Princess Diana of Wales

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Princess Diana of Wales, a rebel with a cause from the day she stepped into the limelight of the royal family. She was known as the independent thinker and became to be known as the People’s Princess. Diana used her position in the royal family to spotlight major world issues and she succeeded. She was never afraid of promoting difficult causes such as AIDS, leprosy or politically sensitive issues like landmines. Lady Diana Frances Spencer was born July 1, 1961 in Norfolk, England and eventually the world would come to know her as Princess Diana. Diana Spencer was one of four children born to Lord and Lady Althorp. She lived and grew up in a mansion located next door to one of the royal family's estates. Her childhood playmate was Prince Andrew, the brother of Prince Charles. The Spencer family has served the Crown for generations. They are related to Sir Winston Churchill, eight U.S. Presidents such as George Washington, John Adams and Franklin D. Roosevelt and Diana's younger brother Charles is Queen Elizabeth's godson. Diana Spencer had a happy childhood and home life until she was eight years old when her mother left the family and ran off with another man. Her parents went through a horrible divorce but Diana's father won custody of his three daughters and son. Diana Spencer was home tutored until the age of nine and then was sent in and out of exclusive schools where she ended her education at the age of 16 at a Swiss finishing school that she dropped out of within a few months. When Diana returned home she hired herself out as a cleaning lady but she eventually found work as an aide to a kindergarten teacher. Prince Charles of the royal family knew Diana her entire life as the girl next door but he only though... ... middle of paper ... ... had. Diana’s two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry continued their mother’s legacy with the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. In the first nine years, the Fund pledged more than $125 million to more than 350 charities around the world. Diana was a unique princess and her charities were handled on such a deeply personal level she became the real people’s princess. People could identify with her from around the world and they appreciated her approach to life. She was not just adored in her home country the United Kingdom, but around the world. Works Cited “Diana, Princess of Wales.” Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Biography in Context. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. “Princess Diana.” Newsmakers. Detroit: Gales, 1997. Biography in Context. Web. 8 Mar 2014. “Princess Diana’s Life and Legacy.” 29 August 2007. ABCNEWS/Nightline. 8 Mar 2014.

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