My subject for today's speech is Diana, Princess of Wales, also know as the "people's princess". I want to share with you my opinion of why I feel she should be commemorated.
Until her engagement to Prince Charles the world saw the British kingdom as stuffy, but Princess Diana brought a much needed breath of fresh air into the Royal family. To the public, Diana seemed a refreshing alternative to those still occupying the House of Windsor. After Princess Diana's untimely death in 1997 she was commemorated for her many contributions to the world, taking on such issues as HIV, AIDS, domestic abuse, drug addiction and her campaign against the use of land mines. Her thoughts on aids and hiv were "HIV does not make people dangerous to know, so you can shake their hands and give them a hug." In light of all the wonderful things Princess Diana did in her life as a princess, she was the first Princess of Wales and queen to be to have lived a normal life as we know it.
Deutsch: Korso nach der Hochzeit von Andrew Mountb...
Princess Diana on a royal visit for the official o...
(c) LooiDiana was six years old, when her mother left her father. They divorced in 1969, and Diana's father received custody of Diana and her siblings. In 1975 Diana's father became the eighth Earl Spencer, making Diana a Lady. Diana attended private boarding schools but never excelled academically at school but was described as "a girl who notices what needs to be done, then does it willingly and cheerfully." She dreamed of being a ballerina, but grew too tall (as an adult she was 5'10").
After leaving school in 1978 She talked her father into letting her rent an apartment in London, which she shared with 3 friends which is uncommon for royalty. She was a skilled cook and was said to have kept the Kensington apartment neater than any of her roommates. She drove a mini metro car and even had parking problems like any other working class girl living in London. She worked part time as a nanny, waitress, and cleaning woman before becoming a full time teacher at the Young England kindergarten in London.
Sharing an apartment, working and doing household chores were very uncommon for someone of her royalty. She spent her leisure time going to movies with friends, watching TV or shopping for clothes which were also uncommon for someone of her status. There were no late nights at trendy clubs, no romantic involvements at all. Diana's background made her a perfect candidate for Princess of Wales: she had a history but no "past.
I think the problems that she had with the depression and bulimia is all from the result of who she had to be while holding the title of Princess Diana, wife of Prince Charles. This took away from who she really was, who she tried to be in the end, just a normal person like everyone else. And this is the reason I feel she should be commemorated.
English: Diana, Princess of Wales, at the Cannes f...
English: Princess Diana meeting with Sri Chinmoy, ...
English: The Leonardo Prize