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Although Princess Diana died in her blooming years, at the age of 36, she lived each day of her life in serving the needy, helpless, and poor. Especially after separation from her husband, Prince Charles, she completely devoted her life to charitable work and humanitarianism and became a powerful and inspirational philanthropic force. She was and will always remain "People's Princess". Surely, if you are a diehard fan of Princess Diana than you must have grasped everything one can know about that angelic beauty. Here, I have penned some of the most inspirational philanthropic works of Princess Diana for everyone out there to be inspired and learn from. Wherever she went, and whatever she did in her life impacted millions of people, and to this date, her sayings, and actions motivate people all around the globe. Princess Diana said, "I think the biggest disease the world suffers from in this day and age is the disease of people feeling unloved. I know that I can give love for a minute, for half an hour, for a day, for a month, but I can give. I am very happy to do that, I want to do that." She gave all her life to do some good for the people who desperately needed help, care and a touch of kindness.
• A Glimpse of Princess Diana's Early Life
Princess Diana was born as Diana Frances Spencer on July 1, 1961, at Park House, Sandringham, Norfolk, England. Diana was the fourth child of a total of five children. Her family was in close connection with the British Royal family for many generations. Dian's grandmothers had served as "lady-in-waiting" to Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. Her father's name was Edward John Spencer, Viscount Althorp who inherited the title of Earl Spencer in 1975 and with that young Diana became Lady Diana. And her mother was Frances Ruth Burke Roche, Viscountess Althorp who later called as Honorable Frances Shand Kydd (after marrying Peter Shand Kydd). A year before Diana was born, her brother, John died and that put pressure on the family to carry on the family line. Diana's younger brother, Charles, was born four years after the death of his brother John. But the pressure of giving birth to a male heir put a strain in the marriage of Diana's parents. Her mother was also sent to visit a clinic in London to find out why isn't bearing a son. And that humiliating behavior bowed the seed of contempt and anger between husband and wife. Diana's parents got divorced when she was seven years old. Diana's mother then married Peter Shand Kydd in 1969; and her father got married to Countess of Dartmouth, Raine in 1976. Diana's relationship with her stepmother was very unpleasant as she described that her childhood was "very unstable, the whole thing".
Now talking a little about Diana's education, she attended Riddlesworth Hall School at the age of nine, and then joined her sisters in West Heath School in 1973. At the age of sixteen, Diana left West Health School. Though she was not an outstanding student in education, however, she showed immense interest in music and dance, particularly in ballet and tap dance. Later, she attended a finishing school, Institut Alpin Videmanette in Rougemont, Switzerland. Her soft and kind heart always tilted towards children. After school, Diana started working with children and later became an assistant at the Young England Kindergarten.
• A Glance at the Charitable Works of Princess Diana
Though, in her personal life, Lady Diana faced numerous challenges, hardships, and mostly tormenting behaviors; but she always remained a beacon of hope for everyone all around the globe. Diana and Prince Charles, apparent heir, announced their engagement on February 24, 1981, and married the same year on July 29th. The grand event of their marriage was televised all over the world and more than 750 million people became part of this beautiful ceremony. She gave birth to two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. She married at a very young age. She once said, "I went to the school and put it to William, particularly, that if you find someone you love in life, you must hang onto it, and look after it, and if you were lucky enough to find someone who loved you, then you must protect it." And many people believed that the marriage of Prince William with the lovely Kate Middleton is because of this amazing advice that Princess Diana gave to her son.
Now coming to exceptional and inspirational philanthropic works of Princess Diana, the most extraordinary was when she aspired people to change their attitude towards AIDS and leprosy. These life-threatening diseases were considered contagious when in reality they were not. As her Royal duties, Diana was president or Patron of more than 100 charities. However, after her divorce, Lady Diana cut down this number to six charities and devoted herself wholesomely to these causes.
• Diana's Work with AIDS (Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) Charities
Diana and Prince Charles announced their divorce in July 1996. After her divorce, Diana became more active in charity work than ever. She focused her time on the wellbeing of the forgotten, disadvantaged and vulnerable. She first visited the hostel of children who previously had AIDS or were diagnosed HIV positive in 1991. This hostel was located in Sao Paulo, a vibrant place in the Southeast region of Brazil. Lady Diana was among the first high profile celebrities who openly met and greeted the victims of AIDS. This gesture of hers radicalized positive behavior among masses for the AIDS patients. One of the most inspirational philanthropic works of Princess Diana in this regard was shaking hands with AIDS patients. She remarked about the importance of being there for the AIDS patients while saying, "HIV does not make people dangerous to know, so you can shake their hands and give them a hug: Heaven knows they need it." Her pictures while shaking hands with the patients strongly spread the message that this disease cannot spread through touch. She visited several hospitals one after another, in various countries around the world. Princess Diana once said, " Whoever is in the distress can call me. I will come running wherever they are." She truly was a gem of a person.
• Offered Her Hand-On Services to Leprosy Mission
Before her divorce, in 1989, Lady Diana shook hands with a leprosy patient at the Sitanala Leprosy Hospital in Jakarta, Indonesia. This sent a very strong and clear message to the world that these people are not "untouchables", but are one of us. This gesture was of more significance because she shook hands without wearing gloves. She was deeply concerned about the victims of this disease and openly showed this with her actions. She once said about this disease, “It has always been my concern to touch people with leprosy, trying to show in a simple action that they are not reviled, nor are we repulsed.” She preached that how much it is important for all of us to be kind, caring and respectful towards each other, and especially to those who are not privileged. She once said, “Every one of us needs to show how much we care for each other, and, in the process, care for ourselves,” She was a legendary person, who will always be remembered all around the world.
• Passionate Presence for the British Red Cross
Director-General of the British Red Cross, Mike Whitlam wrote a heartwarming tribute to Princess Diana, calling her as the Red Cross’s
best-known volunteer. In his piece, he said, "Her first overseas visit for the British Red Cross was to Hungary on the Croatian border. There she talked to Croat refugees and I recall the effect she had on Pietre, a young boy who had been separated from his parents. Her caring and supportive manner left him with some hope for the future. When I met him again on a second visit he still remembered the effect she had had on him." Lady Diana visited numerous places to help the needy through the channel of the British Red Cross. These included Angola, Zimbabwe, Hungary, Nepal, Dehli, Washington, and many others. She keenly helped refugees, especially children among them. This sort of inspirational philanthropic works of Princess Diana made her Queen of hearts and for that, she did not need to have any Royal seal.
• Princess Diana Passionately Educated People on Childhood Cancer
Princess Diana visited Pakistan in February 1996 with Jemima Khan to attend a fundraiser for the cancer patients, especially children. She attended the event organized by the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital, Lahore. She was warmly welcomed by the country and her visit help raise awareness about these life-threatening diseases among the masses. Moreover, many people donated to this noble cause after her visit. Now the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital's third branch is under construction in Karachi, the second one was built in Peshawar. Princess Diana helped tremendously with this cause, and her indulgence in this cause is considered one of the best inspirational philanthropic works of Princess Diana. Her positive gestures, handshakes, presence, and kind words are still remembered in Pakistan. She truly embodies her words, "Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you." She never underestimated the power of a kind smile. She once remarked, "Everyone needs to be valued. Everyone has the potential to give something back." She was a kind spirit in every regard.
• Lady Diana Raised Awareness on the issue of Land Mines
During her cooperation with the British Red Cross, Princess Diana get to know about the dangers of landmines and with that, she put her immense attention on campaigning against the landmines. She studies the work of the HALO Trust in this regard and supported this charity organization on her trip to Angola. This Trust was working for the eradication or clearance of these landmines since 1994 that were placed due to the ongoing civil war of that region. Angola remained one of the most infested regions in the world with the landmines. Princess Diana met with the affected children of these landmines who fortunately survived these dangerous bombs. While talking to a kid there, Princess Diana was well aware of the shuttering cameras all around her, and all the media attention she always had. So she took all of it for the benefit of this cause saying, “I have all this media interest, so let’s take it somewhere where they can be positive and embrace a situation which is distressing like this,”. Princess Diana walked on one of the cleared regions of these landmines to attract the attention of great world leaders to remove these mines. And she was successful in doing so too much extent. After completing her visit to Angola, Princess Diana wrote a letter to the British Red Cross saying that “If my visit has contributed in any way at all in highlighting this terrible issue, then my deepest wish will have been fulfilled.” The program manager of HALO Trust’s operations in Angola, Ralph Legg, said about Princess Diana's visit and her walk on the landmines, “Diana’s visit is something that people in Huambo still talk about today, For the people that were here at that time, which was still a time of conflict, it led to a feeling of acknowledgment, and that their plight was recognized around the world. The people I’ve spoken to who met Diana on that trip have all said how kind, considerate and how genuinely interested she seemed in them.” Princess Diana's visit to Angola was reported worldwide which sparked news at that time. Her visit to Angola is one of the most significant inspirational philanthropic works of Princess Diana that had a healing touch for numerous children of Angola.
• Meeting with Mother Teresa and Preaching Peace and Kindness
Mother Teresa and Princess Diana had a very touching and heartwarming relationship with each other. One thing that was common between these two strikingly different (apparently) women was their kind hearts and love for the poor. Mother Teresa lived most of her life in Calcutta, India. Princess Diana and Mother Teresa met with each other in June of 1997 in New York and were seen walking hands in hands. Mother Teresa immediately sent her condolences after hearing the sad news of Princess Diana's demise saying, “She was very concerned for the poor. She was very anxious to do something for them, and it was beautiful. That is why she was close to me.” Surprisingly, only six days after the death of Princess Diana, Mother Teresa also departed from the world. There is a long list of inspirational philanthropic works of Princess Diana and becoming a part of Mother Teresa's world was one of them. Princess Diana once said, " "I’d like to be a queen in people’s hearts, but I don’t see myself being the queen of this country." In saying so, she in one had predicted the future. Because she truly is the queen of people's heart but never meant to be the queen of the British Empire.
• Working with Centerpoint
Princess Diana was an active and vigilant supporter of the Centerpoint organization. This organization works especially for the youth and teens who lay off on the streets by themselves. They provide support, shelter, professional services, education, help in job placement, counseling, health facilities and other support to the teens and youths. Prince Diana works for this cause wholeheartedly. And now, His Royal Highness, the Duke of Cambridge, Prince William is the patron of this organization since 2005. While remembering the brilliant contribution made by her mother, HRH, the Duke of Cambridge said, " That example of selfless service that Centrepoint represents has stayed with me, and that is why it was the first charity that I wanted to be associated with.’ He also said he had witnessed, first hand, ‘the extraordinary courage of so many of Centrepoint’s young people is rising to meet such seemingly insurmountable challenges in their lives’." Princess Diana's work is still inspiring people of all ages until this date. Her great kind of work can never grow old. She will always remain a vivid part of our memory with her great charity work for needy, poor and underprivileged all around the globe.
• Princess Diana's Hearty Support for the English National Ballet
Another inspirational philanthropic works of Princess Diana includes her heartiest love and support for the English National Ballet. The love for music, dance, and art have always remained close to her heart; and being a dancer had always remained her heartiest desire. That is why she put loads of her attention and support to this cause. Moreover, this was the only nonhumanitarian charity that Princess Diana dedicated her time to. In addition to her love for music and dance, she often visited this place and enjoyed the dance performances with Prince William and Prince Harry. Prince William said in a video he shared in which his son was dancing saying, "My mother always used to dance, she loved dancing. And if it's something you love, you do what you love. Don't let anyone else tell you otherwise. Keep at it." Prince William has perfectly described her mother's love for dancing a being a free soul. Princess Diana also danced in a ball with John Travolta. He remembered that moment saying, " Princess Diana was a nice dancer because she had confidence. When we danced together she started to lead, and I looked her in eye and went, 'No, you have to let me lead.' So I grabbed her around the waist and we were off to the races." And she was just like that. A charming, beautiful, confident, and kind-hearted woman.
• Princess Diana's work for the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children
The Great Ormond Street Hospital for children is considered the place where miracle workers work. This is among the most famous hospitals in England that are considered to be the best for treating the children having complicated and rare diseases. The doctors and staff of this hospital always remain well informed and on-duty for the well being of the little ones and to ease out the worry and agony of the poor parents. Princess Diana was a patron of this great hospital. Princess Diana gave words to her emotion for the sick and poor children saying, "I want to walk into a room, be it a hospital for the dying or a hospital for the sick children, and feel that I am needed. I want to do, not just to be." She truly was someone who wanted to touch people's hearts by being available for them whenever and wherever they needed the Royals, as she said herself, "The monarchy must keep in touch with the people. It's what I try and do." She reflected on her love for the children wherever she went.
Whether someone met her or just seen her on the TV, everyone admired her with heart. Millions of people cried after hearing the shocking news of Princess Diana's death. It was the kind of funeral when every eye on the earth who have seen Princess Diana or heard the stories of her kindness was wet. People mourned for their beloved and dear princess for months to come. She was loved by millions and in her life, she was very well aware of the people's love for her. And how they supported her in times of dire need. She said in an interview that " The kindness and affection from the public have carried me through some of the most difficult periods, and always your love and affection have eased the journey." She will always remain alive in our hearts through her exceptional works of charity and kind smiles that she spread all around the globe.
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