“Queen of Hearts”: how did Princess Diana die
Princess Diana’s death occurred at the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris. She was involved in a car crash and died of injuries she sustained. The queen of hearts doesn’t die alone; her partner, Dodi Fayed, and the French driver of the Mercedes-Benz W140, Henri Paul, were pronounced dead at the scene. This happened in the early hour of August 31, 1997.
Diana, Princess of Wales, was a member of the British royal family. Diana’s vigor and charm have made her an international icon and earned her enduring popularity, as well as unprecedented public scrutiny, compounded by her turbulent personal life.
Diana as a child
Diana was born in Norfolk on the private estate of the Windsor dynasty, Sandringham. Through her father, John Spencer, Diana’s ancestors came from royal families through the illegitimate sons of King Charles II and the illegitimate daughter of James II. Frances Rude, 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.
Her governess was Gertrude Allen, who had previously taught, and Diana’s mother. A little later, the girl entered the Silfield Private School and then at the Riddlesworth Hall Preparatory School.
In 1969, Diana’s parents divorced. The girl stayed with her father in his own home. Diana’s sisters and brother remained with them. The eight-year-old girl was very worried about the separation of the people closest to her. Soon John Spencer married a second time. The newly-minted stepmother disliked the children. It was getting harder and harder for Diana to live in her own family.
When Diana was 12 years old, she was accepted into a privileged girls’ school in Kent. Alas, Diana was not able to study; she was never able to graduate from school. However, the teachers noted her unconditional talent for music and dance.
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.
Youth
In 1977, Diana entered school in Rougemont (Switzerland). Soon, the girl began to feel homesick. As a result, in 1978, she decided to return to her native England.
At first, Diana lived in the London apartment of her mother, who then lived mainly in Scotland. Two years later, in honor of her 18th birthday, Diana received a flat 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 the work was only a joy to her.
Princess Diana and Charles
Diana met her future husband in the winter of 1977. At that time, Prince Charles came to Altrop to hunt. Diana, at first glance, liked the noble young man.
On July 29, 1981, Diana and Charles were married at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. A lush silk taffeta wedding dress with huge sleeves, a plunging neckline, and a long train decorated with hand embroidery, pearls, and rhinestones, has become one of the most famous dresses in history. 3.5 thousand guests were invited to the ceremony, and 750 million people
In 1982, Diana gave birth to a son, William. Two years later, another child appeared in the family – the son of Harry.
Princess Diana and Dodi
In the early 1990s, cold weather fell in the relationship between Diana and Charles. The discord between the spouses occurred due to the intimate relationship of Charles with Camilla Parker Bowles – a married woman with whom the prince met even 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 parted, but they decided not to file a divorce. Queen Elizabeth II insisted on the official break. In 1996, Diana and Charles signed all the necessary 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 the Egyptian billionaire Mohammed Al-Fayed. However, neither Diana herself nor her close friends confirmed this fact. These were likely rumors.
Social activities
Lady Diana was called “the queen of hearts” – the woman was famous for her tender attitude to the people, her concern for those who were much less fortunate in this life than herself. So, Diana was quite active in charity work, was an activist in the fight against AIDS, was engaged in peacekeeping activities, and opposed the production of anti-personnel mines.
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 High School No. 751, where she opened a branch of the Waverly House Foundation to help children with disabilities.
Princess Diana death
On August 31, 1997, in a tunnel under the Alma Bridge in Paris. Diana, Dodi Al-Fayed, Trevor Rees-Jones (bodyguard), and Henri Paul (driver) were involved in a car accident.
Dodi and Henri died on the spot. Diana was taken to Salpetriere Hospital. For two hours, doctors fought for the princess’s life, but the injuries she received were 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: the alcoholic intoxication of Henri Paul, speeding in the hope of breaking away from the paparazzi, and a conspiracy theory against Diana.
