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The former Princess of Wales has been the subject of many books and countless newspaper and magazine articles. This definitive biography by historian and acclaimed royal biographer Sarah Bradford cuts through the myths and half truths surrounding Diana to present a realistic look at one of the 20th century's most unforgettable women.
Diana Spencer was born into wealth and aristocracy. She was six years old when her mother abandoned the family, and the four Spencer children were ushered off to boarding schools. Her father remarried after a bitter divorce in which he acquired custody of the children, who neither accepted nor liked their stepmother.
Diana excelled at sports but was a reluctant student. She was deeply troubled by her mother's abandonment and her father's new marriage. When she completed her formal education, she moved into a flat with friends and found work as a kindergarten aide.
It was during this time, as a shy teenager, that she stumbled upon the world stage. She dated and then became engaged to Prince Charles. During the engagement period Diana was moody and emotionally fragile. No one bothered to explain what was expected of her and how things were done in royal circles. Charles had little patience and no understanding of her problems. He still loved another --- Camilla --- who would soon become the most famous "other woman" in history.
The royal wedding was the stuff of which fairy tales are made. It was televised around the world; no one who watched the ceremony will ever forget the elaborate, extravagant event.
Diana fulfilled her duty, producing an heir and the spare, William and Harry. She was a doting mother who delighted in her boys, giving them money and taking them shopping. She accompanied them to homeless shelters where they met people they otherwise never would have encountered. Diana already was preparing William to be a monarch who understood what life was like outside the palace walls.
Her marriage though was a nightmare. The royal couple had nothing in common. Diana loved dance and music and, being quite young, wanted to have a good time. Charles was interested in polo, architecture and organic gardening. He was a self-centered man who lived a very insulated life in which his every wish was met. Diana, insecure and overly sensitive, suffered from bulimia. Charles was insensitive to her needs, which were many, and quite jealous of her celebrity. The crowds could not get enough of her, and she quickly became the most photographed and sought-after woman in the world.
Seeking to carve out a niche for herself, Diana championed causes such as AIDS awareness, homelessness and, during the last year of her life, the elimination of land mines. She visited hospitals and was able to connect with people on a very personal and emotional level. Diana easily could raise funds for any group or cause that caught her attention.
Diana was desperate for Charles's love and affection, yet the shadow of Camilla was ever present. The publication of various tell-all books (with the secret blessings and even assistance at times of Diana and Charles) and the airing of television interviews in which adultery was admitted created a media circus.
Following a lengthy and bitter separation, and the inevitable divorce, Diana was determined to reinvent herself as a person in her own right. She had money, status, connections, beauty, celebrity, and finally, the freedom to do exactly as she pleased. By now she had a love/hate relationship with the media, which often she encouraged and/or manipulated. Her many affairs of the heart always made headlines.
Ultimately, Diana became involved with the Al-Fayeds. The media went overboard in their pursuit of Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed, as rumors were afloat that they were planning to marry. Diana's life ended abruptly and tragically as a result of a bizarre car accident. The fairy tale had a sad ending, indeed.
--- Reviewed by Carole Turner
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