Princess Diana's "Scandalous" Royal Behavior That Made Headline News
Princess Diana is a modern icon. Diana Spencer was regarded as the "People's Princess" because she displayed who she was in everything she did. Kind and charming, the people adored her humanitarian endeavors and motherly deeds. But it doesn't mean that every decision was well-received by her family or the media.
Princess Diana's media treatment defined her life in the royal glare until her 1997 death after already being followed by photographers across Paris. Diana had little privacy after she began dating Prince Charles because the press couldn't capture enough of the charismatic ingénue here to revive the royal family. For every story that complimented her charm and elegance, others ripped apart her departures from royal conventions and whatever else they could peddle as "scandal." This treatment only escalated following her divorce from Charles.
Shoulder-baring dress? Scandalous. Wanted her children to attend a public school? Scandalous. Get it? Diana was a free spirit, a passionately devoted mother, but determined to make the choices she believed were right for herself, her family, and the world around her, regardless of palace traditions. This led to headlines making Diana a traitor, an embarrassment, or a phony.
She discussed politics.
Diana was often criticized for her humanitarian work, but she persisted. Diana wants to assist everyone, from AIDS to landmines.
She met AIDS patients.
Princess Diana did something unique by touching hands with an AIDS patient. People believed that you'd acquire it if you touched somebody with AIDS. Diana visited AIDS wards to clear up misunderstandings and was called "rebellious" for it.
She Gave The Tell-All Marriage Interview.
Diana breached royal convention by letting the BBC record her 1995 Panorama interview in her house. She was franker about her marriage with Prince Charles than anybody in royal family history had been to a reporter, disclosing information about Charles' affair with Camilla, her adultery, her battles with bulimia, and the anxiety that she felt from the Royal family's stringent regulations. In this interview, she said, "There were three of us in this marriage, therefore it was crowded."
Dated Dodi Fayed
After the divorce from Prince Charles, Diana dated rich playboy Dodi Al-Fayed. In 1986, when Diana still was married to Charles, they met at the polo tournament. But there's more. Tabloid media examined Fayed's family ties and company, and the couple's seriousness was questioned. Plus, tabloids played up Fayed's playboy past, questioning his intentions with Diana. The couple was in love to the end. The media, as well as the Royal family, commented on the connection. Both termed it scandalous owing to Fayed's reported philandering and meeting when Diana was with Charles.
She Broke Royal Protocol.
As a Royal, what you're allowed to wear has several rules. Reader's Digest suggests wearing bright colors to stand out, usually wearing pantyhose and avoiding miniskirts. Diana was a style icon, but the royal family and journalists still scrutinized her appearance. Some of Diana's favorite ensembles were controversial, such as her strapless dresses, transparent skirts, and costly engagement ring. Even donning an Eagles jacket was deemed too non-royal. Many believed the Princess of Wales ought to be more traditional than modern.
She wore a 'Revenge Dress.
Princess Diana's vengeance dress is a well-known tale. Diana wore this Christina Stambolian garment at a 1994 Serpentine Gallery dinner. Prince Charles' stunning tell-all interview in which he revealed cheating on Diana and Camilla Parker-Bowles nicknamed it the "revenge dress." Good and awful things happened when she wore them.
Some believed it was a rebellious yet discreet sartorial response to Charles' adultery. In contrast, others thought it was far on-the-nose and childish of the Princess of Wales to do so with her marriage breaking apart. The outfit is legendary.
Sunbathing Topless
Princess Diana's topless images became a media obsession. They'd post images of her topless and disgrace her. Following her divorce in 1996, she went topless on a girls' holiday and aboard Dodi Fayed's boat in 1997. After her divorce, the Princess of Wales remained closely watched. Some royal enthusiasts recall when Kate Middleton sunbathed topless. Diana never had privacy, which led to her terrible story.
She Didn't Say "Obey."
Why? In the royal marriage ceremony, ladies "commit to following" their husbands, said Reader's Digest. Where? Diana, like us, left it out of her vows. The phrase was used in previous royal weddings, notably Queen Elizabeth II's. It was among Diana's initial signals of rebellion. The insignificant choice increased the spotlight on the little princess.
Non-Royal Baby Names
Royal etiquette demands that mothers name their infants after someone in the Royal family, dating to the 1400s. Diana named her babies. She let Charles choose their middle names after his relatives.
She Dared to Go Through a Divorce
Every media speculated when Diana and Charles divorced in 1996. Charles' fault? Diana's revolt? — that's all on newsstands.
Outside The Palace, She Gave Birth.
Diana broke precedent with her babies' names and gave birth at a hospital. The media and Royals called her a "rebel" for doing so, while her wanting her boys to enjoy a "normal" existence.
Active Parent
Diana wanted her sons to enjoy a regular life despite being royals. Diana was a very involved mother, rather than relying on etiquette classes and nannies. The media dubbed her "controlling" and "overbearing" She wanted to be a busy mother. She took them to school, educated them, and even played with them.
Attending School Events
Diana put her children at a school where they could mingle with non-royals, Wetherby Preparatory School at Notting Hill, London. This made headlines for a long time, but Diana was keen on having her children experience regular lives. She also joined other royal mums at gatherings to show how enjoyable the family could be.
Her Sons Saw Real-World Issues.
Diana was enthusiastic about homelessness and showed her boys its impacts firsthand. Royalty only donated money or attended events; political involvement was unusual. Diana didn't care—she wanted to expose her boys to the world. The media termed it scandalous and questioned her parenting skills.
