The most famous woman in the world still has so much influence and inspiration on countless lives around the world, even after her death.
One of my dreams, since I was little, was to be a part of a world event (I guess I am at this point, but I was hoping for something happier). I would imagine myself being one out of tens of thousands singing in unison to Bohemian Rhapsody at Live Aid, an experience like no other. Or attending Beyonce’s Homecoming, just happy that I’m in the same vicinity as Queen Bey herself.
But the event I imagined myself a part of more than ever was something of royalty. I wanted to see a whole country packed in every nook and cranny, strangers embracing each other out of pure happiness, and continue the celebrations well into the next day.
What I wanted to be a part of was the royal wedding between Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer.
I’ve never been interested in the royals because I live in America and the only time I paid attention was when Meghan Markle (now known as Megan, Duchess of Sussex) married Prince Harry. I was mainly excited, not because she was marrying royalty, but because I’ve been a fan of hers since Suits and it was about time that the monarchy had some black people in there.
But more recently I’ve been interested in getting to know one of the most famous royal members, Lady Diana.
I’ve heard of her off and on for a few years, but since we don’t have a monarchy in the States, my interest never peaked more than a stray question here and there. This past weekend I made it my mission to get to know more about Lady Di.
After watching Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy, part one of a 2-part documentary series commissioned by Prince William and Prince Harry about their mother, I fully understand why she is regarded as the most famous woman in the world.
Princess Diana was completely opposite of the monarchy at the time. She was approachable, caring, compassionate, funny, and silly. She walked to the beat of her own drum and didn’t let her status morally corrupt her. But what made everyone fall in love with her is how she made the royals accessible. Before, the monarchy was seen as a stuffy symbol. As soon as Lady Diana hit the scene, people finally saw someone they could relate to and saw someone who wasn’t afraid to interact with the common folk.
Although she died a year before I was born, Lady Di left behind a humongous legacy. She was an advocate for getting homelessness off the streets, heavily involved in campaigning for animal protection, raised international awareness about landmines, and helped work to remove them in countries after a war, and could be seen in countless hospitals visiting patients with AIDS. This was in a time where people were so adverse in coming to contact with the patients, whereas Diana was seen hugging and shaking hands with AIDS patients as if they were old friends, in her attempts to de-stigmatize the disease.
Diana took life by the hands and made it her friend and confidant. In every picture she’s in, you can see genuine happiness radiating off of her. The love she had for her sons was evident in every interaction, every laugh, every tear, every smile that you see from back when they were little, all the way up to today. The kindness and empathy that she had poured out of her heart and was felt all over the globe.
In a time where things feel uncertain, Diana, Princess of Wales has inspired me to take every moment in great stride. Love your friends and family to Mars and back (it’s a farther distance). Treat people with kindness. Wear what makes you confident and happy. Don’t listen to what other people think of you because your opinion of yourself is what is more important. Thank you, Diana, for reinvigorating my dreams to live life to the fullest.