In the world’s history, there are people whose contributions and activities remain critical even many years after their tragic deaths or cruel murders. Multiple conspiracy theories are developed around the cases of Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson, and Elvis Presley to analyze their health or deaths. The name of Princess Diana is also on this list. With various ideas about who could benefit from her death, no one could reject the fact that she had the same large number of qualities that made her exceptional. On the one hand, Princess Diana was a kind and compassionate person who respected people, not for their statuses or financial achievements but for words and behaviors. On the other hand, she became a symbol of courage and freedom to resist the royal family’s power and the possibility to change. However, to become that remarkable figure in politics and society, she possessed the quality of self-discipline. Despite the mystery of her death at a young age, Diana’s exclusiveness and qualities of kindness, courage, and discipline are of no doubt.
One of the major qualities demonstrated by Princess Diana in her relationships with people was kindness. It is not enough that she respected individuals of all ages and recognized their interests and needs. It is more important to define her as a symbol of compassion and understanding in the era when personal ambitions and political regulations prevailed. Examining her leadership and decision-making, Morton focused on her “kindness to the smaller children” and “to those who worked for her” (137, 346). In addition, Diana is remembered as a woman with her love of animals and the possibility to “burst into tears for no apparent reason” (Morton 137). These reactions were not because of her inability to control her emotions but her openness to the world. She supported the homeless, initiated charity programs, and was one of the first public figures who shook with AID people without gloves (John). Instead of demonstrating her connections and resources, she was eager to share her life with the world and become “a Queen in people’s hearts” (Morton 373). Her lesson was memorable in proving that kind treatment would always return and benefit the world.
At the same time, her kindness should not be related to her naivety but her courage, which is another personal quality for recognition. Princess Diana was one of the first members of the royal family to expose the truth about her relationships with the Queen and the Prince and her personal affairs (Zitelmann). Some people could define such actions of hers as a wish to gain popularity or reduce the public admiration of the royal lifestyle. However, most people got a chance to observe how an ordinary woman could interpret her marriage openly, neglecting the media and political pressure. Her intention to describe her life was not addressed to royalty. Her courage was in disclosing her problems like bulimia and anorexia, which promoted psychological and emotional changes (Morton 232). In her memoir, Diana wrote that her family tried to put her on pills to cope with morning sickness and eating disorders during pregnancy, but she rejected everything not to increase the risks for her child (Morton 69). Thus, her bravery also lay in the necessity to protect her children, even at the expense of her health.
Finally, Diana’s abilities of kindness and courage in a world full of political intrigues were hard to maintain without her properly implemented self-discipline. To be a member of the royal family means to be under the control of many people who show how to behave, what to wear, and when to reply or keep silent. Diana learned about the importance of self-discipline when the time to train her boys came. The Princess remembered that “every night at six o’clock, the boys would sit down and write thank-you notes or letters to friends and family” (Morton 308). Similar disciplines were noticed in Diana’s family when her father offered such activities to share emotions and memories most properly. Her self-discipline allowed her to retell her life story in a simple way that every woman could hear, learn, and compare (Zitelmann). Sometimes, people need to understand the event or decision from another perspective, and Diana was ready to introduce her subjective but fair vision of the royal details.
In conclusion, the life of Princess Diana was never simple and monotonous because of the necessity to maintain public life and never forget her royal responsibilities. The development of such qualities as kindness, courage, and self-discipline made her exceptional throughout the years. The decisions to marry the royal member and connect her future with the Queen were never spontaneous. Still, it is impossible to predict every day, and the way how Diana died showed that even the kindest and fairest people are not protected against accidents. Today, it is normal for people to develop ambiguous attitudes toward the Princess. Still, despite the existing opinions, theories, and propositions, her self-discipline, kindness, and courage become a good example of how to live with dignity.
Works Cited
John, Tara. “How Princess Diana’s Humanitarian Causes Have Fared, 20 Years On.” Time, 2017. Web.
Morton, Andrew. Diana: Her True Story – In Her Own Words. Simon and Schuster, 2017.
Zitelmann, Rainer. “Princess Diana – Master of Self-Marketing.”Forbes, 2019.