Princess Diana’s Most Cherished Role - Icons Celebrities

Princess Diana' s Most Cherished Role Mum

How the world s most watched woman raised 2 great young men

This is the fifth installment in a series of photos and videos remembering Princess Diana as we approach the 20th anniversary of her shocking death on Aug. 31, 1997. Please share your thoughts and memories of Diana in our . Princess Diana loved nothing more than being a mother. She was an informal and happy mum who, as Prince William says in a new documentary about her legacy, “understood there was life outside of the palace walls.” In nearly every photo with her beloved sons, William and Harry, we see her cuddling them, touching them and being active with them. “She smothered us with love, that’s for sure,” Prince Harry says in the documentary. Had she lived, she would still be doting on them and on her grandchildren, Charlotte and George. Diana wanted her boys, born two years apart, to have a real life (along with the royal one), so they ate at McDonald's, rode the London Underground and went on vacations to Niagara Falls, N.Y., and Disney World in Orlando. She wanted more children. While touring a hospital once, she was asked if she would like a daughter. “Yes, I would love one," she replied. "I wonder if the world is ready for another me.” of

New Parents With Their Future King

Newborn Prince William, second in line to the throne, in the arms of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. His father, Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, accompanies his wife and son as they leave St. Mary's Hospital in London on June 22, 1982, one day after his birth. of

Royal Musicians in Training

The Princess of Wales is a hands-on mother from the start and active with her boys, Prince William, center, and Prince Harry, whether they are at home in Kensington Palace or outside the palace walls. Here, Diana is at the piano with the boys, ages 1 and 3, in their apartment in 1985 at Kensington Palace. of

Princely Playtime

At Highgrove House, the family residence in Gloucestershire, England, Princess Diana encourages the children to play in the garden. Prince Harry, not quite 2 at the time of this photo in 1986, sits on his mother’s lap while Prince William, 4, enjoys his playhouse. of

Happy Family Holiday

While on summer holiday with their children in August 1987, the Prince and Princess of Wales relax with the little princes, William and Harry, on the steps at Marivent Palace, the summer residence of the Spanish royal family. of

A Little Rebel Royal

Diana, who could be mischievous herself, indulges Harry’s antics during one of their obligatory royal appearances, the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony. William, front left, and his cousins, Lady Gabriella Windsor and Lady Rose Windsor, also watch from the balcony of Buckingham Palace in 1988. of

Harry s First Day Send-Off

It’s Harry’s first day at Wetherby School in Notting Hill in London in September 1989. Princess Diana sees him off while Harry’s big brother, William, right, accompanies him. of ADVERTISEMENT of

American Vacation Fun

The princess and her sons soak up the experience at Niagara Falls with a ride on a boat dubbed the Maid of the Mist in 1991. of

Wet and Wild

Eleven-year-old William, front, and Harry, 9, delight in the rides in 1993 at Thorpe Park, a resort amusement park in Surrey, England. Their fun-loving mom, Diana, seems to be enjoying the thrills as much as the boys. of

Austrian Ski Escape

Always active and outdoorsy, Diana takes her sons to Austria in 1994 on a spring skiing vacation. They are joined by her friend Kate Menzies, left. of

Learning the Royal Ropes

Diana, Harry, William and Charles meet old soldiers on a walkabout outside Buckingham Palace in London during V-J Day commemorations in August 1994. Such engagements were part of the obligations of royalty that Diana made a part of the boys’ lives from a young age. of

William Arrives at Eton

In September 1995, the royal family escorts William, right, to his first day at the Eton College boarding school near Windsor. Not pictured is Prince Charles, who also posed for photos with Diana and his sons. of

The Way They Were

In one of her last formal portrait sittings, Diana and her sons appear to be relaxed and informal, as they most often were with one another. William, right, is 13, and Harry is two months shy of 11 in this picture from 1995. Tell us:

More on Princess Diana' s Legacy

Diana s Life & Legacy

Part 1: Part 2: Part 3: Part 4: Part 5: Her Most Cherished Role: Mum Part 6: Part 7: Part 8: Part 9: Bonus: Featured AARP Member Benefits See more Entertainment offers > See more Entertainment offers > See more Entertainment offers > See more Entertainment offers > Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures

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