Diana, Princess of Wales, was an icon in the United Kingdom and worldwide. She was beloved by many, but not everyone in the royal family felt the same way.
Princess Diana was the ‘people’s princess’ – a beloved icon who captured people’s hearts worldwide.
Yet, behind closed doors of Buckingham Palace, the Royal Family had a far different view of her.
As their marriage unraveled and Diana’s public profile grew, it became clear that not everyone in the Royal Family was happy with Diana’s presence.
Who is Princess Diana?
Lady Diana Spencer 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.
She was the third child and youngest daughter of Edward John Spencer, Viscount Althorp, heir to the 7th Earl Spencer, and his first wife, Frances Ruth Burke Roche (daughter of the 4th Baron Fermoy).
Her parents’ troubled marriage ended in divorce when Diana was a child, and she, along with her brother and two sisters, remained with her father.
Lady Diana Frances Spencer, Princess of Wales (born July 1, 1961; died August 31, 1997) was a member of the British Royal Family.
She was the mother of Princes William and Harry and the first wife of King Charles III, who was still the Prince of Wales.
She became an international icon thanks to her activism and glamour, and she also enjoyed sustained popularity and virtually unheard-of levels of public scrutiny.
The Royal Family was not happy with her Royal Highness status. She had become a liability in the eyes of her husband’s family and some circles.
Her outspokenness and charity work put her at odds with the stiff upper lip and formalities expected of the Royal Family.
This discord was made worse by her strained relationship with the media. Diana was often photographed in private moments, leading the Royal Family to fear her potential indiscretions and stories that could tarnish their reputation.
They were keen to limit Diana’s activities to avoid further controversies.
The Children Of Prince Charles and Princess Diana
On July 29, 1981, The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer exchanged vows in St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.
The Princess carried out a variety of royal obligations during her marriage. The Princess, who had two sons named Prince William and Prince Harry, placed a high value on her family (Harry).
Their Children’s Marital Status
Prince William And Kate Middleton
Prince William and Kate Middleton, also known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, were married in April 2011. They have three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
Prince Harry And Meghan Markle
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were married in May 2018. They have one son named Archie.
Prince Harry and Meghan’s decision to step down from their senior positions in the Royal Family caused tension between them and other family members.
The Relationship With Charles
Diana and Prince Charles were married for 15 years, from 1981 to 1996. Throughout their marriage, Charles and Diana experienced significant marital difficulties.
During their honeymoon, Charles admitted that he was still in love with his former girlfriend, Camilla Parker Bowles (now wife to Prince Charles).
This admission led to considerable tension between them and eventually contributed to their separation and divorce.
For members of the Royal Family—especially Queen Elizabeth II—the discord between Charles and Diana was considered unacceptable behavior.
This is because it made them both—especially Charles—look bad in the eyes of their subjects; after all, if they couldn’t make a successful marriage work, how could they be expected to lead?
In addition, since any major decision regarding royal matters had to be approved by Queen Elizabeth II herself, this marital strife also put her authority into question.
Diana’s Growing Popularity
In addition to her fraught relationship with Prince Charles, many members of The Royal Family were uncomfortable with Princess Diana’s growing popularity among the general public.
During her lifetime, she became an international celebrity whose every move was documented by paparazzi photographers across England and beyond; as such, she often overshadowed other members of The Royal Family — including Queen Elizabeth II — which didn’t sit well with them at all.
Furthermore, many of these tabloid stories featured stories about her private life, which caused concern for some members of The Royal Family who believed that it was inappropriate for a member of The Royals to open up about personal matters like this in such a public way.
The Troubled Marriage of Charles and Diana
When Charles and Diana got married, it was a match made in heaven—at least, that’s how it seemed on the outside.
But as time went on, it became clear that there were problems within their marriage that couldn’t be ignored.
As Diana’s fame grew, so did suspicions about her husband’s involvement with other women—most notably Camilla Parker Bowles.
These rumors created tensions between Charles and Diana, eventually leading to their divorce in 1996.
The War of Words Between Charles and Diana
As news of Charles’ infidelity spread through the media, he began to lash out at Diana publicly—even going so far as to accuse her of being mentally unstable.
This angered not only Diana but members of her family, who felt her ex-husband was unfairly maligning her.
In response to these attacks, Diana began to speak out against Charles in interviews and speeches—which caused further tension between her and the royal family.
Diana’s Legacy After Her Death
Diana’s sudden death sparked an outpouring of grief from people worldwide—but the royal family’s reaction was much more muted than one might expect.
While they did express sadness over her passing, some members of the royal family accused her of bringing attention to herself through controversial acts such as shaking hands with HIV/AIDS patients or talking openly about mental health issues like bulimia nervosa.
This made many people feel like they weren’t truly mourning her death as deeply as they should have been.
Conclusion
The marriage of Charles and Diana was a source of significant tension within the royal family, not least due to the infidelity issues that arose.
Diana’s growing popularity further exacerbated this tension among the public and her willingness to speak out against the royals in interviews. In the end, the royal family met her death with a muted reaction, which was seen as insensitive to many of her admirers.
Diana’s legacy, however, will live on as an iconic figure who used her position to draw attention to issues that the royals were often reluctant to address.
