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The queen of hearts Princess Diana

The queen of hearts Princess Diana

The woman who touched millions of lives – The queen of hearts Princess Diana of Wales (1961-1997)

The queen of hearts Princess Diana
She could be 50 last year. In the consolation the living legend remains. Diana, like Grace Kelly and Marilyn Monroe, who counted years of their earthly existence, has become a deified ideal. The dramatic story of her life where a princess sacrificed royal title for the right to be a person – remains the most vivid myth of the XX century. Meanwhile, she had a key to millions of hearts. So, let us remember The queen of hearts, the Rose of England.
When Diana and Charles went to St Paul’s a few days before the global TV spectacular which promised so much and entranced the world, they clutched each other’s hand in the way of lovers do. Those were different times. So very different, not only for the Royal Family but for the country as a whole. The year 1981 is deep in another age when one compares its attitudes in general – and royal attitudes in particular – to those of marriage today.

Princess Diana of Wales

Prince Charles and Princess Diana of Wales

Diana believed on her wedding day that it would last forever. She saw herself as the luckiest girl in the world. “I had such hope in my heart”, she said. Even her beloved, father who had suffered a stroke three years earlier and was frail, eaised himself gamely to escort his daughter bravely down the aisle.

In life, her children were always her greatest joy. In death, they are now her proudest legacy. Nothing brought more pleasure to Diana than raising her two baby sons – and nothing more pain than the frustration of having to watch them grow up from a distance when her marriage to Charles collapsed.

The princess’s pride beamed from her face whenever she was with them, as these early pictures clearly show. Every mother will recognise the glow of a woman cradling her baby in her arms. The children were to be the central pillar of her otherwise increasingly lonely life. In her Panorama interview she remarked: “I will fight for my children on any level in order for them to be happy and have a peace of mind and carry out their duties”. Sadly, Diana died with one ambition of motherhood unfilled. She had always longed to have a daughter.

The boys also provided a channel through which Diana could improve her relationships with the rest of the Royal Family. When she showed the newborn William to the Queen, Her Majesty quipped: “Thank goodness he hasn’t got ears like his father’s!”. It took several days to choose a name for William, who was then known as Baby Wales. Interestingly, Diana’s strong will won through – she sweet-talked Charles out of calling him Arthur.

In show business, she was accepted immediately as a fellow star and a leading lady. Back at Buckingham Palace, however the reception was markedly less comfortable. They should have known, of course, that a young woman who caused a sensation by dancing with John Travolta at her first White House ball – and again by hijacking a live performance by dancer Wayne Sleep – would never be happy with stuffy protocol.

Dancing was always Diana’s first love. She trained ballet and longed to take up professionally… until she grew too tall. In 1988 she secretly hired a film crew and had a video made of herself dancing to All I Ask Of You, a hit from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom Of The Opera. It was a remarkable gift for Charles on their seventh wedding anniversary – and he was thrilled. A month later she did the cha cha with him at the Ghillies Ball at Balmoral.

She may have been a Princess, but in the eyes of the public, she was always a superstar. Little wonder, therefore, that she slipped so easily into glittering world of show business and entertainment.

But while Charles cultivated a circle of intellectuals, philosophers and architects, Diana remained far more at ease with the likes of Elton John, Michael Jackson, George Michael and Paul McCartney. She also formed close relationships with opera stars including Luciano Pavarotti – her home resounded to recordings of his work. And she was captivated by figures such as film mogul Lord Attenborough (“I just can’t say no to him”, she once remarked).

It was the romance that Diana was happy to reveal to the world. One year after her divorce from Charles, the 36-year-old Princess appeared at last to have met a man she was comfortable with – and she wasn’t afraid to show it.

Princess Diana of Wales

In August 1997,
At a Parisian site,
Fate thrust the world to mourn—
Just past the stroke of midnight.

A beautiful princess
At soaring height
Suddenly lost
Her earthly light.

Sunday ended
Her mortal plight—
She breathe her last
And then took flight.

A kindly woman—
Full of life.
A doting mother,
And longing wife.

Her adorable sons,
Two young lads,
Were left, solely,
In care of their Dad.

The world noted
The touch of her hand—
The generous heart
She shared with man.

Heads of state—
Moved with tears—
Honored the Princess’
Fruitful years.

America, France,
Africa too—
Reflected upon
The Diana they knew.

She touched lepers,
Which royals forbade,
Embraced the homeless
And victims of AIDS.

An image of beauty.
A charming dove.
A woman of courage.
A token—beloved.

In the eyes of children,
Diana stood tall.
She won their hearts,
And loved them all.

With plenty to offer,
She traveled a lot—
‘Twas everywhere.
Then, she was not.

A pilgrimage came
Day and night,
With oceans of gifts
For tribute sites.

They stood for hours
In sorted lines,
To leave expressions
In books signed.

On September 6,
Fans of Di
Flooded the UK
For a final goodbye.

The jammed cortege
Was over three miles:
Kensington to Abby.
At Saint James she lie.

Many knew her
And many did not,
But all mourned
The fate of her lot.

Cher’shed impressions
Upon the world.
A legacy of hope
By a British girl.

A precious jewel,
A towering steeple.
Forever the ‘Princess…
Of the People.’

Walterrean Salley

The queen of hearts Princess Diana

Princess Diana of Wales

20 Apr 1983, New Zealand. Princess Diana lost in her thoughts at a dinner banquet

Princess Diana of Wales

Gorgeous Diana of Wales

Princess Diana of Wales

Official outfit, Princess Diana of Wales

Princess Diana of Wales

Adorable Diana

Princess Diana of Wales

Stylish and beautiful Diana

Princess Diana of Wales

Photo – Princess Diana of Wales

Princess Diana of Wales

Black background photo, Princess Diana

Princess Diana of Wales

Incomparable Diana

Princess Diana of Wales

Portrait photo, Princess Diana

Princess Diana of Wales

Wearing uniform, Princess Diana of Wales

Princess Diana of Wales

Mother Diana with sons William and Henry

Princess Diana of Wales, sons William and Henry

Loving mother with her sons William and Henry

Princess Diana of Wales, sons William and Henry

Laughing Princess Diana and sons William and Henry

In loving memory of Princess Diana of Wales

In loving memory of Princess Diana of Wales

Princess Diana of Wales

Sad Diana

Princess Diana of Wales

The queen of hearts Princess Diana of Wales

Princess Diana of Wales

Wedding day. Princess Diana of Wales

Princess Diana of Wales

Divinely beautiful Diana

Princess Diana of Wales

On the balcony, Princess Diana

Princess Diana of Wales

John Travolta and Princess Diana

Princess Diana of Wales and John Travolta

Dancing Travolta and Diana

Princess Diana

with her baby son Henry

Princess Diana

Last photo of Princess Diana

Princess Diana

Collage. Princess Diana

Princess Diana

Dollars with Princess Diana

Princess Diana

Lady Diana Spencer

Princess Diana

Happy smiling Princess Diana and Prince Charles wedding

Princess Diana and Prince Charles wedding

In a car. Princess Diana and Prince Charles wedding

The queen of hearts Princess Diana

Diana and Charles

Princess Diana and Prince Charles

Happy together, Princess Diana and Prince Charles

Princess Diana

Pope John Paul II and Princess Diana

Princess Diana

Ronald and Nancy Reagan, Princess Diana, Prince Charles

Rose of England

Rose of England

Princess Diana

Gorgeous Princess Diana

Princess Diana

Beautiful Princess Diana

Princess Diana

Michael Jackson and Princess Diana

Princess Diana

Elizabeth Taylor and Princess Diana

Memorial to Diana and Dodi in Harrods

Memorial to Diana and Dodi in Harrods

Princess Diana on Honeymoon at Balmoral Scotland, 1981

On Honeymoon at Balmoral Scotland, 1981. Princess Diana

Princess Diana

Horrible. Diana and Dodi died in a car crash in the Pont de l’Alma underpass in Paris on 31 August 1997

Princess Diana

Drawing by Russian artist Baurberdeshev, Princess Diana

Sources:
Home Archive – newspaper Daily Mail, Saturday, September 6, 1997
www.poemhunter.com
www.princess-diana.com