Diana: An Extraordinary Life - Hardcover

Ralph, Lewis Brenda

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0753806630 ISBN 13: 9780753806630

Publisher: W&N, 1998

Synopsis

Diana : An Extroadinary Life tells Diana's complete story from birth to her tragic death. With over 2000 colour pictures, newspaper cuttings, and even the original designer's sketches of the dresses they made for her, this is the Diana bible. Divided into four sections -- Chronicle, In Fashion, The People's Princess and the Princess of Charities -- the book covers every aspect of her life. Chronicle charts the childhood of a shy girl who became a princess, saw her fairytale marriage turn sour, then cast herself a new role before her final brief happiness, ended in tragedy. In Fashion reveals the secrets and inspiration behind the unique and widely mimicked style of Diana. It looks at the work of her designers and her instinct for style as well as her evening gowns, day wear, casual wear, hairstyles, jewellery and much more. The People's Princess shows the public face of Diana -- at state occasions, with the Royal Family, on tour at home and abroad and in her generous and courageous work with the sick and needy. Diana was also patron, president or active volunteer with over 100 charities. Princess of charities provides a guide to the many charitable organisations to which Diana gave her tireless and heartfelt support.

About this title

From the Author:

When I wrote Diana, An Extraordinary Life in 1997-8, it was done as a partwork, in 26 parts (published March to September 1998). My brief from the publishers, Orbis Partworks, was to cover every possible aspect of Diana's life, both private and public, and I think that this book does just that and that Orbis planned it very well.

I can't say that I am personally a Diana fan. She was so very, very good and so very, very bad, even viscious, and so appallingly misguided at times. I was also surprised that after so many years around the Royal Family - she was born on the Sandringham estate and knew Charles and his siblings from a very early age - Diana never managed to realise what being royal meant. The explanation that the royals never guided her in royal ways was not logical.

The trouble - or maybe the advantage - with writing a partwork/book like this is that you get to know your subject very well, too well to have any illusions. And a starry-eyed version of Diana's life was not what this partwork and book were about. This is not hagiography, but biography, warts and all.

Nevertheless, I found DIANA a fascinating commission over the six months of hard slog and late nights it took to write . It was not one of those commissions professional writers often have to do - because it's a job and the money is good. I became extremely involved with Diana and found many questions arising in my mind which were not easily answered, such as How come she had such phenomenal appeal? How come the British public forgave her for her own mistakes and love affairs when Charles was being flayed for his one long-term mistress who he genuinely loved and who loved him? Did Diana really change the monarchy or did it change her?

Maybe I'll work all this out one day, but in the meantime, I hope that readers enjoy my book.

About this edition

• Publisher: W&N
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0753806630
• ISBN 13: 9780753806630
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 633