Princess Diana Wanted To Raise Her Boys As “Normal” As Possible

Princess Diana insisted on raising Prince William and Prince Harry in a ‘normal’ environment by shunning royal protocol. The princess, who personally took care of her children even while traveling, was met by opposition from Prince Charles and other members of the Royal Family, who believed in strict tradition.

On a trip to Balmoral Castle, an estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, owned by Queen Elizabeth II, Diana left her nanny behind, which prompted the Queen to remark, “I don't understand why Diana has to do this. There are millions of housemaids around," according to royal biographer Andrew Morton.

The Princess wanted William and Harry to enjoy the “normal things” other children did, such as a trip to Thorpe Park, an amusement park in the UK, during the Easter holidays in 1993. She also chose not to abuse her privilege by having her children wait in line for rides like everyone else.

The images of this trip showed Diana dressed in a black leather jacket, black jeans and boots smiling and laughing with her young sons. Diana’s butler, Paul Burrell, said one of Diana’s favorite rituals was to spend Saturday night with William and Harry, having dinner at McDonald’s and watching TV at home.

Diana also wanted to expose her children to the struggles of the real world by taking them on visits to hospitals and homeless shelters."She very much wanted to get us to see the rawness of real life,” William told ABC News in 2012. "And I can't thank her enough for that, 'cause reality bites in a big way, and it was one of the biggest lessons I learned is, just how lucky and privileged so many of us are — particularly myself."

In an interview with the BBC in 1995, Diana said she wanted her children to experience what others in the Royal Family may never get to see firsthand. “I’ve taken the children to all sorts of areas where I’m not sure anyone of that age in this family has been before,” she said. “And they have a knowledge – they may never use it, but the seed is there, and I hope it will grow because knowledge is power.”

Diana, who died in a tragic car crash in Paris in 1997, has left behind an indelible legacy, which includes her two children, who have often been praised for their openness. Despite her inherent shyness, she was not afraid to tackle difficult subjects, such as AIDS awareness and the danger of landmines. She also advocated on behalf of those affected by cancer and mental illness.

The Princess was instrumental in the signing of the Ottawa Treaty, which banned the use of anti-personnel landmines around the world. As the patron of HALO Trust, which removes debris left behind by war, she was seen in 1997 walking through an Angolan minefield in a ballistic helmet and flak jacket. Although she was criticized by government officials for supposedly meddling in politics, her courage shed light on the suffering caused by landmines in a speech she gave at a landmines conference held at the Royal Geographical Society.