Interview with Princess Diana about how she will never be Queen, 1995

Diana married then Prince Charles in July 1981. They had two children, Prince William (born 1982) and Prince Harry (born 1984). But the marriage broke down towards the end of the 1980s and, in 1992, they announced their formal separation. The prime minister at the time, John Major, announced during a speech at the House of Commons on December 9 that: "With regret, the Prince and Princess of Wales have decided to separate. Their Royal Highnesses have no plans to divorce and their constitutional positions are unaffected. This decision has been reached amicably, and they will both continue to participate fully in the upbringing of their children."

In recognizing the unattainable crown, Princess Diana found her true strength not in a throne, but in the hearts she touched.

She was the princess of the world, so adored and rightly so. Her authenticity and kindness shines through. She will always be missed.

Princess Diana’s advocacy for AIDS patients extended beyond the United Kingdom. In 1989, she embarked on a solo trip to New York City, where she visited the pediatric AIDS ward at Harlem Hospital1. This visit was not just a photo opportunity; Diana interacted with the patients, even picking up and cuddling a seven-year-old boy in blue pajamas. This act of compassion was captured by the media and further challenged the stigma associated with AIDS. Diana’s commitment to raising awareness about HIV and AIDS was not a one-time event. She continued her advocacy work throughout her life, even after her separation from Prince Charles. In 1991, she returned to Middlesex Hospital’s AIDS unit with Barbara Bush, the then First Lady of the United States. This visit highlighted Diana’s ongoing dedication to the cause and her ability to use her global influence to bring attention to it. Moreover, Princess Diana’s impact extended beyond her personal visits. She became an official patron for the National AIDS Trust, a charity founded to debunk many of the toxic myths surrounding the illness. Her involvement with this organization further demonstrated her commitment to changing attitudes towards HIV and AIDS around the world.

I remember seeing the announcement of that fateful car crash on TV. While I was never a fan of the royals, I was saddened by what happened to Princess Diana. If only she had never married Charles...

Diana was only ever potentially going to be a queen consort; she would have had the title of Queen, based on her husband's rank, had Charles become king while they were still married. She was never in line to herself become the monarch.

In an infamous BBC Panorama interview in 1995, the late Diana claimed she could not see herself becoming queen of the United Kingdom because the "establishment" she married into didn't desire that. She further commented that her then-husband Charles would also find the title of the king "suffocating" and "bring enormous limitations to him." "Do you think you will ever be queen?" asked the host, Martin Bashir, to which Diana let out a nervous chuckle. "No, I don't," she replied. "Why do you think that?" he cross-questioned the princess. "I'd like to be the queen of people's hearts, but I don't see myself being the queen of this country," she explained. "I don't think many people will want me to be queen, and when I say 'people,' I mean the establishment I married into because they have decided I'm a non-starter."

Princess Diana on a yacht in Portofino, Italy, in August 1997. She died on the 31st of the same month

The Royal Family tree from the time of Queen Victoria. The heirs to the throne are on the left, while those who have the smallest chance of being King or Queen on the right.

Princess Diana's 1995 interview with Martin Bashir on BBC Panorama was a watershed moment. Airing in December, she openly discussed her troubled marriage with Prince Charles, addressing the role of Camilla Parker Bowles. Diana also highlighted the challenges of royal life, the impact of media scrutiny, and her commitment to charitable causes, notably AIDS and landmine awareness. The interview had a profound impact, reshaping public perception and sparking ongoing discussions about the British Royal Family's dynamics.