Tradition is something that the Royal Family takes very seriously. Without tradition, there would in effect be no Royal Family to speak of . They exist because they’ve always existed and because no one seeks to challenge to status quo.
At least, no one ever did — until Princess Diana came along . During her short tenure as a member of the Royal Family, she upended and defied tradition as she saw fit. So in order to celebrate her for the trailblazer that she was, here is every time Princess Diana broke Royal protocol .
Princess Diana has long been revered as one of the most iconic members of the Royal Family.
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.
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After first appearing meek and subservient, Diana quickly dashed to pieces every preconceived notion the public held of her.
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.
Difficult as it is to imagine, this year marks the 25th anniversary of Princess Diana’s tragic passing.
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.
Princess Diana was the first member of the Royal Family to make a living wage before marriage.
Before her engagement to Prince Charles, Diana worked as a part-time kindergarten teacher , helping to shape the inquisitive minds of Britain’s youth.
Diana also broke with tradition when she selected her own engagement ring from the Garrard jewelry collection catalog.
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.
During Diana’s wedding ceremony, she broke new ground by writing her own vows.
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.
Ironically, Dr. Edward Carpenter, the Dean of Westminster Abbey, thought this to be a wonderful idea.
“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.”
Lady Di completely changed how members of the Royal Family are birthed.
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.
She also changed the landscape of the birthing process itself.
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.
Princess Diana had the final say on her children’s names.
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 .”
Diana was determined that her children would attend public school.
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.
In a similar vein, she allowed her kids to be like everyone else.
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.
Princess Diana was never afraid to show a little skin.
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.
She understood that her body was a weapon.
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.
Princess Diana once wore a choker as a tiara.
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 .
Diana didn’t allow circumstance or tradition to dictate her choice of outfit.
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.
Have you ever wondered why Princess Diana was often photographed with a purse in front of her chest?
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.
Princess Diana hardly ever wore gloves.
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.
Who wears the pants in the Royal Family?
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.
Princess Diana wasn’t afraid to speak publically about mental health and her own eating disorder.
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.
Finally, Lady Di had a knack for sneaking out of the castle undetected.
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 .
