Princess Diana was a woman of substance. An inspiration for many, Diana was a trailblazer. There are many feathers on her hat. Besides being a princess, Diana was an activist, a style icon, and one of the most influential people of the 20th century. A brazen woman as she was, she did not shy away from speaking her heart out on many events. And much of her life remained in the spotlight, in some cases, under oppressive scrutiny. The whole world mourned her death. Many people still miss her for the princess she was, and she would have been, if she were alive.
Several things are still unknown to her fans. In this article, we will share all of them.
20 Facts About Princess Diana that you Didn’t Know
Despite being a member of the royal family, the princess defied many odds and lived her life on her own terms in numerous instances. Here are the 20 things you probably didn’t know about Princess Diana.
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Princess Diana Loved Ballet
As a child, Diana studied ballet and also dreamed about taking the stage with the Royal Ballet. However, unfortunately, her height did not allow her to fulfill her dream. She grew 5 feet 11 inches tall.
But her passion for dancing remained intact even after she married Prince Charles in 1981. Diana landed her support to the English National Ballet as a private dancer and also through many fundraising efforts. She even performed a three-minute contemporary dance performance with her friend in 1985, taking everyone by surprise.
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She Skipped a Vow During her Marriage with the Prince
Most royal brides, including Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth, and Princess Anne, adhered to taking all the wedding vows as prescribed in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer dating from 1662 to ‘obey him and serve him, love, honor, and keep him in sickness and in health.’ But the princess begged to differ.
She omitted to obey, and her choice was later echoed by her future daughters-in-law.
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When Diana Consulted a Spiritual Healer
Not many know this, but the princess was in regular conversations with Simon Simmons. Her profile defines her as an energy healer. It is said that Simon was Diana’s confidante. She even wrote a book about the princess called Diana: The Last World. The book is based on the conversations they had.
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When Freddie Mercury Sneaked Disguised Diana into a Gay Bar
Do you know Princess Diana and Freddie Mercury were very close friends?
Once upon a time, the Queen front-man treated the princess to a night on the town in London gay bar. Freddie disguised her for her entry into the bar. Actress Cleo Rocos has mentioned the incident in her memoir, The Power of Positive Drinking.
“We were nudging each other like naughty schoolchildren. Diana and Freddie were giggling. Once the transaction was completed, we looked at one another, united in our triumphant quest. We did it!”
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Diana and Charles Engaged after 13 Meetings
The duo had a rapid courtship and met only a handful of times before they were officially engaged.
The princess said in her own words, “We met 13 times, and we got married. I was brought up in the sense that when you got engaged to someone you loved them.”
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Diana had an Eating Disorder
How many of you know about princess’s eating disorder?
In 1995, Diana opened up about her struggles with bulimia. In a BBC interview, she shared that her low-esteem and stress from her split with Prince Charles led her to it.
“I didn’t like myself. I was ashamed I couldn’t cope with the pressures. I had bulimia for several years, and that’s like a secret disease. It’s a repetitive pattern that is very destructive. It was my escape mechanism.”
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Princess Diana had a Favorite Dessert
Princess Diana loved savoring bread and butter pudding and considered it her favorite. Her long-time personal chef, Darren McGrady stated that she would often enter the kitchen while he was making dishes and snack on the raisins off the top.
You can find all her favorite recipes, including the dessert in McGrady’s book Eating Royally.
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She auctioned off 79 of her Dresses and raised Money for AIDS and Breast Cancer Charities
Prince William suggested to his mother to sell some of her expensive dresses to raise money for charity. Christie’s New York held the auction two months before Diana’s death. Her auctions collected a whopping $5.76 million that Diana gave to charity.
She is one of the first from the royal family to have been vocal and raised awareness about AIDS.
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The Princess is Buried on an Island
Princess Diana is buried on an island sitting in the middle of Oval Lake on the grounds of Althorp Park, which is also her family home. Originally, she was to be buried in the Spencer family vault of a church. However, the plan was altered to find a more private location for her burial.
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Princess Worked at a Kindergarten
You will be shocked to know that Princess Diana worked at a kindergarten. She had a short-lived career at the Young England Kindergarten in Pimlico, London, before becoming a part of the royal family.
But the duration of her career was short. She gave up her job on marrying the prince. At the time of their marriage, Prince Charles was 20, and Diana was 19. Their wedding took place in 1981.
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Diana’s Grandmother Served the Queen Mother
Princess Diana’s maternal grandmother, Ruth Roche, Baroness Fermoy, was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. She acted as a personal assistant and her companion. She was a close friend of the Queen and organized many of her parties and gatherings.
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Diana Became a Lady after her Father Inherited a Title
Diana became Lady Diana Spencer in 1975. It happened after her father inherited the title of Earl Spencer. Her nickname became Lady Di. It sustained even after she attained the title of Princess of Wales after marrying Prince Charles.
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The Princess Did Not Fare Well at School
Diana was home-schooled until she was nine. After that, she attended boarding school for the rest of her education. However, her academic performance was not very impressive. Diana failed her O-level exams twice and even dropped school when she was 16.
She attended school in Switzerland only for one semester before crossing paths with Prince Charles.
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Prince Charles Dated her Older Sister First
Diana met her future husband via her older sister, Sarah. Charles and Sara had a fling in the late ‘70s. It is how the princess met Charles.
Sarah said, “I introduced them I am cupid.” Sarah and Diana were very close and often traveled together until her death. According to Diana, Sarah was the only person she knew she could trust.
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Princess Diana Always Sent a Thank You Note
One of the little-known things about the princess is that she was known for sending thank-you notes for the smallest of deeds and doing it nearly immediately.
She made sure to instil this quality in her children. Once upon a time, Prince William left a note to their chauffeur, Davies, “Thank you for the James Bond video, it is brilliant. Thank you. See you soon. With love from William.”
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She was a Major The Rocky Horror Picture Show Fan
The princess was an ardent fan of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. In an interview, Tim Curry once said that when he met her, Diana thanked him for making the move, telling him that it ‘quite completed’ her education.
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Her Deepest and Darkest Secrets were Recorded on Tapes
Throughout her royal life, the princess faced many issues, especially in terms of her marriage. The problems in her married life also put her in bad mental health. Much of these details are recorded on tapes.
Reportedly, in May 1991, Diana began with the recordings and had a friend deliver them to the British journalist, Andrew Morton. Mr. Morton had been working on the royals for a long time.
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Diana had a Good Rapport with the Journalists
Princess Diana was good friends with journalists. Among the closets of her friends in the media was Richard Kay. He was a former royal correspondent for The Daily Mail. She even made the last phone call of her life to him.
Regarding her death, Richard told, “On the 30th August 1997, about 6 pm-6:30 pm English time, I was out shopping in Knightsbridge, my mobile phone rang, and it was Diana. It was on the same mobile number as I use now. I remember going to sit in my car, and we talked for about twenty minutes. It was a social call, part social and part to find out what was going on in the Press. The Princes of Wales dreaded the Sunday papers coming out. She was asking what was likely to be in the Sunday papers.”
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Prince Charles was Diana’s Distant Cousin
Diana and Charles were distantly related. 16th cousins once removed, both descendants of Tudor King Henry VII. Interestingly, William is also related to his wife, Kate Middleton. They are 12th cousins once removed.
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The First in the Royal Family to Give Birth in the Hospital
Princess Diana was the first one to give birth in the hospital. According to the tradition of the royal family, their heirs should be born at home. But Prince William was the first future monarch born in a hospital. Diana gave birth to William and Harry at the Lido at St. Mary’s Hospital.
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