IN THIS ISSUE.... DIANA: PRINCESS OF WALES
ArticleTitle DIANA'sLEGACY of LOVE ?The w orst illness of our t im e is t hat so m any people have t o suffer from never being loved.? - Princess Diana Dubbed " The People's Princess' by Tony Blair, PM; Diana becam e a global icon, fam ous for her beaut y, her fashion choices and, of course her m arriage t o t he Prince. But qut e aside from t hese, t he m ost profound and last ing difference she m ade w as t o her philant hropic force. Diana Frances Spencer was born in Sandringham, Norfolk on 1st July 1961. She was the fourth child out of five. The Spencer family, has been closely allied with the British Royal Family for several generations. Both of Diana's grandmother's; Lady Ruth Roche and Countess Cynthia Spencer, were both Ladies "Of The Bedchamber" (Personal Attendant to the HRH Monarch) of HRH Queen Elizabeth the First (now known as HRH Elizabeth, The Queen Mother). Diana first received the title of 'Lady Diana Spencer' when her father inherited the title of Earl Spencer in 1975. She met HRH Prince Charles, when she was only 16 in November 1977; when he was dating her older sister, Lady Sarah. They met whilst he was playing Polo and he took interest in Diana as a potential bride. The relationship progressed when he invited Art icle by Mart in Ow ens-Cairns her to various locations, meeting the family. Lady Diana was loved by HRH Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Charles proposed to Lady Diana on 6th February 1981, and she accepted, they then married 29th July 1981. As Princess of Wales she was expected to make regular public appearances at Hospitals, Schools and other facilities, in the 20th-Century model of Royal patronage. HRH Diana, Princess of Wales is remembered by everyone she met for her warmth and genuine interest in their situation and difficulties. She threw herself into her charity work in a very personal way, spending countless hours listening to the individual stories and problems of the people she visited. She had the ability to make everybody feel special, in particular vulnerable young people who were touched by her warmth and affection. In 1984, she became President of Barnardo's, a British charity which helps the most vulnerable children and young people transform their lives and fulfill their potential. She also had a natural empathy with people who were close to death or those who had lost a loved one - something which was clear through her visits to hospitals and hospices in the UK and abroad. She described her work with the Royal Brompton Hospital, London, like this: 'I make the trips at least three times a week and spend up to four hours at a time with patients holding their hands and talking to them. Some of them will live and some will die, but they all need to be loved while they are here. I try to be there for them.' In 1983, she confided in the Premier of Newfoundland (Head of Government in Canada), Brian Peckford: "I am finding it very difficult to cope with the pressures of being Princess of Wales, but I am learning to cope" To the media Diana often portrayed a very stoic and positive energy, but an aid suggested that at the same time these engagements often drained Diana emotionally.