Few women touch the hearts of the world the way Princess Diana did. She embodied elegance and grace, compassion and beauty while giving an air of humbleness with a hint of shyness and a touching vulnerability. Princess Diana was undeniably royalty while still remaining 100% human.
Princess Diana was trailed through nearly every move of her life throughout the 80’s and 90’s by the hungry paparazzi who would, ultimately, play a hand in her tragic death. There is no end to the pictures that have been captured, snapshots in time that have been seen widely and many that provide a peek into her private, intimate moments that haven’t been as readily shared.
Lady Diana was known as “The People’s Princess” and will be lovingly remembered not only as a fashion icon, but as a humanitarian who never tired of fighting for the rights of others. One of the first Royal Family members to visit Africa frequently to help the needy, she was a vocal advocate in the battle against AIDS. Princess Diana dared to stand against the stereotypes of AIDS and AIDS victims. She still found time to support needy children and educational causes.
While Diana the princess was amazing, Diana the fashion plate was even more amazing. We all loved her changing styles and elegant, progressive and eternally classy looks. Her outfit choices would be copied the world over, and of course her hairstyles made headlines and were trendy in every corner of the planet. Diana was the total package; beautiful and warm smile, bold wardrobe choices, and a personality that was eternally sweet and kind, she had it all. Diana also had a mischievous side to her, and her breaking of some Buckingham Palace rules made her even more endearing.
Princess Diana, for instance, was the first female to marry into the royal family and deliberately leave the word “obey” out of her vows, a break that Meghan Markle followed in her recent royal wedding. Princess Diana’s wedding was a national holiday that felt like a worldwide holiday, with the entire planet tuned in to watch her wed Prince Charles. Everyone watched, breathless, to see her secret wedding dress revealed and were not disappointed when they laid eyes on it, complete with its insanely long train, which is still the longest train in royal wedding history.
Lady Diana Spencer, or Princess Diana, lived her life in the spotlight but few pictures show us the lady behind the title.
Here we have some rare, behind the scene pictures of our beloved Lady Diana.
Her last moments
Only recently did a French firefighter come forward to reveal what happened in those very last minutes and seconds of Diana's life. The French firefighter was one of the first to arrive at the scene of the infamous car crash in Paris. He spoke to a reporter of The Sun. The firefighter's name is Xavier Gourmelon and he was the one who heard Diana's last words, as he reports. He and a 10-man team arrived at the site of the crash under the bridge, on Aug. 31, 1997. He said: “The car was in a mess and we just dealt with it like any road accident. We got straight to work to see who needed help and who was alive. Suddenly Diana said to me, 'My God, what’s happened?’"
Too late
Gourmelon said he found Princess Diana on the floor in the back of the car. He said that "she was moving very slightly." He knew she was still alive. At first, he did not even know who the woman was. All he remembers is that he saw a "slight injury to her right shoulder but, other than that, there was nothing significant. There was no blood on her at all."
A few seconds after she was taken out of the car and given oxygen, Gourmelon said that she suffered a cardiac arrest and stopped breathing. “I massaged her heart and a few seconds later she started breathing again. It was a relief of course because, as a first responder, you want to save lives — and that’s what I thought I had done. To be honest I thought she would live. As far as I knew when she was in the ambulance she was alive and I expected her to live. But I found out later she had died in hospital. It was very upsetting."
Now, let's rewind to her big entrance into the royal family.
A Whirlwind Romance
Prince Charles hardly knew the young Diana prior to their union. They had only been on twelve dates before their engagement was announced.
A National Holiday
What if your wedding was so incredibly epic that it became a national holiday? The UK declared their wedding date, July 29, 1981, an official holiday so its citizens could celebrate with the royal couple.
Let Them Eat Cake
Royal weddings require royal extravagance, obviously, and the glamor of this one is hard to top. Their official wedding cake was baked and designed by David Avery, who was the head baker of the cooking school of the Royal Navy. While they had a total of 27 different wedding cakes, a piece of the original one was auctioned for $1,375 in 2014. That’s a lot of money for a 33-year-old piece of cake.
The Secret Dress
Diana’s wedding dress design was super duper top secret. There were three dresses made in total, so if a design was leaked to the press it could be discarded and a different one worn. The royal family had decided that the dress would only be seen by the public for the first time when the bride-to-be stepped out of Clarence House and into the glass coach.
In The Details
Princess Diana’s wedding dress held over 10,000 pearls and mother of pearl sequins. The train itself was 25 feet long, and cost well over $115,000. In fact, it still holds the record for the longest train on a wedding dress in royal history.
Ring The Bells
Obviously, Diana’s engagement ring would be some royal antique relic steeped in history or at least a custom designed piece, right? Well, not so much. Princess Diana chose her own ring out of a catalog.
The engagement ring featured 14 solitaire diamonds and a 12-carat sapphire set on a white gold band. She chose the ring from a collection in a catalog from Garrard jewelry. Kate Middleton was bequeathed the ring.
Independent Woman
Diana started her royal journey in her own way. As a royal bride, she was expected to read the traditional wedding vows, but not our Diana. She was the first royal bride that didn’t include the word “obey” in her vows. Her decision was surprising enough to lead a few headlines following the ceremony. In 2011, Kate and William followed her lead and left the word out of their own vows.
Wasting Away
While many brides dream of losing weight for their big day, Diana became so stressed that she lost far too much. She ended up having to have 15 fittings to get her gown fit properly. Even after the final fitting, poor Diana lost even more weight and had to be sewn into her gown on her wedding day.
Elizabeth Emmanuel noted, “Every time she turned up for a fitting, she had lost more weight. We put it down to nerves. But it did make it incredibly difficult for us to get on with making the dress.”
Early Troubles
The fairy tale wedding was anything but. Behind the scenes, Prince Charles had his own nervous breakdown. He was still in love with ex, Camilla Parker-Bowes, per royal biographer Sally Beddel Smith. He was so distraught over his upcoming wedding that he cried the night before. He would, of course, go on to rekindle his romance with Camilla after the little princes, William and Harry, were born.
Just Like Cinderella
Princess Diana had a big heart, and she also had a big height. At 5ft 10in, she was taller than most of the royals. Designers had to come up with a pair of flats so she wouldn’t tower over her husband to be. Challenge accepted; the slippers were beautifully detailed, with 542 sequins and 132 pearls on each one.
The shoes took an estimated six months to make, and the silk slippers had a heart with the initials “C” and “D” hidden in the arch.
The Nerves!
Oops. Can you imagine if, on your big day, you accidentally called your future spouse by the wrong name at the altar, in front of your family and friends? Diana did just that, in front of the world. Her nerves overcame her, and she called her husband to be Philip Charles Arthur George, and not Charles Philip.
Watched By Millions
It’s no wonder the Princess to be was so nerve wracked. Her wedding was quite the entertainment of the day. It was attended by 3500 guests, each more important than the last, and was broadcast in 74 different countries. It is still the royal wedding that was the most watched, with 750 million adoring fans and curious people tuning in to see the extravagant spectacle.
The Forgotten Kiss
Another “oops” moment shared by millions, the Prince forgot to kiss Diana after the vows at the altar, not sealing their marriage with the famous first lip lock. Later, millions would watch and cheer as the Prince belatedly stole his kiss on a balcony.
Working Girl
Diana was just one of us before her marriage. She is the first royal bride-to-be that had a real, paying job before the engagement. With her love of kids, it’s no surprise that one of her pre-engagement jobs was as a teaching assistant.
Ex In Attendance
Diana was far from unaware that Charles still had feelings for his ex, Camilla. Diana had to allow her to attend the wedding, but she put her foot down and didn’t let her come to the wedding breakfast before the ceremony.
Train Troubles
You don’t drag around a 25-foot train and not stumble a little here and there; it was definitely hard to walk around in and caused some other headaches as well. For one thing, when the designers created the train they never accounted for her ride to the church. The train became crushed during the carriage ride; the dress and the train both had visible wrinkles when Diana got out of the carriage.
Tiara In Training
Princess Diana’s beautiful tiara, the Spencer tiara, had been in the Spencer family for nearly a century. Her brother, Charles Spencer, recalls that the head gear gave Diana a headache from wearing it too long.
He mused in an interview, “In the evening we all went to a sort of semi-private party and she was there and she seemed incredibly relaxed and happy and I just remember she had a cracking headache too because she wasn’t used to wearing a tiara all morning.”
Red Flag
While the world would have hoped that the couple was deeply in love, there was a lot of hesitation to the wedding on Charles’ part. In 1981, when a reporter asked the pair if they were in love, Diana replied, “Of course” while Charles stated, “Whatever ‘in love’ means.” Ouch.
Another Love
Diana’s wedding day was anything but smooth. In fact, she spilled a bottle of Quelques Fleure, her favorite perfume, down the front of her dress when she was trying to dab a bit on herself. The perfume stained her beautiful gown, and she had to cover the stain with her bouquet and her hand during the ceremony.
Heightened Security
If you’re the Prince, every aspect of your life is overseen by security forces. The wedding was no exception; according to a report by the New York Times, the additional security required for the big day was $110 million.
Safety First
The wedding gown design sett off an intrigue to rival any seen by James Bond. The press was desperate to snap pics of Diana’s dress prior to the wedding, while the designers were just as determined that they would not get the coveted sneak peek.
The Emanuels, who designed the dress, took some steep security measures to keep the secret. They placed a safe in the studio to hide the designs, and shredded designs ideas after showing them to Diana.
Wedding Gifts
As you can imagine, the royal couple received amazing wedding gifts. So, what exactly do you gift the couple that already has everything? The Reagans sent the pair a handmade porcelain centerpiece and an engraved Steuben glass bowl.
Scotland gifted them special whiskey while other gifts included 100-year-old silk mittens (whatever you might do with those) and a matched pair of diamond and sapphire watches.
Misery Uncovered
While the world saw a happy couple embarking on a lifetime together, secret and candid shots of Princess Diana in the days before and after the ceremony tells of a quiet pain that Diana shouldered throughout the engagement and wedding. In 2017, unreleased footage was made public of her sitting with her friend, Peter Settlen, with a look of misery in her eyes. The footage revealed that she thought the wedding day was the worst of her life, and the bride stated about her rival Camilla, “If I could write my own script I would have my husband go away with his woman and never come back.”
Distant Relations
After the wedding, it was revealed that Diana and Charles were distant cousins. In fact, they are 16th cousins once removed. The pair are descended from the Tudor King Henry VII.
The Honeymoon
While the world quietly nodded and smiled as the royal couple embarked on their two-week long honeymoon, Diana referred to the Mediterranean cruise as the perfect opportunity to catch up on her sleep.
Dark Truth
It was commonly accepted that Diana’s excessive pre-wedding weight loss was due to her nerves about the upcoming wedding, the truth may have had deeper and darker roots. In newly released video footage, Charles reportedly made an insensitive comment to his bride-to-be that triggered an eating disorder in her.
Allegedly, he grabbed Diana by the waist and quipped, “Oh, a bit chubby here, aren’t we?” At the time, Diana had an already trim 29-inch waist, but following his comment, she dropped to 23.5 inches before the ceremony.
A Hidden Gift
Prince Charles made plenty of inappropriate and insensitive comments to Diana, most likely because he was so unhappy to be married to her and not the love of his life, Camilla. Diana found it hard to ignore the relationship between the two, especially when she discovered a gift that Charles had given to Camilla just a couple of weeks prior to the wedding.
Charles and Camilla had nicknamed each other Gladys and Fred, and Charles gave Parker-Bowles a bracelet with the initials “F” and “G” engraved on it. Diana must have found it very hard to take the upper road and let Camilla come to the wedding.
The Venue
The wedding broke a few traditions from the ring, to the vows, and even to the venue. Charles and Diana were one of only a handful of royals to marry in a location outside Westminster Abbey’s royal church. Instead, the couple opted for London’s St. Paul’s Cathedral as the venue for the ceremony. Lady Diana was transported to the church from the Clarence House in a gorgeous coach.
Loving Legacy
With the wedding of Diana’s youngest son, Prince Harry, many are drawn to reflect on the quiet, courageous and beautiful Princess who was taken too soon. She had her heart set on charitable causes and will be remembered for her fearless contributions to those who needed her most. Diana will always remain the Princess of the People.
Wedding Day Kiss
While the couple forgot to kiss after their vows, they made up for it in front of millions here on the balcony of the Buckingham Palace immediately following the ceremony.
Honeymoon In Scotland
Knowing now how unhappy Diana and Charles really were, it’s hard to believe in the authenticity of these pictures. It surely seems that, while perhaps not wildly in love, the couple had a genuine affection for each other. Here they are in 1981 in Scotland on one of the legs of their two-week honeymoon.
Parliament Opening
In 1982, Princess Diana looked positively radiant and stunning for the opening of the Parliament.
After William’s Christening
If married life wasn’t always happy for Diana, there certainly were moments that filled her with joy. Here she is holding Prince William after his August 4, 1982 christening ceremony.
Riding In A Land Rover
Here we see Lady Diana in the land down under as she tours Australia in a Land Rover. It is these moments of interacting with her fans that keep her forever in our hearts.
Holding Prince William
February 1, 1983 found the couple posing with their son Prince William near Kensington Palace. No matter how cute the picture is, you can see the expressions of the couple are a bit tired and strained, even then.
Sitting In The Garden At Kensington Palace
On a bench outside of Kensington Palace, the royal couple poses with an 18-month-old Prince Willliam.
In New Zealand
Here is the royal couple posing with William again, this time in Auckland New Zealand.
Rubbing Noses
In 1983, Princess Diana was caught rubbing noses in New Zealand in a candid, and frankly gosh darned adorable, picture.
Wearing The Queen Mary Tiara
This picture is perfection, from the soft colors and flowers to the dreamy look in Diana’s eyes and the sparkling tiara on her head. This picture was taken in Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1983.
Ayers Rock
In 1983, Princess Diana and Prince Charles were touring Australia. Here they are in front of a famous land mark, Ayers Rock.
A Jigsaw Puzzle
Never forget that, while she was a Princess and a philanthropist, Diana was also a mother. Here she is in a candid shot helping Prince William with a puzzle on October 22, 1985.
Dancing In Melbourne
Lady Diana was graceful in every way, and especially so on the dance floor. Here she is in 1985 in Melbourne Australia, dancing the night away with Charles.
Dancing With Wayne Sleep
Princess Diana was full of surprises, like the time she performed a dance on stage with Wayne Sleep for her unsuspecting husband. Wayne is a British dancer, director, choreographer, and actor.
Highgrove House
A beautifully relaxed Lady Diana in the garden at Highland House on July 18, 1986.
In Saudi Arabia
Princess Diana wowed in this outfit as she sat regally on a couch at a dinner party thrown by Saudi Arabia’s royal Crown Prince on November 17, 1986.
Indonesia
Is it the angle of the picture or just bad timing that captured Diana and Charles looking so unhappy on November 5, 1989 as they were watching tribal dancers in Indonesia?
Niagara Falls
Diana and both her sons are relaxing and enjoying a boat ride along Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada in 1991.
Her Royal Majesty
Diana and the Queen shared a mutual respect and affection, as can be clearly seen in this picture outside the London Clarence House on August 4, 1987.
Cannes Film Festival In 1987
Looking elegant and sleek, Diana rules the fashion world in this picture snapped outside of the 40th annual Cannes Film Festival on May 15, 1987.
Total AIDS Advocate
In 1987, Lady Diana was snapped with an AIDS patient, who asked not to have her face revealed. Diana was extremely active in humanitarian work, with a special focus on AIDS research.
Another Kyoto Pic
It takes a special woman to pull off a kimono as epically as Diana is doing here in her 1986 visit to Kyoto Japan.
With Nancy Reagan
Here, Princess Diana is seen with another spunky powerhouse of female strength, Nancy Reagan. The duo is in front of the Springfield Drug Rehabilitation Center in Virginia, a cause in which Mrs. Reagan was very active.
Mother Teresa And Diana Chatting
The Princess of the People meets Saint Mother Theresa here on February 19, 1992 in Rome. Looking at both of their faces, its hard to see who admires who more.
Taj Mahal
This picture was snapped during a very troubled time in Princess Diana’s marriage in 1992. She sits on a bench in front of the Taj Mahal, looking very small and alone. This picture has made new headlines and has recently been recreated with members in today’s royal family.
VJ Commemoration
On August 19, 1995 the whole family was captured on film as it gathered to commemorate VJ Day.
Leaving A Health Club In London
When it comes to health and fitness, Royalty needs a little help, just like the rest of us. Here, Diana is seen glowing following her workout at her London health club.
London Hospital
Lady Diana was known for her charitable work with hospitals, and here she is seen as she arrived at a London Hospital on March 6, 1996.
Washington, D.C.
On September 24, 1996, Princess Diana rubbed elbows with then first lady of the United States, Hillary Clinton. This was taken in Washington DC at a fundraiser to support breast cancer research.
Anti-Land Mine Activist
Lady Diana was attempting to help Angola in 1997 with a dangerous situation involving land mines. She is shown here in protective gear as she toured the sites.
Pakistan
On March 23, 1997 Princess Diana was captured on film as she toured Pakistan. Here, she is pictured as she visited a hospital.
Australia
