From 'commoner' to 'people's princess': Here are some defining moments of Diana's life

Britain's Prince William and Prince Harry honoured their late mother, Princess Diana, on what would have been her 60th birthday by unveiling a new statue at Kensington Palace. The ceremony took place in the Sunken Garden, which is said to be Princess Diana's favourite place in the palace, on July 1, in a bid to honour her life and legacy. Diana died at the age of 36 in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997, when Prince William was 15-years-old and Prince Harry was 12. As the world remembers the late Princess Diana, here are some of the defining moments of her life. 

Before royal life

Lady Diana Spencer was born on July 1, 1961. She was hailed as a “commoner” by royal standards, however, she was born into nobility and her parents had close ties to the royal family. Before her marriage, she lived in a flat in London and worked as a nanny and kindergarten teacher’s assistant. In 1979, when she turned 18, her parents then bought her a flat in Earl’s Court as a present, where she lived with three of her girlfriends. 

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Wedding day 

Prince Charles and Princess Diana wed at St Paul’s Cathedral on 29 July 1981. The wedding was broadcast across the world and watched by more than 750 million people. Following their wedding, Prince Charles and Diana had also shared a kiss on the Buckingham Palace’s balcony, breaking from royal protocol which would go down in history. Diana’s wedding dress, which was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, featured a corset and billowing sleeves. The dress is currently on display at Kensington Palace for the first time in 25 years.

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Mother to William and Harry

Back in 2017, Prince William and Prince Harry had revealed that their mother wanted them to have as normal as a childhood as possible. Princess Diana would take her sons on royal trips with her and she also made sure they did regular activities together. Her willingness to discuss her struggles with mental health has influenced the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex’s work over the years. 

(Image: @LianaCambridge/Twitter)

Princess Diana’s meet with AIDS patients 

In 1987, the Princess of Wales had helped debunk the widespread belief that AIDS and HIV could be passed by touching. She was photographed shaking hands with an AIDS patient at the Middlesex Hospital in London without gloves. Princess Diana was hailed as a “true champion of HIV awareness”. 

(Image: @xingcat/Twitter)

Campaign to outlaw landmines

In 1997, Diana was photographed walking through minefields wearing a protective vest and visor in Angola. She later visited Bosnia to meet survivors of landmine explosions. The images of that day appeared in newspapers and on TV sets around the globe, focusing international attention on the then-languishing campaign to rid the world of devices that lurk underground for decades after conflicts end. Today, a treaty banning landmines has 164 signatories.

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Diana’s death 

Princess Diana was a patron to more than 100 charities, and dedicated much of her life to engaging with hospital patients and critically ill children, earning her the nickname: “the people’s Princess”. The public’s adoration of Diana and her influence was evident in the outpouring of love she received. A sea of flowers was left at the gates of her home, Kensington Palace, while hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered in London on the day of her funeral.

(Image: AP)