Princess Diana, 20 Years Later

Written by Jon Williams

Lady Diana Spencer was born on July 1, 1961, into a prominent family of the British nobility, and she came to the attention of the world when she married Prince Charles on July 29, 1981, shortly after her 20th birthday. Their wedding drew a television audience of 750 million people worldwide. Initially shy, Diana would grow into her role in the spotlight over the course of their 15-year marriage, making a number of international visits both with the prince and on her own.

Princess Diana and Prince Charles’s marriage could best be described as “tumultuous,” and the couple divorced in July of 1996. Diana retained her title of Princess of Wales, and rededicated herself to a number of charities, including AIDS research and landmine elimination, using her status to highlight causes that were near and dear to her. Her signature style during her time in the spotlight also made her a fashion icon. She was a beloved figure worldwide who transformed the way so many people viewed the royal family.

Princess Diana was killed in a car accident on August 31, 1997, sending shockwaves around the world. Her funeral procession drew an estimated 2.5 billion viewers globally. Elton John, a close friend of the princess, performed a version of his hit song “Candle in the Wind” with the lyrics revised to honor Diana’s life. While that song is one of the highest-selling singles of all time (with proceeds benefitting Diana’s charities), it has never been included on any of his albums or compilations, and Sir Elton has stated that he would only perform it again live if asked to do so by her sons, Princes William and Harry.

Next week will mark the twentieth anniversary of Princess Diana’s untimely passing. With so many still fascinated by her life and enduring legacy, you’ll want to have plenty of material on your shelves for them to check out. SmartBrowse Princess Diana on our website for a collection of materials put together by our media experts in commemoration of this melancholy milestone.

Remembering Princess Diana

Today marks fifteen years since the passing of Diana, Princess of Wales. The beloved royal was killed in an automobile accident in Paris. She was 36.

Diana married Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, in 1981. The ceremony, which took place at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, reached a global television audience of approximately 750 million. Over the course of her time as princess, she became involved with a great number of charities and causes both domestic and international. In fact, she was posthumously awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 due to her effort to help ban the use of landmines worldwide.

Her marriage to Charles, which began on such a glorious note, was eventually fraught with a number of highly publicized problems. The two divorced in 1996. However, Diana remained close to the couple’s two sons, Princes William (born 1982) and Harry (1984). When William was engaged to Catherine Middleton in 2010, the ring he presented her was his mother’s own engagement ring from Charles.

In 2011, Prince William married Catherine (who was then named Duchess of Cambridge) in a ceremony that was once again seen by millions around the world via television and the Internet. They carried on Diana’s charitable bent, establishing a fund to which celebrants could donate in lieu of wedding gifts.

Nor is that the only way in which William and Catherine honor Diana’s memory. In September, the couple will visit Southeast Asia as part of Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee celebration. While in Singapore, they will attend an orchid-naming ceremony in which a flower will be named for Princess Diana.

Fifteen years later, there is still a great deal of interest in Diana, her sons, and the British Royal Family. Here are some titles that may be of interest to your patrons.

DVD
The Princess Diana Collection
Princess Diana (Conspiracy?)
Diana – An Intimate Portrait
Prince William & Kate: The Royal Romance
William & Kate – Planning a Royal Wedding
The Royal Wedding – William & Catherine

Audiobook
The Diana Chronicles
The Real Diana
Prince William
William and Harry
William & Kate: The Love Story
The Making of a Royal Romance
Elizabeth the Queen
Her Majesty

CD
A Musical Tribute to Diana