Stormy loves are undoubtedly memorable. It seems that hurricanes of emotions, drama, and tragedy transcend in the collective memory forever. Those of us who watch these relationships from afar are fascinated by the happiness, anguish, and suffering of the protagonists of such stories. And when it comes to famous people, the world looks through the glass at the events in a kind of a voyeuristic hunger for exciting events and love lives that crack under public scrutiny.
But what happens when fascination ends in tragedy? When does the need to bring evidence of other people’s romances into the world become a dangerous obsession? This need was one of the factors that ended the life of one of the cultural icons of the last century: Princess of Wales, the ‘People’s Princess.’
From Diana Spenser to Princess of Wales
Diana Frances Spencer (1961-1997) seemed destined for greatness from the beginning. Her personality was enigmatic and good-natured but rebellious in the face of royal protocols. She did not come from an ordinary family but belonged to the British aristocracy. This pedigree rank would allow her to study at the exclusive Swiss school of Rougemont in 1977, where at the age of 16, she would meet her great love and torment: Prince Charles of Wales.
After a brief romance, the couple married in 1981 in London. It was a dream wedding for all the guests; however, for Diana, the reality was far from what was seen on television. The princess was worried about the close relationship between Charles and his ex-girlfriend -and now-wife- Camilla Parker Bowles. She became obsessed when she discovered that, after their engagement, the prince had sent Camilla a bracelet with their initials on it. This fact led Diana to spy on him constantly and, before their wedding, she heard Charles say on the phone: “no matter what happens, I will always love you.” At the commemoration of their 20th anniversary, journalist Andrew Morton revealed the recordings in which the Princess confessed the nightmares she lived with Charles.
The three-month honeymoon in Balmore was a combination of boredom and various emotional struggles for the Princess. In an intimate 1995 interview for the BBC, she revealed that she suffered from bulimia and self-harm as a result of her insecurities. Her level of distress increased on this journey, for as she recounts in Morton’s tapes, she was always on the lookout for Charles to pick up the phone to ask Camilla’s advice on how to deal with her marriage.
Princess Diana’s Legacy
Diana’s gentleness and kindness led her to take advantage of her title to perform humanitarian works for which she was recognized and admired. Unlike most royals, she was always supportive of various causes and connected with the likes of Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, and Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She was deeply involved in campaigns to help AIDS patients, drug addicts, and the elderly. She also played a major role in the banning of anti-personnel mines, a type of landmine used in the wars of the time, the association she worked closely with was awarded the Nobel Prize just a few months after her death.
Despite being an icon of elegance and extreme popularity, Diana raised her sons -William and Harry- in a way that was atypical for the monarchy. She wanted them to have as normal a childhood as possible, even taking them to fast-food restaurants and trying to involve them in her humanitarian work. But her good heart was not enough for her husband to value her, as it was a shouting secret that he was still in a relationship with Camilla.
Diana’s Divorce and Following Relationships
In the late 80s the situation became unbearable for Diana, and in 1989 -without any invitation- Diana arrived at Camila’s party to confront her. Diana told her: “I know what is going on between you and Charles, and I want you to know it, I love my husband, and I am sorry to be in the middle; it must be hell for both of us, but I know what is going on, don’t treat me like I am an idiot.”
This conversation was one of the triggers that caused the divorce of Diana and the Prince. After the divorce, Diana became the only non-royal Princess in the history of the United Kingdom, since by then, Diana had gained a very important role in the media scene and with the British people. Although she lost the royal highness treatment, she kept the title of Princess of Wales and stayed to live in Kensington Palace to maintain good relations between her children and her family.
After that 1995 interview -which also revealed their infidelities- Diana began to make her affairs public, particularly with cardiologist Hasnat Khan, who was even introduced to her children. The happiness with the doctor ended after two years when she started dating tycoon Dodi Al-Fayed, who would accompany her in her sad end.
Princess Diana’s death
Twenty years after her death, the conditions of the tragic event are still in doubt and seem to generate more questions than answers. What is known is that on August 31, 1997, Diana and Dodi were staying at the Ritz Hotel after spending nine days together on a yacht. They were passing through Paris on their way to London, and on that fateful night, the destination was Dodi’s apartment near the Seine River. In the car were Trevor Rees, the Princess’s bodyguard, and sole survivor -as he was wearing a seat belt-, Dodi Al-Fayed, and Henri Paul, the driver. Henri had prepared a plan to avoid the paparazzi cameras: a first car would leave as a decoy, and Diana would exit through the back doors.
At 12:20 they left the hotel, and in just three minutes tragedy struck. As they entered the L’Alma tunnel, the Mercedes in which they were traveling crashed at 190 km/hour. Henri Paul was not only under the influence of alcohol and antidepressants, but he lost control while trying to evade the paparazzi who were following them very closely. So much so that they were the first to arrive at the scene -before any patrol car or medical service. It was reported that Diana was seriously injured and muttering: “Oh, God, it hurts, it hurts.” More than two hours passed before Diana was released and taken to the hospital with multiple internal injuries that affected her heart and lungs. At 4 a.m. she was pronounced dead. Henri and Dodi died almost instantly after the collision.
The same people who had stripped her of her royal privileges were forced to honor her at her last farewell to the grief of the people who loved her. Buckingham Palace gave her a state funeral. Not only was the funeral unique, but national mourning was decreed, and all the nation’s flags flew at half-mast. Thousands of people filled the palace with letters, flowers, and balloons, and more than 2 million people accompanied the procession through the streets of London. She was buried at Althorp Park, one of Spencer’s states.
Conspiracy Theories
Many pieces do not seem to fit together in the puzzle that was Diana’s accident. Despite her good deeds, there is no doubt that the Princess was out of line with royal customs. She lived in a palace that strictly did not belong to her and had become persona non grata for some members of the monarchy. Even decades after her passing, many are still convinced it was all planned. One of the biggest theories is that one of the possible motives was an alleged pregnancy from her relationship with Dodi. Although they dated for little more than a month – and this would make conception difficult – there is evidence that Dodi had bought her a ring which many assure was an engagement ring.
Another mystery is that Diana, despite her caution, was not wearing a belt. At the time, the prestigious Research and Transport Laboratory said that all the belts except Diana’s were perfect. However, the 2006 Paget Operation indicated that the damage occurred during the accident. There are also statements by a former MI6 agent – Secret Intelligence Service – revealing the existence of a secret cell called UKN that employed paparazzi and journalists. James Andanson, owner of a Fiat which was inside the tunnel at the time of the accident, was linked to this organization. Months later, Andanson was found dead 400 kilometers from where he was supposed to be, and with a bullet in his head. The car was locked from the inside, and the keys were never found. The verdict was suicide.
In addition, Henri Paul – the driver – was carrying £2,000 at the time of the accident, and had £350,000 in 15 separate bank accounts that had seen significant movements in recent months. He was also linked to MI6, and his phone records indicated contact with the DST (Director of Territorial Surveillance), a Frenchman with whom he allegedly met the same day of the accident.
Ten years after the accident, the butler Paul Burrel released some alleged letters from the Princess which read: “my husband is planning an accident in my car, broken brakes and serious head injuries to have the way free to marry again.” According to the writing, Charles was planning to marry the family nanny, Tiggy Legge-Bourke. The affair had been discovered in a compromising photograph taken by James Andanson himself. The veracity of the letter was never proven, as it is said that Burrel and Diana were so close that he could have forged the letter.
Despite all the mysteries and abruptness that haunt the memory of Diana of Wales, we must remember her for what she really was: a courageous, philanthropic woman who loved her children and was committed to helping people. She is undoubtedly the most beloved royal in history, not only for her sweet beauty and charming personality but also for having truly become the ‘People’s Princess.’
Story originally published in Cultura Colectiva
