarah clearly lacked. And only one thing confused Elizabeth II - Diana seemed too unadapted to palace life. But Charles was over thirty, the search for the best candidate could drag on, and after much hesitation, the queen finally gave her blessing.

On February 6, 1981, Diana accepted the prince's proposal, and on July 29 they got married in St. Paul's Cathedral. The broadcast of the ceremony was watched by 750,000,000 people, and the wedding itself was like a fairy tale: Diana in a fluffy white dress with an eight-meter train drove up to the church in a carriage, surrounded by an escort of officers of the royal horse guards. The word “obey” was removed from the marriage vows, which created a sensation - indeed, even the Queen of England herself promised to obey her husband in everything.

Just a year after the wedding, Diana cradled her son and heir, Prince William. A couple of years later, Harry was born. Diana later admitted that these years were the best in her relationship with Charles. All free time they spent with children. “Family is the most important thing,” a beaming Diana told reporters.

At this time, Lady Di demonstrated her decisive character for the first time. Disregarding customs, she herself chose the names for the princes, refused the help of the royal nanny (hiring her own) and tried in every possible way to protect the highest interference in the life of her family. A devoted and affectionate mother, she organized her affairs so that they would not interfere with her picking up her children from school. And there was an incredible amount to do!

Royal affairs...

Princess Diana's duties as stipulated by the ceremony included attending charity events. Traditionally, charity is the activity of every member of the royal family. Princes and princesses have a long history of patronizing hospitals, orphanages, hospices, orphanages and non-profit organizations, but no British monarch has done so with such passion as Diana.

She greatly expanded the list of institutions visited, including hospitals for AIDS patients and leper colonies. The princess devoted a lot of time to the problems of children and youth, but among her wards were also nursing homes and rehabilitation centers for alcoholics and drug addicts. She also supported the campaign to ban landmines in Africa.

Princess Diana generously spent her money and the royal family's wealth on good causes, and also attracted friends from high society as sponsors. It was impossible to resist her soft but indestructible charm. All her compatriots adored her, and Lady Di had many fans abroad. “The most serious disease of the world is that there is little love in it,” she constantly repeated. At the same time, Diana unsuccessfully struggled with her own hereditary disease - bulimia (eating disorder), and against the backdrop of nervous experiences and stress, it was torture to restrain herself.

...and family matters

Family life turned out to be unlucky. Charles's long-term affair with married woman- Lady Camilla Parker-Bowles, which Diana learned about after the wedding, resumed in the mid-80s. Insulted, Diana became close to James Hewitt, a riding instructor. Tensions increased when incriminating recordings were leaked to the press. telephone conversations both spouses with lovers. Numerous interviews followed, during which Charles and Diana blamed each other for the breakdown of their union. “There were too many people in my marriage,” the princess joked sadly.

The outraged queen tried to speed up her son's divorce. The papers were signed on August 28, 1996, and from that moment on, Princess Diana lost all rights to address Your Royal Highness. She herself always said that she only wanted to be the queen of people’s hearts, and not the wife of the reigning monarch. After the divorce, Diana felt a little freer, although her life was still governed by protocol: she was ex-wife crown prince and mother of two heirs. It was her love for her sons that forced her to maintain the appearance of a family and tolerate her husband’s infidelities: “Any normal woman I would have left long ago. But I couldn't. I have sons." Even at the height of the scandal, Lady Di did not stop doing charity work.

After the divorce, Diana did not give up charity, and she really managed to change the world for the better. She directed her energies to the fight against AIDS, cancer, and provided her assistance to children with heart defects.

At this time, the princess experienced a passionate affair with a surgeon of Pakistani origin, Hasnat Khan. Khan came from a very religious family, and Diana, in love, seriously considered converting to Islam in order to be able to marry her lover. Unfortunately, the contradictions between the two cultures were too great, and in June 1997 the couple separated. Just a few weeks later, Lady Di began dating Dodi Al-Fayed, a producer and son of an Egyptian multimillionaire.

You lived your life like a candle burns in the wind...

On August 31, 1997, Diana and Dodi were in Paris. They left the hotel by car when cars with paparazzi followed them. Trying to escape the pursuit, the driver lost control and crashed into a concrete bridge support. He himself and Dodi Al-Fayed died on the spot, Diana was taken to the hospital, where she died two hours later. The only survivor of the accident, bodyguard Trevor Rhys-Jones, has no memory of the events.

The police conducted a thorough investigation, as a result of which the cause of the princess's death was declared an accident caused by the carelessness of the driver and the carelessness of the car's passengers (none of them were wearing seat belts).

Princess Diana can rightfully be considered the star of the British monarchy. Neither before nor after her, no one from the royal family was as loved and adored by the subjects of the “crown” as she was. Her life still arouses great interest among the media and ordinary people, although a lot of time has passed since the death of the princess.

What do we know about Diana?

Née Spencer was born in the summer of July 1, 1961 in Norfolk. Diana Frances had a noble origin. Her mother and father were viscounts and also maintained close ties to the English royal family.

Diana's father John was from the same family line as Churchill, as well as the Duke of Marlborough. All of them came from the Spencer-Churchill family. The father of the future princess himself was Viscount Elthorp.

Only through illegal ones, but also recognized sons King Charles the Second, Diana carried part of the “royal blood”. As a child, the future princess lived in Sandringham. The Viscount's daughter completed the first educational stage at home.

The girl's parents then taught her at a private school near King's Line. A little later, after failures in her studies, she entered Riddlesworth Hall School. At the age of eight, Diana experienced her parents' divorce. She, her half-sisters and brother remained to live with their father. Diana's father quickly developed new wife, but she was unable to establish contact with the children, so she played the role of an evil stepmother in their fate.

In 1975, Diana officially received the title "lady". This event was overshadowed by the death of her grandfather. At the age of twelve, Diana Francis was sent to West Hill School. She studied poorly; only Diana’s musical abilities aroused admiration.

In addition to her favorite music, Diana was fond of dancing. She loved these two activities and excelled in her creative field..

In 1978, the girl moved to live in London. She had her own home there. Being very young, Diana loved to tinker with kids, so she got a job looking after children at the Young England kindergarten as a teacher’s assistant.

How did the lady meet the prince?

The first meeting of the future princess of Britain with Prince Charles took place when she was only 16 years old. In 1977, the prince came to her father's estate to play polo.

After a short courtship, Charles invited Diana to the royal yacht. At the beginning of 1980, Diana had the honor of meeting the royal family at the family castle, Balmoral.

The press immediately drew attention to the Prince of Wales's genuine interest in the young lady. Although the engagement of the young people was kept secret, all the details of their meetings, which the media could find out, were savored by journalists from different sides almost every day.

Under such pressure, Prince Charles made a hasty proposal to Diana. This happened on February 6, 1981. Diana was then the first Englishwoman to later become a royal bride, and she was also the first bride to have a paid position before becoming a princess.

Before the wedding, the girl settled in Buckingham Palace with the Queen Mother. The Queen herself presented Diana with an elegant and intricate sapphire brooch as a sign of her affection.

Wedding celebration

The wedding of Diana and the Prince of Wales took place on July 29, 1981. The day was chosen taking into account weather conditions so that nothing could overshadow the grand celebration. The wedding ceremony took place in St. Paul's Cathedral. Why not in Westminster Abbey, which is generally accepted for monarchs and nobility? It was just in this cathedral more places for guests. The church, of course, was not as pretentious as the abbey, but it also captivated with its surroundings and beauty.

So Lady Diana and the future queen of the hearts of her subjects became the Princess of Wales. The festive ceremony was shown by all world media. The broadcast was watched by approximately 700 thousand television viewers. Another approximately 650 thousand spectators waited for the couple on the street to enjoy the spectacle of the wedding procession.

The girl's wedding dress cost about 10 thousand pounds. The full length of her veil was also impressive, measuring 7.5 meters.

Fate after the wedding

The question of whether Charles truly loved Princess Diana before today remains open. After the wedding, Lady Diana quit her job at the kindergarten and began her direct duties as Princess of Wales.

She visited kindergartens, schools, and charity events. Diana was very active in charity work. Helped those in need and supported AIDS patients. Its popularity among British citizens grew at a tremendous speed. Diana was literally considered an angel of mercy in the flesh. People began to call her our “Lady Di,” thereby showing special affection for her and her activities.

Every appearance, every trip abroad attracted a lot of attention to Charles’s wife. Diana very quickly became a trendsetter, managing to bring a little glamor to the strict royal dress code.

Diana loved to be in the company of children and ordinary people, she spoke openly about the problems of modern society, which earned herself even greater fame.

The princess could easily go for tea to establishments that she supported through her charitable activities. It was Diana who put an end to prejudices about AIDS patients by publicly shaking the hand of one person infected with the disease.

During her career as Charles's wife, Lady Di received the following awards:

• Order of Queen Elizabeth II;
• Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Crown;
• Egyptian Order of Virtue.

The princess had many more unofficial awards.

Unfulfilled dreams of happiness

The birth of Charles and Lady Di's first son, William, occurred on June 21, 1982. Then, on September 15, 1984, the couple's second son, Henry, was born. Diana always dreamed of a big family.

From the very beginning, the Princess of Wales insisted on a completely normal upbringing for her sons. At her insistence, they were sent to simple kindergartens, then attended an average English school.

After the birth of Prince Henry, known today as Harry, Diana and Charles' marriage began to crack. It is known that before the wedding, Charles told his friend that he did not love Diana yet, but perhaps he would be able to love her in the future.

Apparently, Charles, who was 13 years older than her, failed to fall in love with the girl. Then the couple began to live separately. After this event, Andrew Morton's book “Diana: Her true story" The manuscript was published with the consent of the princess herself and with the participation of her friends.

This is how the world learned about Lady Di’s suicide attempts, her experiences, loneliness, and also that she long years I struggled with bulimia. This book provided evidence that Charles was still interested in his former girlfriend Camilla Parker. This hurt the Princess of Wales, and ultimately led to the couple's divorce.

The Prince and Princess of Wales officially divorced in 1996.

The couple's divorce turned into a standoff when Diana gave frank interview BBC channel. In it, she sincerely spoke about the fact that Charles never wanted to be king, about how difficult it was for her to live in the royal family. After the divorce, Diana devoted a lot of time to her children. She appeared with them at all social events.

Diana Spencer has always said that she wants to become queen, but does not want the English throne, but wants to be the queen of people's hearts. Her reputation after the divorce was slightly damaged by information about romances with other men. So officer Hewitt vilely betrayed the relationship with the princess to the public by writing a book about them.

When the divorce proceedings ended, the princess switched from direct charitable work to other work. She put all her dresses up for auction. The proceeds from the sale amounted to more than £3.5 million. Diana also visited her sick mother Teresa. After the divorce, the media tirelessly followed the activities of Lady Dee, discussing her every step and every decision she made.

Divorce: before and after

Formally, the marriage of Princess Diana and Prince Charles broke up much earlier than the divorce proceedings began. Evil tongues said that even after marrying Diana, Charles did not end his relationship with his former girlfriend Camilla.

And Diana herself soon had an affair with cardiac surgeon Hasnat Khan. There is information that they really loved each other, but could not withstand public pressure and broke up. In addition, Khan's parents were also against this relationship. Diana and Hasnat tried to save their relationship by leaving for Pakistan, but nothing worked out for the lovers there either.

The following relationship of Diana Francis Spencer was the last in her life. So she was credited with an affair with the Egyptian billionaire Dodi al-Fayed. The couple was allegedly even seen on the same yacht. It was not possible to confirm this connection with indisputable facts.

Cause of death of Princess Diana

The Princess of Wales died from injuries acquired in a car accident on August 31, 1997. Diana was traveling in the car with her bodyguard and her “tabloid” lover Dodi al-Fayed. Everyone who was driving around Paris in that ill-fated car, except for the bodyguard, died.

Even after a lengthy investigation, the police were unable to convincingly explain why the car accident occurred..

The disaster occurred when the driver attempted to break away from reporters on motorcycles pursuing Diana. In the tunnel, he lost control, and according to one version, a collision occurred.

Princess Diana was hospitalized, but she died after two hours in the hospital. Trevor Rea Jones (Lady Di's bodyguard), having recovered from his injuries, claimed to remember nothing about the accident. After the incident, his face had to be restored almost completely using plastic surgery. The fatal scene took place in a tunnel under the Parisian Pont Alma. Diana's car collided with a concrete support.

At the age of 36, the people's favorite Lady Di passed away. A wave of grief swept across Britain and France. Memorials were erected in honor of the princess, to which people laid flowers.

The princess was buried in her native Elthorp on a secluded island. Versions of her death excited the hearts and minds of people for a long time. Some believed that Diana's death was a direct consequence of a conspiracy against her. Others blamed it on the paparazzi who followed the princess. Scotland Yard also published its version, which said that the alcohol in the blood of the driver was three times higher than the norm, and the speed limit in the tunnel was also severely exceeded.

Many songs and poems were written in memory of Diana. Elton John and Michael Jackson also dedicated their works to her. 10 years after the accident, a film was made about Princess Diana and the last hours of her life. In addition, today stamps with her image are issued in many countries. According to inexorable statistics, Princess Diana has broken all records of popularity among British monarchs. She remained in the hearts of people as their true unofficial queen.

When Diana, Princess of Wales died 20 years ago, she wasn't the only one ex-husband Prince Charles collected her body from Paris, but also her sisters, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Baroness Jane Fellowes. And at her funeral, her brother Charles, Earl Spencer walked behind the gun carriage that carried her body before making a speech at her funeral.

They played a key role as Diana's grieving brother and sisters, and since then they have done everything to keep the memory of their beloved sister alive, maintaining relationships with nephews Prince William and Prince Harry, presiding over charitable foundations the late princess or remembering her in his memoirs.

Let's see who are Princess Diana's brother and sisters and what are they doing now?

Lady Elizabeth Sarah Lavinia McCorquodale was born in 1955 (six years before Diana) and has always been known by her middle name, Sarah. Despite living in a boarding school when Diana was a child, the sisters were close and it was Sarah who eventually introduced Diana to Prince Charles.

The Spencers have always been close to the royal family. Their maternal grandmother, Lady Ruth Fermoy, was a lady-in-waiting to the Queen Mother, and their paternal grandmother, Countess Cynthia Spencer, was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth. Sarah and Prince Charles moved in the same social circles and even had brief romantic relationship in 1977, when Sarah was 22 years old and Charles was 28. However, Sarah gave an interview to journalists, stating that there was nothing serious between them, and therefore she did not marry him. The relationship ended soon.

Sarah got married and gave birth to three children - Emily, George, and Celia, who were friends of the young Prince William and Prince Harry, and often spent holidays with them. They attended William and Kate Middleton's wedding in 2011, and William, Kate and Harry attended Emily's wedding in 2012. Harry represented the family at his cousin George's wedding in South Africa in 2016.

After Diana's death, Sarah became president of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, which raised more than $128 million over 15 years for various charities around the world.

As her elder sister Sarah, Jane has always been known by her middle name. Born in 1957, she was four years older than Diana and, like Sarah, had been at boarding school during Diana's childhood. The sisters got on well, and Diana was a bridesmaid when Jane married the Queen's assistant private secretary (he later became secretary), Robert Fellowes, at Westminster Abbey in 1978.

Just as older sister Sarah first introduced Charles and Diana when she and the prince were dating, Jane also played a role in their relationship. Jane accompanied her husband to Balmoral in the summer of 1980, and since Charles was going to be there at the time, it was suggested that Diana would go there too. It was there that the press first learned about the new relationship between Charles and Diana.

Jane has three children: Laura, Alexander and Eleanor. Like Lady Sarah's children, these three were childhood friends of William and Harry, and they all holidayed together on more than one occasion. Laura is now one of Princess Charlotte's godmothers.

Like her sister, Jane has also become involved in charity work, including running Connect, which works with young offenders, visiting prisons and helping those at risk of becoming involved in crime.

Charles was born three years after Diana, and growing up, they were both all too aware of unsuccessful marriage your parents. The Spencers' ties to the royal family were strengthened when the Queen became one of Charles' godparents.

The younger Spencer worked in the media for many years, being a correspondent for NBC from 1986-1995, anchoring the morning show “Today” and the nightly “News.” When he married model Victoria Lockwood in 1989, Prince Harry was his pageboy.

Charles and his wife moved to South Africa, where they had four children: Kitty, Eliza, Kate, and Frederick. He was 27 when their father died and inherited the family estate of Althorp, where Diana was later buried.

After Diana was buried at Althorp, Charles also built a museum in her memory. The Earl was so focused on the literary field, publishing several books about the history of his family and the history of the royal family, two of which became bestsellers. He also founded the Althorp Literary Festival, where Bill Bryson and Helen Fielding performed.

After divorcing Victoria Lockwood, he remarried in 2001 and had two more children, Edmund and Lara. However, he divorced again in 2007 and married Karen Gordon just a couple of weeks after his nephew Prince William married Kate Middleton in 2011. In 2012, he became a father for the seventh time when his daughter Charlotte was born.

Princess Diana as a child

Diana was born in Norfolk on the private estate of the Windsor dynasty, Sandringham. Diana's ancestors through her father John Spencer came from royal families through the illegitimate son of King Charles II and the illegitimate daughter of James II. Frances Rood, Diana's mother, was also from an aristocratic family. Diana spent her childhood in her native Sandringham Palace. There the girl received her primary education at home.

Little Diana. (pinterest.com)

Diana in childhood. (pinterest.com)

Her governess was Gertrude Allen, who had previously taught Diana's mother. A little later, the girl entered the Silfield private school, and then - preparatory school Riddlesworth Hall.

Diana as a teenager. (pinterest.com)

In 1969, Diana's parents divorced. The girl remained to live with her father in her home. Diana's sisters and brother remained with them. The eight-year-old girl was very upset about the separation of those closest to her. Soon John Spencer married for the second time. The new stepmother did not like the children. Living in her own family was becoming increasingly difficult for Diana.

The Spencer Family, 1975. (pinterest.com)

When Diana was 12 years old, she was accepted into a privileged school for girls in Kent. Alas, Diana was unable to cope with her studies; she was never able to finish school. However, teachers noted her unconditional talent for music and dancing.

School years. (pinterest.com)

In 1975, Diana's grandfather, John's father, died. John Spencer automatically became the eighth Earl of Spencer, and Diana herself received the title of Lady. At the same time, the whole family moved to the ancient ancestral castle of Althorp House (Nottroughtonshire).

Youth

In 1977, Diana entered school in Rougemont (Switzerland). Soon the girl began to feel very homesick. As a result, in 1978, she decided to return to her native England.

Young Diana. (pinterest.com)

With a pony. (pinterest.com)

At first, Diana lived in the London apartment of her mother, who then mainly lived in Scotland. Two years later, in honor of her 18th birthday, Diana received an apartment in Earls Court as a gift. There she lived for some time with three friends.

Diana decided to find a job and got a job as an assistant teacher at the Young England kindergarten in central London. Diana adored children, so work was a joy for her.

Princess Diana and Charles

Diana met her future husband in the winter of 1977. At that time, Prince Charles came to Althrop to hunt. Diana took a liking to the noble young man at first sight.

On July 29, 1981, Diana and Charles married at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Lush Wedding Dress made of silk taffeta with huge sleeves, a deep neckline and a long train, decorated with hand embroidery, pearls and rhinestones, it became one of the most famous outfits in history.

Charles and Diana on their wedding day. (pinterest.com)

3.5 thousand guests were invited to the ceremony, and the wedding process in live 750 million people followed.

During the honeymoon, 1981. (pinterest.com)

In Scotland, 1981. (pinterest.com)

In 1982, Diana gave birth to a son, William. Two years later, another child appeared in the family - son Harry.

Family photo. (pinterest.com)

Diana and Charles with children. (pinterest.com)

Diana with children. (pinterest.com)

Princess Diana and Dodie

In the early 1990s, the relationship between Diana and Charles became cold. The discord between the spouses occurred due to intimate relationships Charles with Camilla Parker Bowles, a married woman whom the prince dated before the wedding.

Diana herself kept in touch for some time with James Hewitt, her riding instructor. As a result, in 1992, Diana and Charles separated, but decided not to file a divorce. Queen Elizabeth II insisted on an official break. In 1996, Diana and Charles signed everything Required documents.

In 1997, information appeared in the press that Lady Diana began a whirlwind romance with Dodi Al-Fayed, a successful film producer and son of Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed.

Diana and Dodi. (pinterest.com)

However, neither Diana herself nor her close friends confirmed this fact. It is likely that these were rumors.

Social activity

Lady Diana was called the “queen of hearts” - the woman was famous for her tender attitude towards the people, her care for those who were much less fortunate in this life than herself. So, Diana was quite actively involved in charity work, was an activist in the fight against AIDS, and worked peacekeeping activities and opposed the production of anti-personnel mines.

Princess in Moscow, 1995. (pinterest.com)

In 1995, Princess Diana of Wales visited Moscow. She visited the Tushino Children's Hospital and donated expensive equipment. The next day Diana went to primary school secondary school No. 751, where she opened a branch of the Waverly House fund for helping disabled children.

Death of Princess Diana

On August 31, 1997, in a tunnel under the Pont Alma in Paris, Diana, Dodi Al-Fayed, Trevor Rhys Jones (bodyguard) and Henri Paul (driver) were involved in a car accident.

Dodi and Henri died on the spot. Diana was taken to the Salpêtrière hospital. For two hours, doctors fought for the life of the princess, but the injuries she received turned out to be incompatible with life.

The cause of the accident is still unknown. Trevor was unable to reconstruct the chain of events. Journalists put forward several versions of the disaster: alcohol intoxication Henri Paul, speeding in hopes of getting away from the paparazzi and a conspiracy theory against Diana.