How well do you know Princess Diana, and what was she known for? Diana Frances Spencer was known as Princess of Wales and a member of the British royal family. On July 1, 1961, she was born at Park House in Sandringham, Norfolk. Princess Diana was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Prince Harry and Prince William.
She became an international icon due to her activism and glamour, which resulted in her long-lasting popularity. Princess Diana was known for her charm and charisma and for using her celebrity status for charitable causes. Her popularity continued even after her divorce from Prince Charles in 1996. Please keep reading to discover more about Princess Diana.
Princess Diana’s Net Worth
How much was Princess Diana worth before she passed away? When Princess Diana passed away in August 1997, her net worth was reportedly 21 million pounds, equivalent to 31.5 million U.S. dollars. This included Princess Diana’s assets, such as her funds, stock investments, jewelry, clothing, and her £17 million divorce compensation from Prince Charles. According to legal documents signed on June 1, 1993, her estate was divided among several beneficiaries, including her longtime butler, Paul Burrell, and godchildren. Her sons, William and Harry, were her primary beneficiaries.
What is Princess Diana Known for?
Although Princess Diana was known for her style and association with the fashion world, she was most famous for her charitable work. She served as president or patron of over 100 charities and worked to raise awareness for the homeless, disabled individuals, children, and those with HIV/Aids.
Early Life and Education
On July 1, 1961, Diana Frances Spencer was welcomed into the world by John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer, and Frances Spencer, Viscountess Althorp, at Park House, Sandringham, Norfolk, United Kingdom. According to her birthday, she was born under the Cancer zodiac sign. Princess Diana was of white ethnicity and was baptized in Christianity at St. Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham. Her grandparents, Cynthia Spencer, Countess Spencer, and Ruth Roche, Baroness Fermoy, had both served as ladies-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the Spencer family had kept close ties to the British royal household.
Diana is the fourth of five children born to her parents. Diana grew up in Park House on the Sandringham estate with her siblings Sarah, Jane, and Charles. Her infant brother John passed away one year before her birth. Diana’s parents split when she was seven, and her mother married Peter Shand Kydd in 1969. Diana lived in London with her mother after her parents divorced in 1967. She called her childhood “very unhappy” and “very unstable, the whole thing.” After her father became Earl Spencer in 1975 and moved the family from Park House to Althorp, the Spencer seat in Northamptonshire, Diana changed its name to Lady Diana.
Princess Diana was initially home-schooled under her governess’s supervision, Gertrude Allen. At age nine, she attended Silfield Private School in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, before attending Riddlesworth Hall School, an all-girls boarding school near Thetford. Diana attended West Heath Girls’ School in Sevenoaks, Kent, with her sisters in 1973. At 16, she left West Heath. Besides swimming and diving, she excelled in ballet and tap dancing.
Full Name | Diana Frances Spencer |
Gender | Female |
Death Age | 36 |
Date of Birth | July 1, 1961 |
Place of Birth | Sandringham, Norfolk, United Kingdom |
Nationality | British |
Zodiac Sign | Cancer |
Ethnicity | White |
Career
Dianna worked as a nanny for Philippa and Jeremy Whitaker in Hampshire for three months in 1978. Diana returned to London with two school classmates after attending Institut Alpin Videmanette in Rougemont, Switzerland, for one term before departing after Easter 1978. In London, she took an advanced cooking course and worked at low-paying jobs, including teaching children dancing until a skiing mishap cost her three months of work.
Diana was a playgroup preschool assistant, cleaned for her sister Sarah and friends, and hosted parties. She was a nanny for the Robertsons, an American family in London, and a nursery teacher’s helper at the Young England School in Pimlico.
Marriage and Divorce
Diana and Prince Charles started dating in 1980, and on July 29, 1981, they were married in front of a large television audience. Diana became the Princess of Wales after she wed Charles, and the two traveled around on their honeymoon. Diana announced her first pregnancy in 1981, and Prince William was born in 1982. She gave birth to Prince Harry, her second son, two years later.
Diana collaborated with organizations fighting AIDS and leprosy as the Princess of Wales. But her bond with Charles had soured by the beginning of the 1990s. Charles and Diana’s marriage was marked by infidelity and fighting. They divorced in 1996, with Diana receiving £17 million from Charles. Sarah Ferguson also divorced Prince Andrew and received $900,000 for a house and $600,000 in cash.
After the divorce, Diana dated surgeon Hasnat Khan for almost two years before starting a relationship with film producer Dodi Fayed in July 1997.
Death
Diana was killed on August 31, 1997, when her driver lost control of the automobile while trying to outrun the paparazzi in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris. In addition to her, the driver, Henri Paul, the temporary security manager of the Hôtel Ritz Paris, also perished in the collision. Her friend, Dodi Fayed, also died.
Despite surviving the collision with a severe head injury, Dodi’s father’s bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones, was still on duty. A record-breaking 32.10 million British television viewers, who made up one of the country’s most prominent watching figures, tuned in to witness the televised burial on September 6.
Significant memorials, such as The Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Gardens and The Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain, were created after Diana’s passing. Additionally, a statue of her was commissioned by her sons at Kensington Palace, and in 2019, the Place de l’Alma was renamed Place Diana Princesse de Galles in tribute to her.
FAQs
What was Princess Diana known for?
She was known for her charm and charisma and for using her celebrity status for charitable causes.
At what age did Princess Diana die?
Princess Diana died at age 36.
Who was married to Princess Diana?
She was married to Charles III.
Who are the parents of Princess Diana?
John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer, and Frances Spencer, Viscountess Althorp
What is the full name of Princess Diana?
Diana Frances Spencer