Eight Times Today’s Royal Family Members Paid Tribute To Princess Diana

Jun 29, 2021 by apost team

Princess Diana would have celebrated her 60th birthday on Thursday, July 1. To commemorate the life of the "People's Princess," here are eight times the royal family paid tribute to her throughout the years.

Lady Diana Frances Spencer was born on July 1, 1961, according to Biography.com. She married the heir to the British throne, Prince Charles, on July 29, 1981. They had two sons, William and Harry, and later divorced in 1996. Her widespread popularity and global humanitarian efforts gave her the nickname "People's Princess."

She died on August 31, 1997, from injuries she sustained in a car crash in Paris. Since her passing, members of the royal family have, on many occasions, paid tribute to her in little ways or in slightly more obvious ones. Here are eight of the most touching tributes made to Diana by the royal family.

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Queen Elizabeth broadcasted live to the nation from the balcony of Buckingham Palace five days after her daughter-in-law’s death. “She was an exceptional and gifted human being. In good times and bad, she never lost her capacity to smile and laugh, nor to inspire others with her warmth and kindness,” she said.

“I admired and respected her for her energy and commitment to others, and especially for her devotion to her two boys.”

The tribute was considered by many as one the most defining moments of her 45-year reign. It was only the second time the queen has spoken directly to her country in a live broadcast — the first being after the Gulf War in 1991, according to Associated Press. The address appeared to be in response to overwhelming public sentiment that the royal family seemed aloof and indifferent to the people's grief over Diana's death.

William opened up about the things his mom missed out on. “I would like to have had her advice,” he told British GQ in 2017.

“I would love her to have met Catherine and to have seen the children grow up. It makes me sad that she won’t, that they will never know her.”

He added that he does not believe she had mental health problems, and nor does he think that he does. But the trauma he suffered losing her so young, and in such awful circumstances, partly explains why he is determined to get the nation talking more about their emotions.

For their wedding in 2018, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle hand-picked forget-me-nots, Diana’s favorite flower, from the Kensington Palace garden to include in the Suits actress' bouquet for her marriage to the Duke. The bride also wore an aquamarine ring that once belonged to Diana at the couple’s reception.

The Duchess of Cambridge wore her late mother-in-law’s Lover’s Knot tiara to a state dinner with King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands. She has since donned it several times. 

Also known as the Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara, this crown is one of the most well-known tiaras of the British royal family mostly because of it being the late Diana's favorite sparkler.

During the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's royal tour of Africa in September 2019, Prince Harry retraced his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales' footsteps, who famously walked through a partially cleared Angolan minefield in 1997 to highlight the work of the Halo Trust.

The Duke walked down the former minefield in Huambo, which is now a bustling community. He also visited Dirico to see the charity's work first-hand, in an outfit quite similar to what his mom had worn to inspect an area of bush being cleared of ordnance by the charity. 

Diana’s brother, Charles Edward Maurice Spencer honored her by naming his firstborn daughter Lady Charlotte Diana Spencer. “Though it's been 15 years since Diana died, I still miss her every day, and I very much wanted her commemorated in the naming of our daughter,” he said in 2012.

Harry had spoken with two young girls — ages eight and nine — who were being raised by their grandmother during his visit to Brazil, as their mother had been murdered and their father was in jail. He said that hearing about their experiences had brought back memories of his own mother’s death in 1997 and that he had “shed tears” during their conversation.

“I was completely overwhelmed and shocked,” he said. “There are two little girls — I'm quite emotional — just looking at them. I wanted to talk about my own experiences, but there is no point because it is just so far removed.” 

Harry and Meghan welcomed their second child, a girl, on June 6, 2021, and named her Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. In a statement released after Lilibet's birth, Harry and Meghan wrote, "Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet. Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales."

According to Hello! Magazine Harry also said that Archie's nursery has a photo of Diana hanging on his wall, and he shared, "I got a photo of her in his nursery, and it was one of the first words that he said — apart from 'mama,' 'papa,' it was then 'grandma.' Grandma Diana."

He continued, "It's the sweetest thing, but at the same time, it makes me really sad because she should be here."

What do you think of the tributes made by the royals to Diana? Let us know your thoughts and be sure to pass this along.