She wasn’t part of the monarchy for long, but in the short time she was, Princess Diana changed the royal family forever. She married Prince Charles in 1981, and split from him 11 years later. In 1997, she tragically died, but in the decade and a half that the public knew her, Diana built a legacy that would last for years.
Diana had an impact on the royal family, and the British public in general. So many of the things that Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle do today are a direct result of ways that Diana shifted the old royal tradition. Princess Diana really affected the monarchy in her short time as princess, and she will forever be missed.
Refusing to 'Obey' Prince Charles
On her wedding day, Diana set off a new tradition that Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle would adopt for their own ceremonies as well. Diana did not promise to “obey” her husband in her vows. Instead, she promised to “love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health.”
Giving Birth in a Hospital
Prior to Princess Diana giving birth to Prince William, royal mothers usually had home births. She changed everything for modern royals by deciding to head to the hospital instead. Meghan Markle has further modernized things for royal moms by opting not to do the post-birth photo shoot that both Diana and Kate did.
William & Harry Went to School
Prior to Princess Diana joining the royal family, the royal children tended to be homeschooled, especially in their early years. But Diana wanted her sons to go to regular school with their peers. Prince William has followed in his mother’s footsteps and is sending his children to “regular” school as well.
Diana Let William Travel With His Parents
Out of an abundance of caution, royal heirs were not supposed to travel together in case an accident disrupted the line of succession. But Diana wasn’t having any of that, and she let William fly with her and Charles on their various travels. Will and Kate also frequently break this rule when they bring Prince George with them.
Working Out in a Public Gym
The reason we have so many paparazzi photos of Princess Diana’s chic athleisure is because she went to a public gym to work out instead of staying on the protected royal property. Like his mother, Harry preferred a public gym setting to staying cooped up in Kensington Palace.
Becoming a Worldwide Fashion Icon
We’re so used to Kate Middleton wearing global designers on her various international trips, but the one who really started that was Princess Diana. And as her sense of style expanded, so did her reach. Soon, everyone — all over the world — wanted to dress like Diana. Her fashion legacy still exists today.
Bringing Her Children Face-to-Face With People's Struggles
Diana’s charitable spirit is one of the things people will always remember about her, and she instilled that value in her sons. Princess Diana used to bring them to help out in homeless shelters so they would understand that not everyone was as fortunate as they were. Both Harry and William are still extremely active in philanthropy today.
Friends With Her Staff
Express reported that the princess would “cross invisible lines” between royals and the staff that worked for them. While Queen Elizabeth is set on formality, and doesn’t really engage with her staff, Diana was known for remembering names, venturing down to the kitchen to say hello, and even inviting staffers to eat with her.
Friendly to the Press
It’s extra tragic that the press played a role in Princess Diana’s death, because she was one of the royals who was nicest to them. Unlike the more closed-off members of the royal family, she was open with the media and often talked to reporters. Reportedly, Diana would do this to help promote her various charitable causes, with a journalist Tom Jennings recalling, “She decided, ‘Fine, guys and members of the press, if you’re going to follow me around, we’re going to this hospital now.'”
Supporting 'Controversial' Causes
Early on in the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the princess focused a lot of her attention on the cause. This was at a time when many people were afraid to even go near people who had the disease. But Diana gave them hugs, and helped turn the tide of public awareness. Before Diana, the royal family may have been charitable, but not in this major of a way. Since her death, Harry and William have taken on her HIV/AIDS work.
Unafraid to Get Political
It’s considered bad form for the royals to engage in political conversation or causes, and there are some laws about what they can and cannot do, but Diana didn’t let that stop her. When she took on work to help people affected by landmines, she angered UK politicians. Junior Defence Minister Earl Howe even called her a “loose cannon.” The royals are still somewhat hesitant to enter the political sphere today, except for Harry and Meghan, who are among the most vocal.
Kind of Writing a Tell-All Book
Harry and Meghan have said that they weren’t involved in the bombshell tell-all Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Family, but Princess Diana was involved in a tell-all of her own back in the day. Diana: Her True Story — in Her Own Words featured input from the princess herself, which was a huge move for a royal to make.
Giving Personal TV Interviews
One time, the Queen allowed the BBC to film a documentary about her family, and then she panicked after it aired — and said it was never allowed to be shown again. In contrast, Diana went on national television to air some of her biggest personal secrets in a widely seen interview. In it, she discussed her husband’s affair, her own affair, and more intimate information. It was unheard of for a royal to get so personal on TV.
Speaking Out About 'Taboo' Subjects
Long before celebrities made it more commonplace to talk about their mental health, Diana opened up about some of her own struggles. The tell-all that she contributed to revealed that she dealt with bulimia, and her admission helped people everywhere feel more comfortable talking about their own eating disorders.
Making People Really Care About Her
She really was “the people’s princess,” and when Diana died, everyone was crushed. People mourned around the world, but the reaction in Britain was particularly interesting. For a long time, the UK had a sort of cold reputation for having a stiff upper lip in the face of any tragedy. But Diana’s death softened that upper lip. People openly wept on the streets. Even the stoic Queen bowed her head.
Diana changed not only the royal family forever, but the British public as well.
