Diana Princess of Wales facts: life, marriage, and legacy

Diana Princess of Wales facts begin with a life that moved quickly from a Sandringham childhood to a global stage. Born on 1 July 1961 at Park House, Sandringham, Norfolk, Diana became one of the most watched figures of her era after her wedding to Charles in July 1981.

Her story is full of firsts, turning points, and public moments that stayed in memory. She was baptised on 30 August at St. Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham. Before her engagement, she worked as a preschool aide, and she was the first royal bride to have had a paying job before becoming engaged. She was also the first Englishwoman to marry the first in line to the throne since Anne Hyde over three hundred years earlier.

How did Diana become Princess of Wales?

Diana became Princess of Wales through her marriage to Charles in July 1981, and the ceremony drew a global television audience of seven hundred fifty million people. Her first public appearance with Charles had come a few months earlier, at a charity ball at Goldsmiths' Hall in March 1981. Those early appearances set the tone for a marriage watched closely from the beginning.

Diana and Charles had two sons: William, born in 1982, and Harry, born in 1984. The couple’s family life included choices that gave the boys wider experiences than was usual for royal children. Diana selected their schools and clothing, keeping a clear hand in how they were raised.

What made Diana’s charity work different?

Diana was celebrated for an unconventional approach to charity work, especially her involvement in AIDS awareness and the international removal of landmines. She also raised awareness and advocated for ways to help people affected by cancer and mental illness. These causes became central to the public image she built beyond royal ceremony.

Her work stood out because it moved across several hard subjects at a time when public attention could be limited or cautious. AIDS awareness, landmine removal, cancer, and mental illness were all part of the causes she supported. That range helped shape how people remember her beyond the title she carried.

What happened to Diana and Charles’ marriage?

Diana and Charles separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996. After the divorce, Diana was styled Diana, Princess of Wales and lost the style Her Royal Highness. The change marked a formal shift in her status, but her public identity remained closely tied to the name people knew.

Her marriage had begun with extraordinary attention, and its end was equally public. The years between 1981 and 1996 included the birth of her two sons, her charity work, and a royal role that changed shape over time. The timeline is clear: marriage in 1981, separation in 1992, divorce in 1996.

How did Diana’s life end?

Diana died in a car crash in Paris in August 1997. An inquest later returned a verdict of unlawful killing due to gross negligence by a driver and the paparazzi pursuing Diana. Those two details—place and finding—remain central to the account of her death.

Her death closed a life that had begun at Park House and moved through royal ceremony, motherhood, public service, and worldwide attention. From her baptism at Sandringham to her final days in Paris, the span of her life covered 1961 to 1997, with major milestones in between.

Diana’s story connects family, duty, public scrutiny, and charity in a way that still draws attention. If you’ve followed the timeline, you’re ready to test yourself on the details.