Diana, Princess of Wales: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies)

Long before her tragic death, Diana, Princess of Wales was a beloved modern icon, relatable to the general public in a way that transcended the barrier between royal and commoner. As a member of the royal family in an age of mass media, her fairy-tale wedding to, and painful divorce from, Prince Charles was played out on the world stage. Later, her humanitarian work for the Red Cross, her campaigns against landmines, and her work with the sick, especially AIDS victims, added a compassionate element to the royal family in the eyes of the world—and the world, ten years later, still hasn't gotten enough of Lady Di. This objective, accessible volume explores Diana's fascinating life, including her aristocratic upbringing, her whirlwind engagement to Prince Charles, her rocky marriage, her post-divorce status as global humanitarian icon, the media's frenzied treatment of her death, and her charitable legacy, including her sons' coming-of-age and their attempts to honor her memory. COVER PAGE......Page 1 RECENT TITLES IN GREENWOOD BIOGRAPHIES......Page 3 TITLE PAGE......Page 4 ISBN 0313348790......Page 5 CONTENTS (with page links)......Page 7 SERIES FOREWORD......Page 8 INTRODUCTION......Page 10 TIMELINE: EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES......Page 13 CHAPTER 1 BIRTH OF A PRINCESS......Page 16 THE HAPPIER SIDE......Page 17 DEATH KNELL OF A MARRIAGE......Page 20 NOTE......Page 23 CHAPTER 2 A FAMILY HISTORY......Page 24 ANOTHER GENERATION......Page 25 IN HER SISTERS’ FOOTSTEPS......Page 27 “RAINE, RAINE, GO AWAY”......Page 29 NOTES......Page 32 CHAPTER 3 DIANA THE TEENAGER......Page 34 DIANA’S SENSE OF DESTINY......Page 35 FATEFUL ENCOUNTER......Page 37 NOTES......Page 40 CHAPTER 4 MERGING PATHS......Page 42 LOVE LIFE OF A PRINCE......Page 44 FATAL ATTRACTION......Page 47 NOTES......Page 49 CHAPTER 5 THE ENGAGEMENT......Page 50 GAMES PEOPLE PLAY......Page 52 BINGING AND PURGING......Page 55 NOTES......Page 57 CHAPTER 6 THE WEDDING......Page 60 NO HEAVENLY HONEYMOON......Page 62 A LACK OF CHEMISTRY......Page 64 THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE......Page 66 NOTES......Page 68 CHAPTER 7 EARLY YEARS AS A ROYAL......Page 70 HITTING ROCK BOTTOM......Page 72 HER AGAIN......Page 74 BLOSSOMING PRINCESS......Page 76 NOTES......Page 78 CHAPTER 8 THE CRUMBLING MARRIAGE......Page 80 TWO CAN PLAY AT THIS GAME......Page 81 NEW GIRL IN TOWN......Page 83 NOTES......Page 87 CHAPTER 9 GROWING COMPASSION......Page 90 MISSIONS OF THE HEART......Page 92 STILL SEARCHING FOR LOVE......Page 95 A MARRIAGE DOOMED TO FAIL......Page 98 NOTES......Page 99 CHAPTER 10 THEIR SEPARATE WAYS......Page 102 THE TELL-ALL TALE......Page 104 LAST LEGS OF A ROYAL MARRIAGE......Page 107 NEW BEAU, BUT NO NEW HOME......Page 111 NOTES......Page 112 CHAPTER 11 STILL CHASING A DREAM......Page 114 CHARLES’S SIDE OF THE STORY......Page 116 INVASION OF PRIVACY......Page 118 DIANA UNCENSORED......Page 121 HER MEAN-SPIRITED SIDE......Page 123 NOTES......Page 125 CHAPTER 12 THE FINAL YEARS AND FATAL END......Page 126 NEW CAMPAIGN......Page 128 LAST TANGO IN PARIS......Page 131 CRASHING END TO THE LIFE OF A PRINCESS......Page 133 GOODBYE, DIANA......Page 135 NOTES......Page 137 EPILOGUE......Page 140 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 144 WEB SITES......Page 145 INDEX (with page links)......Page 146 PHOTO ESSAY......Page 149 ABOUT THE AUTHOR......Page 155 COVER PAGE 1 RECENT TITLES IN GREENWOOD BIOGRAPHIES 3 TITLE PAGE 4 ISBN 0313348790 5 CONTENTS (with page links) 7 SERIES FOREWORD 8 INTRODUCTION 10 TIMELINE: EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES 13 CHAPTER 1 BIRTH OF A PRINCESS 16 THE HAPPIER SIDE 17 DEATH KNELL OF A MARRIAGE 20 BREAK FROM HOME 23 NOTE 23 CHAPTER 2 A FAMILY HISTORY 24 ANOTHER GENERATION 25 IN HER SISTERS’ FOOTSTEPS 27 “RAINE, RAINE, GO AWAY” 29 NOTES 32 CHAPTER 3 DIANA THE TEENAGER 34 DIANA’S SENSE OF DESTINY 35 FATEFUL ENCOUNTER 37 NOTES 40 CHAPTER 4 MERGING PATHS 42 LOVE LIFE OF A PRINCE 44 FATAL ATTRACTION 47 NOTES 49 CHAPTER 5 THE ENGAGEMENT 50 GAMES PEOPLE PLAY 52 BINGING AND PURGING 55 NOTES 57 CHAPTER 6 THE WEDDING 60 NO HEAVENLY HONEYMOON 62 A LACK OF CHEMISTRY 64 THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE 66 NOTES 68 CHAPTER 7 EARLY YEARS AS A ROYAL 70 HITTING ROCK BOTTOM 72 HER AGAIN 74 BLOSSOMING PRINCESS 76 NOTES 78 CHAPTER 8 THE CRUMBLING MARRIAGE 80 TWO CAN PLAY AT THIS GAME 81 NEW GIRL IN TOWN 83 NOTES 87 CHAPTER 9 GROWING COMPASSION 90 MISSIONS OF THE HEART 92 STILL SEARCHING FOR LOVE 95 A MARRIAGE DOOMED TO FAIL 98 NOTES 99 CHAPTER 10 THEIR SEPARATE WAYS 102 THE TELL-ALL TALE 104 LAST LEGS OF A ROYAL MARRIAGE 107 NEW BEAU, BUT NO NEW HOME 111 NOTES 112 CHAPTER 11 STILL CHASING A DREAM 114 CHARLES’S SIDE OF THE STORY 116 INVASION OF PRIVACY 118 DIANA UNCENSORED 121 HER MEAN-SPIRITED SIDE 123 NOTES 125 CHAPTER 12 THE FINAL YEARS AND FATAL END 126 NEW CAMPAIGN 128 LAST TANGO IN PARIS 131 CRASHING END TO THE LIFE OF A PRINCESS 133 GOODBYE, DIANA 135 NOTES 137 EPILOGUE 140 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 144 WEB SITES 145 INDEX (with page links) 146 PHOTO ESSAY 149 ABOUT THE AUTHOR 155 From her aristocratic upbringing to her charitable legacy, this volume explores Diana's role as a royal, a tragic figure, and a cultural icon. Long before her tragic death, Diana, Princess of Wales was a beloved modern icon, relatable to the general public in a way that transcended the barrier between royal and commoner. As a member of the royal family in an age of mass media, her fairy-tale wedding to, and painful divorce from, Prince Charles was played out on the world stage. Later, her humanitarian work for the Red Cross, her campaigns against landmines, and her work with the sick, especially AIDS victims, added a compassionate element to the royal family in the eyes of the world. This objective, accessible volume explores Diana's fascinating life, including her aristocratic upbringing, her whirlwind engagement to Prince Charles, their rocky marriage, her role as mother and her sons' coming of age in her absence, her post-divorce status as global humanitarian icon, the media's frenzied treatment of her death, and her charitable legacy. A timeline of key events, vibrant images, and a bibliography of print and non-print sources supplement the work Describes the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, from her early childhood to her courtship and marriage to the Prince of Wales, their divorce, and her death. Chronicles the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, from her childhood, through her teen years and marriage to Prince Charles, to her tragic death