Lady Diana Spencer, "Princess Di"
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Historical Quotes
Lady Diana Spencer, "Princess Di"
By Tom Kirvan
Perhaps the most popular princess in the history of the British royal family, Lady Diana Spencer became affectionately known as “Lady Di” after she wed Prince (and now King) Charles on July 29, 1981 in a lavish ceremony that was beamed around the world to an audience of approximately 750 million viewers.
The fairytale wedding took place at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London and was attended by some 3,500 guests that included the likes of Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco, First Lady Nancy Reagan, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and Sir Elton John, and of course parents-of-the-groom, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, to name but a few.
Their 15-year marriage, which ended in divorce in 1996, produced two sons, William and Harry, and more than its fair share of headlines and infidelities, much to the dismay of the royal family.
During her time in the public eye, Lady Diana gained further fame as one of the world’s foremost humanitarians, utilizing her celebrity status to raise awareness for many causes, including AIDS, leprosy, mental health, and domestic violence. She was also a fierce advocate for the rights of the elderly and the homeless and led an international coalition to ban the use of landmines.
Lady Diana Spencer, "Princess Di"*
“Nothing brings me more happiness than trying to help the most vulnerable people in society,” Lady Diana said in an interview with the BBC. “It is a goal and essential part of life – a kind of destiny. Whoever is in distress can call on me. I will come running wherever they are.”
Tragically, her life came to an end on August 31, 1997, at the age of 36, in a high-speed crash on the streets of Paris as the car she was traveling in was being chased by a horde of photographers. It was later discovered that her car’s chauffeur was inebriated at the time of the crash.
Her legacy, even decades after her death, continues to grow, reflected in some of her most memorable quotes:
- “Carry out random acts of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.”
- “Only do what your heart tells you.”
- “The greatest problem in the world today is intolerance. Everyone is so intolerant of each other.”
- “The biggest disease of this day and age is that of people feeling unloved.”
*John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons