orig. Lady Diana Frances Spencer
born July 1, 1961, Sandringham, Norfolk, Eng.
died Aug. 31, 1997, Paris, France
Consort (198196) of Charles, prince of Wales .
Daughter of Viscount Althorp (later Earl Spencer), she was a kindergarten teacher at the time of her engagement to Charles, whom she married on July 29, 1981, in a globally televised ceremony. They had two sons, Princes William (1982) and Henry (1984). Her beauty and unprecedented popularity as a member of the royal family attracted intense press attention, and she became one of the most photographed women in the world. The marriage gradually broke down; Charles and Diana separated in 1992 and were divorced in 1996. She remained highly visible and continued her activities on behalf of numerous charities. In 1997 she was killed in a car crash in Paris, along with her companion, Emad Mohamed (Dodi) al-Fayed (195597), and their driver. Her death brought on a massive public outpouring of grief.