A Princess Tragedy Sends a Strong Message
Most people are familiar with Princess Diana for her selfless personality and iconic style. A new light has been shed on Princess Diana’s story when Netflix came out with the documentary, “Diana: In Her Own Words.” In this two-hour long production, first accounts and secret interviews unveiled just how miserable her life had been before she was fatally killed in a car crash in Paris during 1997. Diana’s story is well known to many: she was disturbed and her marriage was not all that healthy, however, never before released personal recording and archival footage went way in depth and detail about just how much she suffered during her time as princess.
Diana was a school teacher’s assistant and she loved to be with kids–she never had ambitions of becoming more than that. When Prince Charles chose her to be his bride, Diana accepted out of her love for Charles, but soon realized life would be nothing like the fairy tales we all know and love. No one in the public could have expected that the Prince and Princess’s marriage was failing for almost a decade. Diana was wooed by Charles and his advances towards her, the walks, the barbecues, the parties, that she became madly in love with him. She had never had a boyfriend before Charles and got swept up by him which aided in her crashing so hard not soon after they got married. Scrutiny constantly coming not only from paparazzi and the public eye but also Charles himself. She lost all confidence she had and spiraled quickly.
Princess Diana also struggled with depression and bulimia all throughout her marriage. This was not public knowledge and was only broadcasted after Andrew Morton published his book Diana: Her True Story in 1992 based on these personal accounts. What was astonishing about Diana was how well she hid her troubles almost to the point of hiding it from herself. It took Diana many many years before she sought actual help from a professional. Once finally divorced, Diana was able to focus only on her children and her love to give back. Diana’s compassion and care for the public was why she was adored during her time on Earth and even after. She was finally able to find happiness and recover from her traumatic years with mental health issues.
Diana’s story raises awareness for mental health all over the world. Even the strongest, most perfect looking people struggle and that is okay. Addressing the issue and ending the stigma around mental health is the first step and I believe with this documentary and her story, she can be an example of that. No matter what situation someone is in mental health is serious and it affects anyone and everyone. Getting help and speaking out shows strength, not weakness! We can all learn from Diana that it can always get better no matter how long it takes. This documentary was produced and edited amazingly and I cannot recommend it enough. There is so much below the surface that people do not know.
If you or a friend you know is struggling, seek help and keep the conversation around mental health going! Follow @sunshineshowerclub on instagram, our page dedicated to ending the stigma surrounding mental health in college!
Stay safe, Amy Teixeira.