Remembering Princess Diana: Grace, grit, and a legacy that endures

On July 1, 2025, the 64th birth anniversary of the Princess of Wales, here are a few (of many) moments where Diana changed the face of the British monarchy forever: (Compiled by Uma S.)

Born on July 1, 1961 into British nobility, Lady Diana Frances Spencer grew up close to the Royal family of England. Through her marriage with Prince Charles, Diana took the title of the Princess of Wales: a role which was positively appraised by the public.

Apart from her elegant style and charming demeanour, Diana was particularly noted for her humanitarian gestures—transforming the way royalty was perceived by the public.

Breaking all stigmas and misconceptions surrounding AIDS, Princess Diana’s no-gloves handshake with an AIDS patient at a London hospital changed the way HIV/AIDS was viewed.

With lepers equally affected by social stigmas that targeted HIV/AIDS patients, Diana’s act of touching the bandaged limbs of leprosy-affected patients in Indonesia spoke volumes. Through a simple act, Princess Diana conveyed that “they are not reviled nor are we repulsed”.

Relentless in standing up for tough causes, Diana’s decision to step out onto a cleared minefield in Angola drew global attention to not just the sufferings of minefield victims, but also to a dire need for international action against the landmine usage.

Advocating for the homeless, Diana became a patron for Centrepoint, an organisation that aspires to eradicate youth homelessness.

To spread awareness about cancer, the princess opened up the Wolfson Children’s Cancer Unit at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Surrey in 1993. She even took part in a fundraising event three years later, raising more than $1 million for cancer research.