Princess Diana

Lady Diana Frances Spencer (People Magazine)

"The happiest people I have known have been those who gave themselves no concern about their own souls, but did their uttermost to mitigate the miseries of others" (Stanton). Elizabeth Cady Stanton's quote projects that a hero must not only must be selfless, but go out of their way to demonstrate compassion, in a humble fashion. While humbly facing her own adversities, Princess Diana's compassion drove her to dedicate her life to serving and inspiring millions. Princess Diana, born Lady Diana Frances Spencer, was born to Earl John Spencer and Honourable Frances Roche on July 1, 1962, in Norfolk, England. Diana was born into a rich and aristocratic English family with royal ancestry. She became a public figure with her engagement to Prince Charles. Diana is a true hero because she abjectly demonstrates selflessness and magnanimity. Princess Diana's selflessness led her to be one of the greatest humanitarian leaders. Humble and compassionate, Diana used her role as a royal to reach out to the most in need and advocate for the most destitute.

Their unhealthy marriage ends in divorce. (Tumblr (People Magazine))

While she was a symbol of light and hope for millions of people, Diana experienced her own personal struggles. Despite this she demonstrated selflessness by looking over them and moving forward. Growing up, she witnessed a marriage scandal between her parents and after the divorce, her and her brother, at their young ages, were shuttled back and forth from both homes. She grew from this and became a very independant woman. Later in her life she suffered her own marriage scandal. Before that time that she had started a family and marriage counseling agency, her marriage was not at its strongest state which later ended in divorce. During periods of her lifetime, she was later exposed to suffer bulimia, depression, and she would constantly self harm and at several points even tried to commit suicide. But all the while she still continued to help others. Diana always held her head high and emitted a positive spirit, inspiring others too as well, knowing she never wanted anyone to feel the way she felt. Her selflessness led her to instead of "using her fame and wealth to create an idyllic life for herself, she turned that good fortune outward to help others" (Gitlin). Humble and selfless, Diana never ceased to impact the lives of others and had inspired many to follow in her character.

Diana with a few of the charities she worked with. (Tumblr ())

Princess Diana's heart drove her to dedicate her life to serving people. "But as a role as a princess, she eventually realized it related far more poignantly to bringing kindness to those who had been treated unkindly, to bring help to the helpless, and to bring hope to the hopeless" (Gitlin). Ever since youth, she had been inspired to serve and show compassion to others. As a princess, she had a vision and purpose in mind and took her role to new heights by using her authority to do the most work she could. When she was titled royal, she immersed herself in countless charitable causes. As a princess, she realized "the gap between the rich and the poor widened significantly. And though Diana had come from aristocracy and now lived as a royal, the plight of those who suffered brought out her natural compassion and dire need to serve the destitute intensified when she took on the role as princess" (Gitlin). She is well known for her fund-raising work for international charities, and was an eminent celebrity of the late 20th century. She became involved in such social issues such as homelessness and drug abuse, visited leprosariums and other sickly people in Nigeria and Indonesia. She brought much attention to children in need, which she was rather fond of caring for. Diana shook hands with patients at an AIDS ward in a Middlesex Hospital, and once visited victims of the Irish Republican Army bombing in Northern Ireland. In 1990, People noted, Diana was recorded to be the patron of 44 charities, making more than 180 visits on their behalf the year before. In 1997, she visited Angola to raise awareness and protest the landmines. During that time she also exposed the plight of the Angolan children. Although purely compassionate, she would've never had such big impacts if she weren't selfless.

Diana & her sons visiting shelters & hospices. (Tumblr ())

As a princess, she knew she had the duty of leading the correct way. Even in her family she tried to establish a good-hearted foundation for her sons, the future heirs, and set an example for them to follow. "Diana went at great lengths to expose her sons to everyday situations and ordinary people.For example, when they went to Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida, they stood in line with other tourists. She also took her sons with her to visit homeless shelters and AIDS hospices" (Parello). She even says, herself, '"I will fight for my children on any level so they can reach their potential as human beings and in their public duties"' (Diana). Diana knew that as a princess, many would follow the example she set forth, so she took advantage that. In 1987, Diana became the first famous person to be photographed touching someone with AIDS, and she made a huge impact in dissolving the myth that AIDS could be spread through small skin contacts. Even after her divorce and end of her royal position, in June 1997, Diana raised millions of dollars for charity by selling 79 of her most extravagant dresses at an auction. She brought much awareness to the landmines she protested against. Even after losing her royal title, she was still looked up to by millions and continued doing more work in her life. During her reign and even after, Princess Diana demonstrates the truest traits of compassion, selflessness, and humility.

Princess with a purpose. (Tumblr ())

'"Nothing brings me more happiness than trying to help the most vulnerable people in society. It is a goal and an essential part of my life - a kind of destiny. Whoever is in distress can call on me. I will come running wherever they are"' (Diana). In this quote, Diana, herself, admits to the pleasure and honour of devoting herself to serving others. Princess Diana is a true hero because she did not demonstrate, but actually lived the life of compassion, selflessness, and humility. Diana went out of her way to serve others, never expecting anything in return but rather the pleasure of knowing she had impacted their life Lady Diana Frances Spencer is my hero because she is everything I try to be. I look up to her because she radiated a character that I try to follow. She inspires me to try and be selfless everyday, and think of others rather than just myself like I always do. I dream of one day being able to do what she set out to do- to look at another person in his eyes and feel honoured to know I have made an impact upon him, to know I have made him smile and have made his life easier. From a book I was once forced to read, I remember this quote that said, "One's value in life is determined by how many lives he has touched" (Unknown). I will never forget this quote. Princess Diana inspires me everyday because she reminds me that it does not matter how many times I've been hurt, it just matters that I keep going forward. Diana's life shows everyone is born for a reason. Everyone has a purpose and that makes me think about what I'm meant to do someday. Once initiated royal, Diana took the role of "princess" to new heights and even did more than her husband ever did. I wonder what the world would be like if the car crash, that caused her early death, had never happened and what would people be like if Diana were still alive. Would people be inspired to be more compassionate like they were during her lifetime? Would more charities thrive? I imagine what it could have been like if she was still in power. Anyone can say "just keep moving forward", but what does that mean? Diana says herself, "I like to be a free spirit. Some don't like that, but that's the way I am" (Diana). Diana not only inspires me, along with millions of people, to keep treading forward courageously, even in times of adversities, but just be your own character. Princess Diana did not die leaving nothing, but rather a legacy that should continue as her story continues to inspire me, and millions of others willing to help another. A true hero is someone who radiates a heart of gold, someone who believes another is important than himself and would go out of their way to make their life easier, and someone who does not expect anything in return but only the satisfaction of knowing they have changed a life. And that is why Diana isn't just a princess who reigned for a time, but rather a Queen of Hearts, a woman of great example, a hero.