Princess Diana

     Princess Diana, or Diana Spencer, was born into the royally affiliated Spencer family in 1961 in Sandringham, England.  Her parents were the Viscount and Viscountess of Althorp.  From birth, she had access to the most elite educational institutions and was taught in both England and Switzerland until she inherited the title of Lady Diana after her father became an Earl.  She frequently played with the queen's sons, Albert, Edward, and Charles.  Sources recount how she was well-liked by the royal family, and Charles began to date her when she was 17.  They were engaged at the age of 20.  Diana was immediatly showered with gifts, including a diamond and sapphire brooch from the queen herself and a multiple-karat invaluable ring featuring white gold, diamonds, and sapphires. 
       She was equally well-liked by the public.  Her down-to-earth and shy demeanor set her apart from all other royals at the time, and nicknamed her "The People's Princess".  It was almost as if her royal status hadn't fazed her - she refused to comply with many palace rules, and this earned her both the public's trust and scorn from her mother-in-law. 
       Diana was pregnant with the couple's first child that same year.  However, this is where her mental state went south.  She admitted to throwing herself while pregnant down a flight of stairs because of her depression and feelings of inadequacy.  She was overwhelmed with the pressure of constantly being in the public eye, and she felt constantly under attack by the older royals in the palace.  Luckily, the soon-to-be Prince William was not harmed.  Two years later, Diana gave birth to Prince Harry.
       Diana's marriage was completely falling apart.  Due to the large age gap of 13 years, her husband and her were never very close.  They were only married for public appearances, and both were unfaithful.  Prince Charles started dating his ex-girlfriend Camila, and Diana was dating her former riding instructor, much to the dismay of her family.  They even tried to order couple's therapy, but it was uneffective.  The two were simply no longer in love, if they had ever even been.
       The pair divorced 1995.  Diana blames Camila partially for their divorce, but also realizes how she was not entirely blameless.  The royal family blamed Diana's affairs and her general poor mental health (it was later revealed that she was frequently involved in self-harm, severe depression, and borderline personality disorder).  However, this only boosted her popularity.  Her rebellious actions as well as her charity work in both HIV/AIDS and cancer were supported by the British people.  The day that she died is revered as one of the most tragic days in modern British history.
       One August night in 1997, Princess Diana was killed in a car crash.  She was accompanied by rumored boyfriend and Egyptian millionaire, Dodi Fayed.  She was being mobbed by paparazzi in Paris, and her driver was heavily inebriated with both prescription drugs and lack of sleep.  He was driving at high speeds, and lost control of the car.  Diana's bodyguard survived the crash, and both a paparazzo and her driver were convicted of manslaughter. 
       The palace was immediatly flooded with flowers on one of the public gates.  Both American and British people were completely destraught with the loss of the people's princess.  Charles showed sadness as well, but later remarried to now-Duchess Camila of Cornwall.
       Diana was not just a princess- she was a cultural icon.  She encompassed rebellious ways of the late 80's and early 90's, and she represented the people in a place of power.  Diana created a cultural legacy for herself that is not just widely revered, but worshipped.