Every Time Princess Diana Was An Icon By Breaking Royal Protocol

Princess Diana was born Diana Frances Spencer — first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, heir apparent to the British Throne, as well as the mother of Princes William and Harry.

It became readily apparent that Diana was not the type of woman to smile and keep quiet. She was a proverbial powerhouse, quick to challenge the status quo that had been upheld for generations by the House of Windsor.

Lady Di would've celebrated her 61st this past July 1st. So as a way of honoring her memory, let's take a quick look at all the times she showed her rebellious side and broke with Royal protocol.

Before her engagement to Prince Charles, Diana worked as a part-time kindergarten teacher, helping to shape the inquisitive minds of Britain's youth.

Normally, engagement rings are specially made for each individual member of the Royal Family. But because Diana's was readily available to anyone, this caused an uproar.

Princess Diana outright refused to say that she would "obey" Charles. Instead, she promised only to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health.

"Marriage is the kind of relationship where there should be two equal partners," Carpenter proclaimed, "and if there is going to be a dominant partner, it won't be settled by this oath."

Prior to the birth of Prince William, all members of the Royal Family had been born at home. Diana, however, opted to give birth in a hospital, in the Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital.

Since the time of Queen Victoria, women had relied on medicine and anesthetics to numb the pain of childbirth. When the time came for Diana to birth Prince William, she decided on natural birth and delivered Prince William standing up.

The story goes that Prince Charles preferred the name Arthur for their firstborn, and Albert for their second. Diana suggested that they name the boy William after "William the Conqueror."

Being that she was a teacher herself, nobody understood the benefits of public education better than Princess Diana. Therefore, Prince William was the first heir apparent to attend public school.

Instead of dining at the Royal Palace, Princess Diana would take Princes William and Harry for burgers at McDonald's. They also made trips to Disney World and stood in line, just like normal kids.

Diana embraced her femininity like no other Royal before her. She would often wear dresses that were off the shoulder, form-fitting, and far shorter than any traditional Princess would've ever thought to wear.

In 1994, shortly after the documentary about Prince Charles' infidelity had aired, Diana famously wore her little black "revenge dress." Diana's name was spread across every headline and her name was on the lips and tongue of every British citizen — at home and abroad.

This might not sound like such a big deal, but as we've come to learn — there's no small way to break with tradition. Everyone was talking about how Diana was wearing the Queen's necklace around her head.

Historically, Royals only wear black in public when they are attending a funeral, but not Princess Diana. She frequently wore black dresses and gowns wherever and whenever she wanted to.

It's because Lady Di had a habit of wearing low-cut dresses that showed off her cleavage; another huge no-no. In order to avoid scandal, she'd block her chest with her bag while getting out of cars.

It's common for members of the Royal Family to wear gloves while attending formal events. Her Majesty the Queen, for instance, wears them almost constantly. However, Diana quickly decided that they weren't for her.

Traditionally, the answer would've been only men. However, Princess Diana was never one to follow the rules. She would often wear slacks, blazers, and even the occasional necktie in the most formal of settings.

Diana suffered from bulimia, brought on by the stress of her divorce and the pressure of public scrutiny. She never shied away from it and was always willing to discuss hard-hitting questions.

Princess Diana is rumored to have worn wigs and a variety of different disguises to escape the confines of Windsor Castle undetected. She was also said to be close friends with former Queen frontman, Freddie Mercury.