Princess Diana sought to create a new public identity after her divorce from Charles wasfinalized on August 28, 1996. Stripped of the prestigious title "Her Royal Highness," Diananevertheless won a following as what The Washington Post described as "a benevolent alternative monarch." She crusaded against anti-personnel landmines with high-profile visits to Bosnia andAngola and continued her work with AIDS organizations and charities for children. she once said she wanted to be a sort of ambassador, "a queen of people's hearts," and Prime Minister Tony Blair believed she should carry on her good works because"she earns a lot of respect and admiration."
To the public, the cause-minded Diana seemed a refreshing alternative to those still occupyingthe House of Windsor -- who were perceived as being more concerned withthemselves thanothers. An early 1997 London opinion poll revealed that only 21percent of those surveyed believed the royal family was "concerned about people inreal need." As if to underscore her new image, andindependence, Diana had Christie's auction off 79 gowns collected during her 15 years as the wife of Windsor. All proceeds from the June auction went to charity. "These dresses really don't fit into the life she leads now," said Meredith Etherington-Smith,the Christie's marketing director who worked closely on plans for the auction. "She's left the past where it should be -- in the past."
As for her private life, the world's most photographed woman appeared to have kept companions at a safe distance until she dropped her reserve with Dodi Fayed, the millionaire with whom she died in the Paris car crash. Since their relationship became public this month, Diana and Fayed had been quite happy to let the press capture moments of tenderness and passion. Their last day together was reportedly typical of the romance -- supper at the two-star restaurant in the Ritz Hotel, which is owned by Fayed's father, then a night at a private villa across the Seine River. But the couple never got there, and Diana's hope for a discreet weekend in Paris with her new companion ended in tragedy.
 |
 |
 |