The Queen’s intervention later in the funeral week, when she spoke to the nation as both Sovereign and grandmother from the Chinese Room at Buckingham Palace, calmed the doubts in many hearts. None the less the damage was done, the enduring and deep-rooted compact between the monarchy and the people fractured and splintered. At least for a time. Her speech was, in part, atonement for standing on the sidelines, for failing to console the grieving population quickly enough. It was the Queen who led the tributes and who, most importantly, recognized the need for the ancient institution she heads to learn from the young Princess whom it had so recently banished.
Rather like a lovers’ tiff, both parties, public and monarch, were reconciled, though there was a recognition that things would never be quite the same again. It led to a much overdue re-evaluation of the relationship. As the Queen’s private secretary Mary Francis later admitted, some ‘harsh lessons’ were absorbed by the House of Windsor. The institution was jolted out of its complacency and forced to look at itself with a very much more critical eye. Subtle changes in style and approach were brought forward with greater speed than might otherwise have been the case. As for the people, it was argued that they kept their respect for the Queen but put aside old-style deference. They became loyal citizens instead of loyal subjects, mindless worship replaced by clear-eyed respect.
In many ways the public were well ahead of the monarchy in appreciating Diana’s humanitarian mission. It is ironic that as the royal family have become, in historian Frank Prochaska’s telling phrase, a ‘welfare monarchy’, defined more by their civic and charitable work than by their symbolic or constitutional significance, it was the Princess who instinctively embraced and developed that ethos.
The feminization of the monarchy – women have dominated the House of Windsor for nearly two centuries – together with the emphasis on charity work dusted with the glamour of celebrity, found its apogee in the Princess. She was the only member of the royal family to be able to project that elusive combination on to a global stage. The fact that Prince Harry could convince the Queen as well as President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle to take part in a promotional video for his brainchild, the Invictus Games, in Florida in 2016, shows that Diana’s unique magic has rubbed off on her youngest son.
A far cry from her childhood, when she sensed that she might be the wife of an ambassador, or her early days inside the royal family, when Diana was genuinely shy and feared meeting her adoring crowds. By the end Diana became what might be termed a ‘President Princess’, both part of and independent from the royal family, a woman on her own who had found her public role on the world stage. As Diana’s biographer Sarah Bradford says: ‘She represented an all-important side of the monarchy, the ability to do good for the people, to promote their welfare and good causes and make them feel good about themselves.’
As an outsider she was able to accomplish many of her professional goals, though personal happiness seemed to elude her. She wanted to get married again and have more children. Family meant so much to her and, had she lived, she would be relishing her role as the world’s most glamorous grandmother. But that was not to be.
In January 2017, the princes chose to commemorate their mother’s life by commissioning a statue to stand in the public gardens of Kensington Palace. As they said: ‘It has been 20 years since our mother’s death and the time is right to recognize her positive impact in the UK and around the world with a permanent statue. Our mother touched so many lives. We hope the statue will help all those who visit Kensington Palace to reflect on her life and her legacy.’
While her life was brief she left an indelible mark on the royal family, the monarchy and the nation. Diana, Princess of Wales, lives on not just in our memories but in the lives and work of Princes William and Harry. As Prince Harry says: ‘I hope she is looking down with tears in her eyes being incredibly proud of what we’ve established.’ Diana may be gone but her sons will make certain that she will never be forgotten.
Index
Adeane, Edward ref1, ref2
Adler, Professor Michael ref1
Aids ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20
Airey, Sir Christopher ref1, ref2
Alexandra, Princess ref1, ref2
al-Fayed, Heini ref1
al-Fayed, Mohamed ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7
Allen, Gertrude ref1
Alibar (horse) ref1, ref2, ref3
Althorp, Northampton ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23
Anderson, Mabel ref1
Andrew, Prince ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14
Anne, Princess ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7
Arbiter, Dickie ref1
Archibald, David ref1
Armstrong-Jones, Lady Sarah ref1, ref2
Ashton, Penelope ref1
Attenborough, Sir Richard (Lord) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4
Aylard, Richard ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4
Baird, Bob ref1
Balmoral ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23, ref24, ref25, ref26, ref27, ref28, ref29, ref30, ref31, ref32, ref33, ref34
Barnes, Barbara ref1, ref2
Barry, Stephen ref1, ref2, ref3
Bartholomew, Carolyn (née Pride) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16
Bashir, Martin ref1, ref2
Beatrice, Princess ref1, ref2, ref3
Beckwith-Smith, Anne ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5
Beechey, Sue ref1
Bennett, Alan ref1
Berni, Lorenzo and Mara ref1, ref2
Berry, Simon ref1, ref2
Betts, Albert ref1
Blacker, Lulu ref1
Blair, Cherie ref1
Blair, Tony ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6
Bolland, Mark ref1, ref2
Bolton, Anne ref1
Bolton, James ref1
Boughey, James ref1, ref2
Bowie, David ref1, ref2, ref3
Bowker, Lady Elsa ref1
Branson, Richard ref1, ref2
Brazen, HMS ref1
Britannia, HMY ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4
British Red Cross ref1, ref2, ref3
Broadlands, Hampshire ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6
Bryan, John ref1, ref2
Buckingham Palace ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23, ref24, ref25, ref26, ref27, ref28, ref29, ref30, ref31, ref32, ref33, ref34, ref35, ref36, ref37, ref38, ref39, ref40, ref41
Burgess, Michael ref1
Burnet, Sir Alastair ref1, ref2
Burrell, Paul ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5
Burton, Dr John ref1
Bush, Barbara ref1, ref2
Butner, Paul ref1
Canterbury, Archbishop of (George Carey) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7
Carling, Julia and Will ref1
Cartland, Barbara ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4
Chambrun, Count Jean-François de ref1
Chambrun, Countess de (Raine Spencer) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11
Chapman, Victor ref1
Charles, Prince of Wales:
accession to throne and future reign as King ref1, ref2
Amanda Knatchbull and ref1
Anna Wallace and ref1, ref2
breaks arm ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4
Camilla Parker Bowles and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23,
ref24, ref25, ref26, ref27, ref28, ref29, ref30, ref31, ref32, ref33, ref34, ref35, ref36, ref37
clothes/appearance ref1
courtship of Diana ref1, ref2 ref1
Diana, first meets ref1, ref2
Diana, rivalry with ref1
Diana’s bulimia and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5
Diana’s death and ref1, ref2, ref3
Dimbleby interview (1994) ref1, ref2
divorce and official separation from Diana ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9
Harry’s birth and ref1, ref2, ref3
Hugh Lindsay death and ref1, ref2
Tiggy Legge-Bourke and ref1
marriage breakdown ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12
marries Camilla Parker Bowles (2005) ref1
parents and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4
press and ref1, ref2, ref3
Prince Andrew and ref1, ref2
transcripts of telephone call to Camilla published ref1
vegetarianism ref1, ref2, ref3
wedding and honeymoon (1981) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5
Welsh visit (1981) ref1
William’s birth and ref1, ref2
William’s head operation and ref1, ref2
Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, Princess ref1
Chelsea Harbour Club ref1
Churchill, Winston ref1, ref2
Clarence House ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8
Clarke, Mary ref1
Coaker, Philippa ref1
Colbourne, Michael ref1
Cole, Michael ref1
Colthurst, Dr James ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13
Cutsem, Emilie van ref1, ref2
Cutsem, Hugh van ref1, ref2
Daily Express ref1
Daily Mail ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4
Daily Mirror ref1
Dale, John ref1
Daly, Barbara ref1
Dartmouth, Earl of ref1, ref2
Dawson, Dr Anthony ref1
Deedes, Lord ref1
Demarchelier, Patrick ref1, ref2
Dempster, Nigel ref1
de Pass, Philip ref1, ref2
de Pass, Commander Robert and Philippa ref1, ref2
Devonshire, Duke and Duchess of ref1, ref2
Diana, Princess of Wales:
Aids sufferers and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19
alternative medicine and ref1
astrology and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17
bachelor girl life in London ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6 see also courtship and marriage
birth ref1, ref2, ref3
bodyguards and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4
bulimia ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23, ref24, ref25, ref26, ref27, ref28, ref29, ref30, ref31, ref32
Camilla Parker Bowles and see under Parker Bowles, Camilla
charity work ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13 see also AIDS (above)
Charles and see under Charles, Prince of Wales
childhood ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9
children and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23, ref24, ref25, ref26, ref27, ref28, ref29, ref30 see also Harry, Prince and William, Prince
Coleherne Court, at ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5
courtship and marriage ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6
Covent Garden dance routine ref1
death and funeral ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4
death, investigations into ref1
Diana: Her True Story, involvement in ref1
divorce ref1, ref2, ref3
Dodi Fayed and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5
Duchess of York and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16
finishing school ref1, ref2, ref3
first royal engagements ref1, ref2
future, on her ref1
Jacob Rothschild, on ref1
jobs, early ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4
landmine campaign and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5
legacy ref1
new age values ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4
Panorama interview ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6
press/media and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23, ref24, ref25, ref26, ref27, ref28, ref29, ref30, ref31, ref32, ref33, ref34, ref35, ref36, ref37, ref38, ref39, ref40, ref41, ref42, ref43, ref44, ref45, ref46, ref47, ref48, ref49, ref50, ref51
princess, on attractions of becoming a ref1
Queen and see Elizabeth II, Queen
Queen Mother and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4
royal tours ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7
schooling and education ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8
‘Squidgygate’ and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5
stepmother and (Raine) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6
suicidal tendencies/suicide attempts ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15
Trooping the Colour, on ref1
wardrobe, on building up her ref1, ref2
wedding and honeymoon ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4
years of suffering, on ref1
Diana Memorial Committee ref1
Diana Memorial Fund ref1, ref2, ref3
Dimbleby, Jonathan ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5
Dodd-Noble, Julia ref1
Duckworth-Chad, Anthony and Elizabeth (née Wake-Walker) ref1
Dunne, Thomas and Henrietta ref1, ref2
Dunne, Millie ref1
Dunne, Philip ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5
Edelstein, Victor ref1, ref2
Edinburgh, Duke of see Philip, Prince
Edward, Prince ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5
Edwards, Arthur ref1
Edwards, Bob ref1
Elizabeth II, Queen:
annus horribilis ref1, ref2
Charles and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6
Diana and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23, ref24, ref25, ref26, ref27, ref28, ref29, ref30, ref31, ref32, ref33, ref34
Diana’s death and funeral and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8
Duchess of York and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4
40th anniversary ref1
Golden Jubilee ref1, ref2
paranormal, interest in ref1
press and ref1, ref2
Spencer family and ref1, ref2, ref3
William’s birth and ref1
Elizabeth, Queen, the Queen Mother ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23, ref24
Elliot, Annabel ref1, ref2, ref3
Elliot, Simon ref1, ref2
Emanuel, David and Elizabeth ref1, ref2, ref3
Fagan, Michael ref1
Falkender, Baroness ref1
Farrell, Gerry ref1
Farrer, Sir Matthew ref1
Fawcett, Michael ref1
Fayed, Emad (Dodi) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5
Fayed, Mohamed al- see al-Fayed
Fellowes, Lady Jane (née Spencer) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23, ref24, ref25, ref26, ref27
Fellowes, Sir Robert ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7
, ref8, ref9
Fenwick, Susie ref1, ref2
Ferguson, Major Ronald ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4
Ferguson, Sarah see York, Duchess of
Ferguson, Susan (née Deptford) ref1, ref2
Fermoy, Maurice, 4th Baron ref1
Fermoy, Ruth, Lady ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12,
Fisher, Allan ref1
Fisher, Kelly ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4
Flecha de Lima, Lady Lucia ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4
Fox, Annabel, Carol and William ref1
Francis, Mary ref1
Frank, Debbie ref1, ref2, ref3
Franklin Mint ref1
Fraser, Malcolm ref1, ref2
Gaselee, Nick ref1, ref2
George VI ref1, ref2
George, Susan ref1
Gibran, Khahil: The Prophet ref1, ref2
Gilbey, James ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20
Gloucester, Duke and Duchess of ref1, ref2
Göncz, President and Mrs ref1
Goodman, Clive ref1
Grace, Princess ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5
Graf, Steffi ref1
Greenacre, Canon Roger ref1
Greenall, Peter ref1
Gregard, Suzanne ref1, ref2
Greig, Laura ref1
Harbord-Hammond, Caroline ref1
Harry, Prince:
AIDS sufferers, visits ref1, ref2
birth ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7
character ref1
charity work ref1, ref2, ref3
Charles and ref1, ref2, ref3
christening ref1, ref2
Diana and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23, ref24, ref25, ref26, ref27, ref28, ref29, ref30, ref31
Diana’s death and funeral and ref1, ref2, ref3
Diana’s legacy and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6
Diana’s pregnancy with ref1
Dodi Fayed and ref1
James Hewitt and ref1, ref2
Meghan Markle and ref1, ref2
nannies ref1, ref2
phone hacking scandal and ref1
William and ref1, ref2
Harvey, Anna ref1, ref2
Harvey, Lucinda Craig ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4
Hayward, Richard ref1, ref2
Diana_Her True Story_In Her Own Words_25th Anniversary Edition Page 39