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Diana: Her True Story--in Her Own Words Paperback – June 27, 2017

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  • Print length 448 pages
  • Language English
  • Publication date June 27, 2017
  • Dimensions 6 x 1.1 x 9 inches
  • ISBN-10 9781501169731
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  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1501169734
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster; Anniversary edition (June 27, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 448 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781501169731
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1501169731
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 0.035 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.1 x 9 inches
  • #8 in Historical British Biographies
  • #14 in Royalty Biographies
  • #122 in Women's Biographies

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About the author

Andrew morton.

ANDREW MORTON is one of the world's best-known biographers and a leading authority on modern celebrity. His groundbreaking 1992 biography revealed the secret world of Princess Diana, prompting Tina Brown to declare in The Diana Chronicles, "The journalist Morton most reminds me of is Bob Woodward." Diana: Her True Story became a #1 New York Times bestseller, as did Monica's Story, Morton's portrait of the young woman behind the blue dress in the Clinton White House.

The winner of numerous awards, including Author of the Year by the British Book Awards and Scoop of the Year by the London Press Club, he lives in London and has traveled extensively in the U.S., Canada, and Europe in his research for this biography.

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Her True Story--in Her Own Words

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Table of Contents

About the book, about the author.

Andrew Morton is one of the world’s best-known biographers and a leading authority on modern celebrity and royalty. His groundbreaking 1992 biography of Diana, Princess of Wales—written with her full, though then secret, cooperation—changed the way the world looked at the British royal family. Since then, he has gone on to write New York Times and Sunday Times (UK) bestsellers on Monica Lewinsky, Madonna, David and Victoria Beckham, Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The winner of numerous awards, he divides his time between London and Los Angeles.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster (June 27, 2017)
  • Length: 448 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781501169731

Browse Related Books

  • History > Great Britain
  • Biography & Autobiography > Royalty
  • Biography & Autobiography > Women

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6 Books About Princess Diana If You’re Obsessed With the Royals

Read all about everything that didn't make it into The Crown .

best books princess diana

Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

In memory of the 26th anniversary of Princess Diana's death, royal fans may want to dive into books about the late princess. From biographies about the late Princess of Wales told (allegedly) in her own words to a tell-all investigation into the House of Windsor, here are six books about Princess Diana that are worth your time—and a solid addition to your bookshelf.

The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown

The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown

This exhaustively researched, exhilaratingly dishy telling of Diana's life story is a must-read for anyone interested in how she became an icon, and the battles she endured to ensure her legacy. It's no quick read—Brown, a former editor of The New Yorker and Vanity Fair did serious research—but there's more than enough personality and insider intelligence to make it a page turner.

Simon & Schuster Diana: Her True Story--in Her Own Words

Diana: Her True Story--in Her Own Words

Andrew Morton's blockbuster biography was first published in 1992 and caused a stir with its revelations about Diana's unhappy union with Prince Charles, her complicated relationship with the Queen, and a slew of other secrets that kept the tabloids buzzing. The source of Morton's devastating information? The Princess herself. An updated version of the book is out now, with even more pulled from recordings Morton and Diana made during their long, frank, and still-shocking conversations.

Remembering Diana: A Life in Photographs

Remembering Diana: A Life in Photographs

For the visual learners among us, this coffee-table book compiles more than 100 images of Princess Diana from throughout her life and also includes remembrances of her from famous admirers including Bill Clinton, Mother Teresa, and Elton John. A foreword by Tina Brown—who wrote The Diana Chronicles —helps put the tribute in context.

Diana in Private: The Princess Nobody Knows

Diana in Private: The Princess Nobody Knows

Written by the troublemaker British aristocrat Lady Colin Campbell—who has also penned books on the Queen Mother and Prince Harry—this 1992 bestseller was initially dismissed as being too gossipy to be true, but has seen some of its claims proven over the years. It's not the book we'd turn to for a definitive take on the late Princess's life, but it's a fun, racy read, and a fine way to round out your royal reading list.

The Royals by Kitty Kelley

The Royals by Kitty Kelley

Biographer Kitty Kelley has unleashed her occasionally poisonous pen on a wide variety of boldfaced names, from Frank Sinatra to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. In this tell-all investigation into the House of Windsor, which was published in 1997, she turns her eye to Britain's royal family and dishes serious dirt on Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, and, of course, Princess Diana. The book wasn't released in England because of strict libel laws (and in the U.S., its release just after the death of Diana earned it a mixed reception), but it became a bestseller and remains one of the most talked-about royal books of all time.

A Real Life Fairy Tale Princess Diana

A Real Life Fairy Tale Princess Diana

Searching for a more kid-friendly version of Diana's story? Consider this picture book about the late Princess of Wales, which tells the story of her life from childhood through her marriage to Prince Charles, with a specific focus on her philanthropy.

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Adam Rathe is Town & Country 's Deputy Features Director, covering arts and culture and a range of other subjects. 

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How Princess Diana's tell-all biography by Andrew Morton came to be

diana princess of wales biography book

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide please call the  U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or go to  SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources  for additional resources.

Princess Diana had a story that everyone wanted to hear — and no one could tell it better than she could. In the decade since marrying Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, the royal had skyrocketed to global fame, and had also experienced the difficulties of being part of her new family.

The title of Andrew Morton’s bombshell book “Diana: Her True Story In Her Own Words" is literal.

As Season Five of “The Crown” shows, Diana contributed directly to the creation of the book — though that fact didn’t emerge until after her death in 1997 at the age of 36 .

When the book came out in 1992, it was initially published under the title, "Diana: Her True Story," and became a bestseller.

The book went into detail about the royal's life before becoming Princess of Wales and gave a private perspective on Diana’s public life: Her unhappy marriage , her husband’s relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles and Diana’s struggles with an eating disorder . 

During the initial publication, Morton and Diana alike denied she was part of the book’s sourcing, per Frontline . Morton said he was accused of lying, recalling the experience in a 2017 interview with the Belfast Telegraph .

More about Princess Diana

  • How did Princess Diana die? The facts about her death 25 years later
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  • I was Princess Diana’s astrologer — and this is what I saw in her chart

“I knew it was all true, because the words came out of Diana’s own mouth. But it was frustrating that I was getting lambasted. I thought journalists might have got the nods and winks in the text about how I got the quotes from Diana. But most of them were asking how dare I write it,” he said. 

In 1997, Morton revealed who, exactly, had been sharing all those details: Diana herself. A revised version, entitled "Diana: Her True Story In Her Own Words," contained an 18,000 word transcript of the tapes Diana recorded and passed along to Morton.

“The story is based on a lengthy, tape-recorded interview with Diana, supplemented by her family and friends,” Morton wrote in the foreword of the memoir’s revised version, published in 1997.

This methodology sets the book apart from the many other books written about Diana . "This his biography is unique in that the story contained in its pages would never have appeared had it not been for the wholehearted cooperation of Diana, the late Princess of Wales,” Morton wrote. 

Read on for more about the creation of the memoir — and the fallout of going public. 

The biography was Diana’s way of sharing her story 

Speaking to NBC News in 2004, Dr. James Colthust — who acted as a go-between for Morton and the princess — shared that the book was Diana’s idea.

According to Colthurst, who met Diana during a skiing trip when she was 19, writing the book was a way to share her side of the story.

“I think it was a gradual realization by her that she needed to have some control over what was said … and that wasn‘t going to be possible in a newspaper. It was better, in fact, to do that through a book. And really that was a decision that she gradually came to over some months,” Colthurst said.

In the introduction to the revised version book, Morton wrote that, amid her crumbling marriage, Diana was in a “genuine predicament.”

Her task? “To give the public an insight to her side of the story while untangling the legal, emotional and constitutional knots that kept her tethered to the monarchy.” 

Diana felt herself a “prisoner trapped inside a bitterly unfulfilled marriage,” and felt “shackled to a whole unrealistic public image of her royal life” and to “an unsympathetic royal system.”

For Diana, a book was the solution. Charles later contributed to his own book. He admitted to infidelity in a 1994 interview with Jonathan Dimbleby , who later wrote a book with his cooperation.  

The princess hand-picked Morton for the job, not the other way around 

In “The Crown,” Diana gets wind of a book by Morton, and decides to contribute. But historical accounts say that Diana picked Morton herself to write the book. 

Colthurst explained to NBC, “He had done some books on her, and she felt they were sympathetic, although they were quite lightweight in the subject matter.”

Diana felt that, since Morton was young — he was about 39 in 1992 — he might be more “sympathetic” to her. 

A 1997 story in the New York Times backs up Colthurst’s account: “Mr. Morton said he was asked to become the conduit for her story after Diana learned he was preparing a biography of her. A friend of hers summoned him to a working-class pub in the northwest London suburb of Ruislip and reported her interest, saying she had been impressed by his fairness in articles and books he had written during his years as the royal correspondent for two national tabloids."

Andrew Morton

Morton and Diana never met, instead communicating through tapes delivered by James Colthurst

Speaking to NBC, Colthurst explained how the process worked. He would “peddle in” to Kensington Palace with a briefcase, containing Morton’s questions in a briefcase in the bicycle basket.

“Initially, I sat and I read out the questions, but that was too slow for Diana. She snatched the questions away from me and then clipped the microphone on to herself and the tape recorder was on and away she went,” Colthurst said. 

Colthurst then delivered the tapes back to Morton. “I was never face-to-face with Diana, so that we could give her deniability,” Morton said in 2017 to the Belfast Telegraph .

The publisher had to be convinced Diana's allegations were real

In the book "The Diana Chronicles," Tina Brown recounted the lengths Diana went to convince publishers her stories were true — especially regarding her marriage.

Morton's publisher Michael O'Mara wanted proof "besides Diana's word" that Camilla Parker Bowles was linked to Charles.

"Diana stole a cache of Camilla's love letters to Charles from the Princes' briefcase at Balmoral and allowed her publishers to peruse them as evidence. The team was instantly persuaded that the affair was real," Brown wrote.

What, exactly, does the book say?

A lot! Below, find some of the revelations.

She recounted their engagement

Diana gave a play-by-pay of how Charles proposed after about 13 meetings.

"He said: ‘Will you marry me?’ and I laughed. I remember thinking: ‘This is a joke’, and I said: ‘Yeah, OK’, and laughed. He was deadly serious. He said: ‘You do realize that one day you will be Queen.’ And a voice said to me inside: ‘You won’t be Queen but you’ll have a tough role.’ So I thought: ‘OK’, so I said: ‘Yes.’ I said: ‘I love you so much, I love you so much.’ He said: ‘Whatever love means.’ He said it then. So I thought that was great! I thought he meant that! And so he ran upstairs and rang his mother."

Diana said her eating disorder began the week after her engagement

Diana pinpointed the exact moment that "triggered" her bulimia.

“It was all very strange, I just felt miserable. My husband put his hand on my waistline and said: ‘Oh, a bit chubby here, aren’t we?’ and that triggered off something in me,” she explained. “And the Camilla thing, I was desperate, desperate. I remember the first time I made myself sick. I was so thrilled because I thought this was the release of tension.” 

She spoke to her mental health struggles and suicide attempt

Diana said she when she "threw" herself "down the stairs" during her pregnancy with William: “Charles said I was crying wolf and I said I felt so desperate and I was crying my eyes out and he said: ‘I’m not going to listen. You’re always doing this to me. I’m going riding now.’ So I threw myself down the stairs."

Diana said she attempted suicide a second time.

“I was running around with a lemon knife, one with the serrated edges. I was just so desperate,” Diana recalled, not specifying the date when this occurred. “I knew what was wrong with me but nobody else around me understood me. I needed rest and to be looked after inside my house and for people to understand the torment and anguish going on in my head. It was a desperate cry for help. I’m not spoiled — I just needed to be allowed to adapt to my new position.”

She spoke to the queen about her marriage problems

Diana said she and her mother-in-law had a conversation about her marriage to Charles.

"'I’ll never let you down but I cannot say the same for your son.’ She took it quite well,” Diana recalled telling the queen. “She indicated to me that the reason why our marriage had gone downhill was because Prince Charles was having such a difficult time with my bulimia. She told me that.” 

And her confrontation with Camilla

According to the book, Diana confronted Camilla about her relationship with Charles in the '80s.

"I said to Camilla: ‘I’m sorry I’m in the way, I obviously am in the way and it must be hell for both of you, but I do know what is going on. Don’t treat me like an idiot,'" Diana recalled saying.

Diana and Charles separated in 1992

The book was published in June. Months later, in December, the Prince and Princess of Windsor announced their formal separation. 

The book has been revised twice since its first publication

After Diana’s death, Morton revealed that Diana was his primary source in an expanded 1997 edition. In 2017, for the 20th anniversary of her death, Morton published another expanded edition taking into account William and Harry’s lives . “I think my book is basically about appreciating and understanding the life of the woman we lost,” Morton told the Belfast Telegraph.

Princess Diana: The Early Years Always the Last to Know

  • Society & Culture

We step into our series on Princess Diana by taking a look at her childhood and what type of experiences she had while growing up in the realm of British Royalty. Sources Documentaries Diana Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy directed by Ashley Gething The Princess (2022) available on HBO written and directed by Ed Perkins  Diana, 7 Days from BBC Books The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor--the Truth and the Turmoil By Tina Brown  The Diana Chronicles  By Tina Brown Diana: Her True Story--in Her Own Words Articles https://www.royal.uk/diana-princess-wales https://www.britannica.com/biography/Diana-princess-of-Wales https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp05244/diana-princess-of-wales https://www.cnn.com/specials/princess-diana https://people.com/tag/princess-diana/

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Princess Diana's greatest quotes: what the 'People's Princess' said about love, kindness and her sons

The late princess of wales often had very wise words to share.

Princess Diana in a white outfit with a bowtie

The late Princess of Wales held a special place in the hearts of the nation in part due to how relatable she was. Whether it was  stalling her car following her engagement announcement or the wise words that she imparted, the public always had time for the mum-of-two.

Tragically, Diana's life was cut short at the young age of 36 after the royal was involved in a car crash in Paris while travelling with boyfriend Dodi Fayed, who also died in accident. However, she imparted several quotes that are still something to live by.

Read on to discover the late royal's best quotes on subjects like love, kindness and her sons…

Although Diana didn't find her happy ending with the then- Prince Charles , the the late Princess of Wales was known as a romantic and her thoughts on the subject of love are something to live by.

Diana was always candid about her thoughts, whether it came to her struggles with mental health or within her marriage to Charles. In one instance, she famously declared: " I wear my heart on my sleeve ," a quality that many found endearing.

More on Diana

Princess Diana sitting on a set of stairs in a pink outfit

While royal etiquette might frown upon things like hugs, this was never an issue for Diana who was often seen embracing others. " Hugs can do great amounts of good ," she quipped, and it's certainly hard to disagree with her.

Humanitarian causes were always at the heart of Diana's royal activities, and she often spoke to those who may have been dismissed by wider society. In a particularly poignant quote, Diana explained how sometimes the best way to express self-love is to actually show love for others. " Every one of us needs to show how much we care for each other and, in the process, care for ourselves ," she famously said.

Princess Diana in body armour and a visor in a minefield

Born into high society, some of Diana's suitors might have believed that to win her affections would be as simple as lavishing her with gifts. However, as she explained, the main qualities she sought in a partner didn't carry a monetary value. " I don't want expensive gifts; I don't want to be bought ," she stated. " I have everything I want. I just want someone to be there for me, to make me feel safe and secure. "

Sometimes in life, there can be pressure to settle down with someone. However, this was not a mantra that the late Princess of Wales went, revealing that sometimes you can live a happier life without someone else in it. " People think that at the end of the day a man is the only answer ," she shared. " Actually, a fulfilling job is better for me ."

Prince Charles and Princess Diana in sunglasses

The royal truly understood how people felt and could quickly tap into the desire to be loved. She once shared how she believed one of the worst problems faced by some was a lack of love in their lives. Countering this, Diana shared: " I think the biggest disease the world suffers from in this day and age is the disease of people feeling unloved. I know that I can give love for a minute, for half an hour, for a day, for a month, but I can give. I am very happy to do that, I want to do that. "

William and Harry

Although Diana sadly did not live long enough to see her children fall in love and start their own families, she was able to impart wise words to her kids before she passed. Speaking about her son William, she said: " I went to the school and put it to William, particularly, that if you find someone you love in life, you must hang onto it, and look after it, and if you were lucky enough to find someone who loved you, then you must protect it. " And given that the Prince of Wales has a long-standing relationship with his university sweetheart, Princess Kate, we're sure he took it to heart.

Diana doted on her two sons, and it's clear from any photo of the family that her brood occupied a special place within her heart. It's no surprise that she once said: " Family is the most important thing in the world ," and this is a motto we believe she strongly lived by.

Princess Diana with her sons Prince William and Prince Harry at a piano

Just like any parent, Diana's sons meant the world to her, and this was clearly communicated when she stated: " I live for my sons. I would be lost without them. "

The late Princess of Wales was certainly attuned to other peoples' feelings, and this is a quality that she strove to instil in her sons as well. "I want my boys to have an understanding of people's emotions, their insecurities, people's distress, and their hopes and dreams ," she explained.

Prince Charles, Princess Diana and Prince Harry observing Prince William on his first day at Eton

Diana knew that her sons would have different lives than many, and while she wanted their lives to be as normal as possible, she also knew they would carry out public duties as they got older. Speaking on their futures, she said: " I will fight for my children on any level so they can reach their potential as human beings, and in their public duties. "

One of the best quotes that truly embodies how the late Diana was the 'People's Princess' was her attitude towards kindness. She said: " Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you ." What a selfless individual!

One of Diana's most endearing moments was when she visited patients living with HIV at a time when myths around the illness were rife and those living and dying from the virus were shunned by wider society. Countering one of the main myths in a statement, Diana said: " HIV does not make people dangerous to know. You can shake their hands and give them a hug. Heaven knows they need it. What's more, you can share their homes, their workplaces, and their playgrounds and toys. " Diana was one of the first major public figures to show support and it wasn't just in passing, as for the rest of her life, Diana would support people living with HIV, something her son Harry still does.

Princess Diana sitting with a patient in a hospital

Diana had an unconventional approach to her royal duties, and in part, this was due to a motto that she lived by on what best to listen to. " I don't go by the rule book… I lead from the heart, not the head ," she explained.

Princess Diana shaking hands with people while in Paris

The late Princess of Wales always saw the value in people and in one of her sweetest quotes, she said: " Everyone needs to be valued. Everyone has the potential to give something back. "

PHOTOS:  Princess Diana is luscious in lace in Princess Kate-style wedding dress and royal bridal tiara in unearthed photos

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Woman&Home

Princess Diana's 28 most memorable moments

Posted: April 19, 2024 | Last updated: April 19, 2024

<p>                     <strong>So many things come to mind when we think of Princess Diana's best moments. From her unwavering compassion to her quick wit, there's no surprise that the Princess is remembered with such fondness.</strong>                   </p>                                      <p>                     It's her unwavering commitment to her philanthropic endeavours, rebellious nature and maternal instincts that left an impact on people. Despite her life being cut tragically short, there is no shortage of funny, admirable and impressive moments to remember her for.                   </p>                                      <p>                     These are the most memorable moments that defined the 'people's princess' - from her charity work to off-duty humorous moments.                   </p>

Here are Princess Diana's most memorable moments from her inspirational life

So many things come to mind when we think of Princess Diana's best moments. From her unwavering compassion to her quick wit, there's no surprise that the Princess is remembered with such fondness.

It's her unwavering commitment to her philanthropic endeavours, rebellious nature and maternal instincts that left an impact on people. Despite her life being cut tragically short, there is no shortage of funny, admirable and impressive moments to remember her for.

These are the most memorable moments that defined the 'people's princess' - from her charity work to off-duty humorous moments.

<p>                     In April 1987, Princess Diana opened the first purpose-built HIV/Aids unit in the UK. It was an important step at a time when so many patients with the illness were being treated with stigma and prejudice rather than with the help and compassion they needed. At the opening, she shook hands with an Aids patient - a radical move, when there was so much stigma around the disease and fears it could be transmitted through touch. She shook 12 men's hands without gloves, publicly challenging the widely-held misconception while demonstrating her support and compassion for the community.                   </p>

When she helped break down the stigma around AIDS

In April 1987, Princess Diana opened the first purpose-built HIV/Aids unit in the UK. It was an important step at a time when so many patients with the illness were being treated with stigma and prejudice rather than with the help and compassion they needed. At the opening, she shook hands with an Aids patient - a radical move, when there was so much stigma around the disease and fears it could be transmitted through touch. She shook 12 men's hands without gloves, publicly challenging the widely-held misconception while demonstrating her support and compassion for the community.

<p>                     At an event hosted by Ronald and Nancy Reagan at the White House in 1985, movie star John Travolta asked Princess Diana for a dance. The songs playing were from two of Travolta's biggest movies, <em>Grease</em> and <em>Saturday Night Fever</em>.                   </p>

When she danced with John Travolta

At an event hosted by Ronald and Nancy Reagan at the White House in 1985, movie star John Travolta asked Princess Diana for a dance. The songs playing were from two of Travolta's biggest movies, Grease and Saturday Night Fever .

<p>                     A moment that will never be forgotten. The moment Princess Diana stepped out in the controversial dress, now more commonly known as The Revenge Dress, the same night as the news broke of Prince Charles's affair. Diana wore it in 1994 to a dinner at the Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens.                   </p>

Her revenge dress

A moment that will never be forgotten. The moment Princess Diana stepped out in the controversial dress, now more commonly known as The Revenge Dress, the same night as the news broke of Prince Charles's affair. Diana wore it in 1994 to a dinner at the Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens.

<p>                     During her visit to Huambo in 1997, Angola Princess Diana was photographed walking through an active landmine field wearing protective body armour and a visor. It was part of her promotional work for the charity Halo which was fighting against the legal use of landmines and Diana's work and this photo alone were instrumental in the global clearance of mines, particularly in the region.                   </p>

When she walked across a minefield

During her visit to Huambo in 1997, Angola Princess Diana was photographed walking through an active landmine field wearing protective body armour and a visor. It was part of her promotional work for the charity Halo which was fighting against the legal use of landmines and Diana's work and this photo alone were instrumental in the global clearance of mines, particularly in the region.

<p>                     Known for her hands-on parenting, Princess Diana never shied away from opportunities to have fun with her sons Prince Harry and Prince William and this moment is the perfect example of that. She is pictured running against five other mums in a parent's race at a sports day event.                   </p>

When she raced against other parents at Prince Harry's sports day

Known for her hands-on parenting, Princess Diana never shied away from opportunities to have fun with her sons Prince Harry and Prince William and this moment is the perfect example of that. She is pictured running against five other mums in a parent's race at a sports day event.

<p>                     First published as Diana: Her True Story in 1992, the book created a media storm and was said to have not come from Diana's own words but from those of her friends and family. However, shortly after her death, Norton revealed that Diana had helped him write the book, which was then republished as Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words. This version, released in 2003, had Diana's input and proved that she authorised the biography.                   </p>

When she collaborated with Andrew Morton on her book

First published as Diana: Her True Story in 1992, the book created a media storm and was said to have not come from Diana's own words but from those of her friends and family. However, shortly after her death, Norton revealed that Diana had helped him write the book, which was then republished as Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words. This version, released in 2003, had Diana's input and proved that she authorised the biography.

<p>                     Princess Diana and Prince Charles, as he was then known, were famously married on 29th July 1981 at St. Paul’s Cathedral. And while the couple's early history is fairly complex (reports suggest that they only met in person 13 times before getting engaged), one of the most interesting nuggets of information of Charles and Diana's relationship timeline is that Charles was originally dating Diana’s sister when they first met. In fact, she is the one who introduced the royal couple to one another!                   </p>                                      <p>                     In 1997, Charles was said to be seeing Diana’s sister Lady Sarah Spencer, or Sarah McCorquodale, as she is now known. The pair weren't believed to be too serious, but they ended up breaking off their relationship after she told the press that she didn’t see herself marrying Charles.                   </p>

Diana and Charles's engagement announcement

Charles and Diana's relationship was a tumultuous one. However, when the couple got engaged in 1981, they looked like love's young dream. The couple shared the happy news that they were to be betrothed through a statement via the Lord Chancellor. In their famous post-engagement interview, Charles said he was "delighted and frankly amazed" that Diana was prepared to take him on. Diana was 19 at the time and Charles 32. They were engaged for just five months before their iconic wedding at St. Paul's Cathedral.

<p>                     This is not only one of Princess Diana's most memorable moments but also one of broadcasting history's too. Titled An Interview with HRH The Princess of Wales, it was broadcast on the 20th of November 1995 on BBC1. Diana spoke about several hard-hitting topics, from the Royal Family's distaste for her to the struggles she'd faced after having her babies. The controversial interview was met with divisive opinions, with many arguing that Diana had been manipulated and tricked into revealing private information. However many of Princess Diana's most iconic quotes came out of this interview as she'd never been so honest about her life as a royal before.                   </p>

Her 1995 Panorama interview

This is not only one of Princess Diana's most memorable moments but also one of broadcasting history's too. Titled An Interview with HRH The Princess of Wales, it was broadcast on the 20th of November 1995 on BBC1. Diana spoke about several hard-hitting topics, from the Royal Family's distaste for her to the struggles she'd faced after having her babies. The controversial interview was met with divisive opinions, with many arguing that Diana had been manipulated and tricked into revealing private information. However many of Princess Diana's most iconic quotes came out of this interview as she'd never been so honest about her life as a royal before.

<p>                     Taking place on the 29 July 1981, Charles and Diana's wedding was one of the biggest weddings of all time and around 750 million people watched it on television around the globe. It was largely regarded as the "wedding of the century" and Diana's dress is one of the all-time most iconic royal wedding dresses. It was also reported that Diana had a secret wedding dress that for some reason disappeared and was very different from the one she wore.                   </p>

Her 1981 wedding day

Taking place on the 29 July 1981, Charles and Diana's wedding was one of the biggest weddings of all time and around 750 million people watched it on television around the globe. It was largely regarded as the "wedding of the century" and Diana's dress is one of the all-time most iconic royal wedding dresses. It was also reported that Diana had a secret wedding dress that for some reason disappeared and was very different from the one she wore.

<p>                     Prince William was the first royal ever to be born at a hospital in 1982 as the royal procedure had always been for the mother to have the baby at home. However, in true Diana style, she refused to do that. Instead, she had him at St. Mary's Hospital and introduced him to the world on the front steps.                   </p>

When she introduced baby Prince William

Prince William was the first royal ever to be born at a hospital in 1982 as the royal procedure had always been for the mother to have the baby at home. However, in true Diana style, she refused to do that. Instead, she had him at St. Mary's Hospital and introduced him to the world on the front steps.

<p>                     From taking them to McDonald's to demanding they go to school with other children, Princess Diana worked very hard to give her two boys as much of a normal childhood as possible. And that includes getting soaked on the log flume at Thorpe Park of course. It has since been revealed that young William was embarrassed by Princess Diana during their trip to the theme park.                   </p>

When she rode the log flume with Prince Harry and Prince William

From taking them to McDonald's to demanding they go to school with other children, Princess Diana worked very hard to give her two boys as much of a normal childhood as possible. And that includes getting soaked on the log flume at Thorpe Park of course. It has since been revealed that young William was embarrassed by Princess Diana during their trip to the theme park.

<p>                     While on a royal tour of India with Prince Charles, Princess Diana took a solo trip to the Taj Mahal in 1992. Charles was attending a business meeting in Bangalore as she visited the palace - symbolic of enduring love - alone. The picture has become a historic one with many visitors reenacting it when visiting the palace.                   </p>

When she sat alone outside the Taj Mahal

While on a royal tour of India with Prince Charles, Princess Diana took a solo trip to the Taj Mahal in 1992. Charles was attending a business meeting in Bangalore as she visited the palace - symbolic of enduring love - alone. The picture has become a historic one with many visitors reenacting it when visiting the palace.

<p>                     When Prince Charles and Princess Diana attended a gala performance at the Royal Opera House in 1985, Diana had a birthday surprise for Charles up her sleeve. Halfway through the performance, the Princess quietly slipped away and joined dancer Wayne Sleep on stage. They danced together to Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl", which Diana chose herself. Reportedly this surprise was meant to amuse Prince Charles - but his reception was cold.                   </p>

When she danced with Wayne Sleep at the Royal Opera House

When Prince Charles and Princess Diana attended a gala performance at the Royal Opera House in 1985, Diana had a birthday surprise for Charles up her sleeve. Halfway through the performance, the Princess quietly slipped away and joined dancer Wayne Sleep on stage. They danced together to Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl", which Diana chose herself. Reportedly this surprise was meant to amuse Prince Charles - but his reception was cold.

<p>                     For their very first royal tour together as a married couple, Prince Charles and Princess Diana visited Australia and New Zealand in 1983. By then they were parents to a baby Prince William. Ignoring the royal tradition to leave the children behind, Diana insisted they bring him along. Of course, he stayed with a nanny when the two were out completing royal duties, but it was an early sign of Diana's loving parenting style.                   </p>

When she brought baby William along for her first major overseas tour

For their very first royal tour together as a married couple, Prince Charles and Princess Diana visited Australia and New Zealand in 1983. By then they were parents to a baby Prince William. Ignoring the royal tradition to leave the children behind, Diana insisted they bring him along. Of course, he stayed with a nanny when the two were out completing royal duties, but it was an early sign of Diana's loving parenting style.

<p>                     Princess Diana was the patroness of around 100 charities at the height of her royal duties as the Princess of Wales. From 1989 she became the President of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and remained so until she died in 1997. She would often visit the hospital to see the children and would attend charity events for the hospital.                   </p>

When she became the president of the Great Ormond Street Hospital

Princess Diana was the patroness of around 100 charities at the height of her royal duties as the Princess of Wales. From 1989 she became the President of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and remained so until she died in 1997. She would often visit the hospital to see the children and would attend charity events for the hospital.

<p>                     By now we know that Princess Diana was not one for blind conformity and slight modification of her royal wedding vows is another example of this. Despite Queen Elizabeth insisting that it remain as part of her vows when marrying Prince Phillip, Diana omitted the line that said she would obey Prince Charles. Instead, she said she would, "love him, comfort him, honour and keep him, in sickness and in health." Princess Catherine and Meghan Markle are amongst the female royals who have upheld this omission.                   </p>

When she refused to say "obey" in her wedding vows

By now we know that Princess Diana was not one for blind conformity and slight modification of her royal wedding vows is another example of this. Despite Queen Elizabeth insisting that it remain as part of her vows when marrying Prince Phillip, Diana omitted the line that said she would obey Prince Charles. Instead, she said she would, "love him, comfort him, honour and keep him, in sickness and in health." Princess Catherine and Meghan Markle are amongst the female royals who have upheld this omission.

<p>                     During her iconic Panorama interview, Princess Diana did not hold back and went into detail about her mental health struggles. She spoke about how troubled she became after having William, that it triggered a lot of insecurities in her and led to her developing an eating disorder. Many women came forward to show their admiration for Diana's public candour as it shone a light on the issue and normalised a taboo topic at the time.                   </p>

When she was open about her post-partum depression and eating disorder

During her iconic Panorama interview, Princess Diana did not hold back and went into detail about her mental health struggles. She spoke about how troubled she became after having William, that it triggered a lot of insecurities in her and led to her developing an eating disorder. Many women came forward to show their admiration for Diana's public candour as it shone a light on the issue and normalised a taboo topic at the time.

<p>                     In 2020, Diana, Princess of Wales was named the Woman of the Year for 1987. In the retrospective Time Magazine's 100 Women of the Year list, she was awarded the Person of the Year title in 1987, because of her incredible work during the AIDS epidemic - de-stigmatising the illness, raising money for numerous charities and her unwavering support and allyship with the gay community.                   </p>

When Time Magazine awarded her Woman of the Year for 1987

In 2020, Diana, Princess of Wales was named the Woman of the Year for 1987. In the retrospective Time Magazine's 100 Women of the Year list, she was awarded the Person of the Year title in 1987, because of her incredible work during the AIDS epidemic - de-stigmatising the illness, raising money for numerous charities and her unwavering support and allyship with the gay community.

<p>                     In the summer of 1997, Princess Diana decided, with some inspiration from a young Prince William, that she would auction off 79 of her most iconic dresses. The money raised was spread between several charities close to her heart, with the auction bringing in millions. She even sold the iconic revenge dress! Even decades later some of Princess Diana's most famed dresses were going up for auction and being sold for millions.                   </p>

When she auctioned off her clothes for charity

In the summer of 1997, Princess Diana decided, with some inspiration from a young Prince William, that she would auction off 79 of her most iconic dresses. The money raised was spread between several charities close to her heart, with the auction bringing in millions. She even sold the iconic revenge dress! Even decades later some of Princess Diana's most famed dresses were going up for auction and being sold for millions.

<p>                     For her first official appearance as a couple, the then-Lady Diana and Prince Charles attended a 1981 gala evening at Goldsmith's Hall which was raising money for the Royal Opera House in London. The newly engaged couple looked very dapper in matching black tie attire.                   </p>

Her first public appearance with Charles

For her first official appearance as a couple, the then-Lady Diana and Prince Charles attended a 1981 gala evening at Goldsmith's Hall which was raising money for the Royal Opera House in London. The newly engaged couple looked very dapper in matching black tie attire.

<p>                     In a festive celebration that also marked Queen Elizabeth II's 30th anniversary on the throne, Princess Diana was asked to turn on the iconic Regent Street Christmas lights in London. This was her first solo royal engagement, thousands watched on as she stood on the balcony at Austin Reeds and switched on beloved lights. She delivered a well-received speech and even re-emerged to wave at fans after the switch-on.                   </p>

Her first solo Royal engagement

In a festive celebration that also marked Queen Elizabeth II's 30th anniversary on the throne, Princess Diana was asked to turn on the iconic Regent Street Christmas lights in London. This was her first solo royal engagement, thousands watched on as she stood on the balcony at Austin Reeds and switched on beloved lights. She delivered a well-received speech and even re-emerged to wave at fans after the switch-on.

<p>                     In true Diana fashion, Princess Diana celebrated her 36th birthday in style in 1997 by attending a gala held in her honour at the Tate Gallery's Centenary in London. She reportedly thoroughly enjoyed her evening and received an overwhelming amount of gifts and love from the crowds outside.                   </p>

Her 36th and final birthday at the Tate

In true Diana fashion, Princess Diana celebrated her 36th birthday in style in 1997 by attending a gala held in her honour at the Tate Gallery's Centenary in London. She reportedly thoroughly enjoyed her evening and received an overwhelming amount of gifts and love from the crowds outside.

<p>                     Another solo visit for the Princess, this time to New York City in 1989. Although the trip was primarily meant to promote the works of the Welsh National Opera, which she was a patron of, she visited several charities too. While there, she toured the Harlem Hospital Center where she became extremely moved seeing the patients there, so much so that she unexpectedly picked up and hugged a 7-year-old AIDS patient.                   </p>

When she visited Harlem, New York

Another solo visit for the Princess, this time to New York City in 1989. Although the trip was primarily meant to promote the works of the Welsh National Opera, which she was a patron of, she visited several charities too. While there, she toured the Harlem Hospital Center where she became extremely moved seeing the patients there, so much so that she unexpectedly picked up and hugged a 7-year-old AIDS patient.

<p>                     When two compassionate and inspirational people meet, it doesn't come as a surprise that they would get along so well. They first met in 1992 and from that point continued to share a very special friendship, so much so that when Diana passed, the rosary necklace given to her by Mother Teresa was buried alongside her.                   </p>

Her visit with Mother Teresa

When two compassionate and inspirational people meet, it doesn't come as a surprise that they would get along so well. They first met in 1992 and from that point continued to share a very special friendship, so much so that when Diana passed, the rosary necklace given to her by Mother Teresa was buried alongside her.

<p>                     Following the official announcement of Prince Charles's and Diana's separation, the first trip she embarked on solo as a single woman was her 1993 official visit to Nepal. Here she visited a leprosy hospital where she met and chatted with patients. During her visit, she was her usual compassionate self and ended up being one of the first dignitaries the patients had ever touched.                   </p>

Her first solo trip to Nepal after the divorce

Following the official announcement of Prince Charles's and Diana's separation, the first trip she embarked on solo as a single woman was her 1993 official visit to Nepal. Here she visited a leprosy hospital where she met and chatted with patients. During her visit, she was her usual compassionate self and ended up being one of the first dignitaries the patients had ever touched.

<p>                     In July 1997, Princess Diana unknowingly attended her final official engagement at the Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow London. There she unveiled a foundation stone for the children's casualty department and accepted a donation for the hospital.                   </p>

Her final official engagement before her death

In July 1997, Princess Diana unknowingly attended her final official engagement at the Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow London. There she unveiled a foundation stone for the children's casualty department and accepted a donation for the hospital.

<p>                     Just one month before marrying Prince Charles, Princess Diana made her first official appearance on the Royal Balcony for her first Trooping the Colour ceremony. She stood alongside Charles and the rest of the royal family whilst they all looked out at the display.                   </p>

Her first official balcony appearance

Just one month before marrying Prince Charles, Princess Diana made her first official appearance on the Royal Balcony for her first Trooping the Colour ceremony. She stood alongside Charles and the rest of the royal family whilst they all looked out at the display.

<p>                     This may come as a shock but Princess Diana was the first woman who married into the Royal Family while she was working a regular, paid job. She was a nursery teacher's assistant when she got engaged to Charles, having previously held nanny roles.                   </p>

Being the first royal to work a paid job

This may come as a shock but Princess Diana was the first woman who married into the Royal Family while she was working a regular, paid job. She was a nursery teacher's assistant when she got engaged to Charles, having previously held nanny roles.

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The cost of marrying a British prince

Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, is the latest in a long legacy of British royals to be mistreated by her own family. When will they learn?

Once upon a time, girls around the world grabbed their favorite tiaras and raced out of bed to see a great love story unfold. A handsome prince plucked a beautiful maiden from her humdrum life and decided she was worthy of being his wife. Her happily ever after was about to begin.

This wasn't just a fairy tale. To millions , it appeared to be the reality for Princess Diana, Kate Middleton, and Meghan Markle.

They were living the dream so many have had — marrying a prince . But as Kate's recent Photoshop controversy reveals, there is no "happily ever after" for a British princess .

Bringing the fairy tale to life

Questions about why the British monarchy still exists escalate each year. But Diana, Kate, and Meghan — shimmering modern princesses — have helped the royals maintain relevance.

When a dashing prince marries a "regular" girl, the royal wedding fantasy becomes a reality.

diana princess of wales biography book

"People love the idea of a fairy tale being a real thing," royal commentator Kristen Meinzer said. "They love that idea of a girl just being plucked from obscurity and being chosen by someone who could have his pick of the litter. He could date anyone he wanted, he could marry anybody, but he chose her."

By making the fairy tale feel real, the royal family appears far more accessible — and the British tabloids are more than happy to help.

For instance, a 2006 Daily Mail article praised Kate — whose parents were multi-millionaires when she began dating William — as the "coal miner's girl" with a "dirt-poor family past" because of her great-great-great-great-grandfather's occupation. And while the tabloids eventually turned on Meghan, they initially celebrated her for closing her car door or holding an umbrella " over Prince Harry because she's just a regular woman ."

All three princesses were a boon to the monarchy's popularity. Diana and Charles' wedding was watched by 750 million people worldwide. After he said "I do" to Kate, William was praised by former British Prime Minister Sir John Major , who said the public saw him "as a very human individual." When Harry proposed to Meghan, outlets claimed their union would " breathe new life into an ancient institution ."

But, unlike fairy tales, their stories didn't end after the dream wedding.

"There's the beauty, the celebration, the joy, the happiness," Maria Tatar, a Harvard professor of folklore and fairy tales, told BI. "And then bang — you're back to once upon a time, and all the terrible things that happen in once upon a time."

'Common' roots become a vulnerability

With their smiling faces plastered over commemorative cups, the princesses are expected to uphold perfection. They're celebrated in the tabloids when they fit the "perfect wife" archetype — such as Diana and Kate stepping out just a day after giving birth — and punished when they rebel against it. Any time a princess breaks "royal protocol," it's deemed newsworthy, from Kate painting her nails to Diana's "revenge dress." Even Meghan, who hasn't been a senior royal in four years, is still accused of " breaking protocol ."

The model for Kate and Meghan is even narrower than it was for Diana , as the media expects them to match the beloved "People's Princess." Countless articles praise the pair when they wear Diana's jewelry or mirror moments from her life . In his 2023 book "Endgame," royal expert Omid Scobie wrote that William and Kate were instructed to emulate Diana in public whenever possible, and staffers went to great lengths to style both Kate and Meghan in outfits that looked like hers.

William and Harry watched their wives get picked apart by the tabloids whenever they deviated from Diana , yet she was also a prime target of their negative press .

While the princes were hailed for foregoing blue-blooded brides, Kate and Meghan's upbringings were also used against them. As Kate became a fixture of the tabloids, so did the narrative that she had always set her sights on marrying up. The rags were happy to discuss how she and her sister Pippa were known as the "Wisteria Sisters," climbing the social ladder as fast as the invasive plant.

Meanwhile, the tabloids' coverage of Meghan's roots was marked with racist undertones. One 2016 Daily Mail headline proclaimed she was "(almost) straight outta Compton," while another story described her mother as a "dreadlocked African-American lady from the wrong side of the tracks." The insults have continued to follow Meghan over the years, such as when a hacker redirected her foundation's website to a video of Kanye West singing "Gold Digger."

Meinzer pointed out the gold-digger stereotype presumes that the man has no free will. British tabloids have been pushing that story about Meghan and Harry since they stepped back from the royal family in January 2020 — it was called "Megxit," after all. The duchess became " Manipulative Meghan ," and outlets reported she took " total control " of Harry's life.

There's an undeniable power that comes with the monarchy's wealth, which was valued at $28 billion in 2021 . But what must a princess give up in exchange for money and status?

"This is what happens when you fall in love with a prince," Tatar said. "You trade in your voice."

The cost of marrying a prince

Life in the royal family requires a delicate dance of supporting the monarchy without stealing the spotlight from the crown or heir.

In the 2022 Netflix docuseries "Harry & Meghan," Meghan spoke of how she transformed her wardrobe and wore muted tones to "blend in" and avoid upstaging anyone else in the family.

Likewise, in his 2023 memoir "Spare," Harry wrote that Charles and Camilla tried to make Kate, born "Catherine," change the spelling of her name because both of their names started with the letter C. He also said Charles' press officer berated William's PR team after Kate planned to visit a tennis club when Charles had a royal engagement.

Kate wasn't the first princess to feel the wrath of the heir's jealousy. In her 1995 "Panorama" interview with BBC reporter Martin Bashir, Diana spoke of how the public's adoration — as illustrated by the couple's 1983 Australia tour — drove a wedge between them.

"With the media attention came a lot of jealousy," Diana recalled. "A great deal of complicated situations arose because of that."

Meghan and Harry's royal tour of Australia 35 years later stirred up those same bitter feelings among the royal family, the prince recalled in "Harry & Meghan."

"The issue is when someone who's marrying in, who should be a supporting act, is then stealing the limelight or is doing the job better than the person who was born to do this — it upsets people, it shifts the balance," Harry said.

It wasn't long before the tabloids' narrative of Meghan — once called the "Duchess of Success" — started to turn.

Silence is expected

When Meghan began dating Harry, she received one of her first mandates from the royal family, a motto long embraced by the monarchy — "never complain, never explain."

"I've advocated for so long for women to use their voice, and then I was silent," Meghan told Oprah Winfrey in 2021.

The "Were you silent, or were you silenced" moment became one of the year's biggest memes, but it's also a classic fairy-tale trope. The passive princess reflects the genre's "notoriously conservative" nature, Tatar said, pointing to princesses like Cinderella and Snow White.

Meghan hoped to regain control of her narrative through her 2021 interview, but she is still relentlessly picked apart by the tabloids. British author Edwin Hayward pointed out that 16 articles were written about her by just one tabloid within 16 hours after news broke of Kate's cancer diagnosis.

Diana suffered a similar fate following the release of her biography with Andrew Morton and her BBC interview. As British journalist Robert Hardman told Vanity Fair in 1998, the princess thought sharing her story would earn her favor with the press — instead, "it boomeranged."

Because she took agency of her story, royal reporters like Piers Morgan thought Diana had "no right to claim privacy." Morgan uses the same argument in his frequent criticism of Meghan and Harry.

"You can look at Meghan and say she was a victim of the royal family, and the monarchy, and of racism. And you can also say she's somebody who took control of her life," Tatar told BI. "But then that can be turned into, 'Oh, she's manipulative.'"

Princesses are set up to fail

If a perfect princess should be seen and not heard, her disappearance can throw the entire system haywire, as evidenced by the controversy surrounding Kate's withdrawal from the public eye in January.

Speculation peaked when Kate and William released a digitally altered photo of the princess with her children amid her absence. Only Kate took the blame for editing the shot, though it had been originally credited to William, forcing her to deal with the bad press alone . And when she announced her cancer diagnosis the following week, Kate was on her own once again — sharing the news by herself on a park bench.

"It brought up memories of how Diana was treated," Meinzer told BI. "It seemed to be another moment of, 'Well, she has to put out another explanation for herself, and he gets to sit this one out.'"

Some social-media users also noted that Kate's announcement was the first time they'd heard her voice. The " perfect princess " who never stole the spotlight had suddenly been thrust into it to answer for the monarchy's bad publicity.

The great irony of the royal family turning Kate into a scapegoat is that she is among their greatest assets, as were Diana and Meghan. For years, the root of William's popularity has revolved around his relationship with Kate, from their wedding to their children. And before he was Kate's husband, the public fell in love with William because he was Diana's son.

More often than not, the princesses marrying into the royal family earn the public's loyalty and love, not those born into the monarchy. Yet the royals never seem to learn their lesson, repeating a cycle of blame that, in part, led Diana and Meghan to leave the monarchy altogether.

Even if you try to escape, one doesn't just stop being a princess. The title and all the attention that comes with it follows you for life.

It's probably why fairy tales end after "happily ever after."

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    Paperback - June 27, 2017. by Andrew Morton (Author) 13,351. See all formats and editions. The sensational biography of Princess Diana, written with her cooperation and now featuring exclusive new material to commemorate the 20th anniversary of her death. When Diana: Her True Story was first published in 1992, it forever changed the way the ...

  2. Diana: Her True Story (book)

    ISBN. 9781854791917. Diana: Her True Story (later published as Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words) is an authorised biography of Diana, Princess of Wales, written by Andrew Morton. The book was published in the United Kingdom in hardcover format on 16 June 1992 by Michael O'Mara Books. [1] The book was controversial as it detailed out Diana ...

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    An illustration of an open book. Books. An illustration of two cells of a film strip. ... Diana, Princess of Wales, 1961-1997, Princesses -- Great Britain ... Language English. 448 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : 23 cm The sensational biography of Princess Diana, written with her cooperation and now featuring exclusive new material to ...

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  7. Diana, Princess of Wales: A Biography

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  8. Diana : Her True Story in Her Own Words

    The sensational biography of Princess Diana, written with her cooperation and now featuring exclusive new material to commemorate the 20th anniversary of her death.When Diana: Her True Story was first published in 1992, it forever changed the way the public viewed the British monarchy. Greeted initially with disbelief and ridicule, the #1 New York Times bestselling biography has become a ...

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  12. Diana, Princess of Wales: A Biography by Penny Junor

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  18. Diana, princess of Wales

    Lady Diana Spencer, 1971. Lady Diana Spencer working as a nanny in London, 1980. Diana was born at Park House, the home that her parents rented on Queen Elizabeth II 's estate at Sandringham and where Diana's childhood playmates were the queen's younger sons, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. As the third child and youngest daughter of ...

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