16 things you probably didn't know about Princess Diana

Diana's parents, Frances Shand Kydd and Edward John Spencer, divorced after years of a tumultuous relationship involving cheating and domestic abuse.

Princess Diana ended up living with her father after her parents' divorce and a vicious custody battle between her father and mother over Diana and her siblings.

However, her dreams would never become a reality, as she soon grew to be too tall for the profession and was forced to give it up. Princess Diana was 5 feet and 10 inches.

"Lady Di" became her unofficial nickname, even after she became the Princess of Wales when she married Prince Charles.

The soon-to-be princess struggled in school and eventually dropped out. While she was in boarding school, Diana failed her O-level exams twice before dropping out of school.

She later enrolled at a finishing school in Switzerland but was only there for one semester before meeting Prince Charles and dropping out.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana officially met when she was 16 years old and Charles was nearing 30.

According to The Sun, Prince Charles and Diana's older sister, Sarah Spencer, were rumored to be dating in 1977, before the royal couple got together. In fact, the older Spencer sister even reportedly takes the credit for introducing Charles and Diana.

"I introduced them. I'm Cupid," Sarah Spencer reportedly said at the time.

"I remember thinking what a very jolly and amusing and attractive 16-year-old she was," Charles recalled in a 1981 interview with The Telegraph. "I mean, great fun, and bouncy and full of life and everything."

Despite their almost 13-year age difference, Prince Charles and Princess Diana's courtship moved quickly.

However, according to Town and Country, many of their conversations took place over the phone and it's reported that the pair only met in person a dozen or so times before they tied the knot in what would be called the "wedding of the century."

From the very beginning, Diana appeared to be a young woman totally in love. However, she still had her doubts about her soon-to-be husband.

"We had this ghastly interview the day we announced our engagement," she said in the documentary, "Diana: In Her Own Words."

"And this ridiculous [reporter] said, 'Are you in love?' I thought, 'What a thick question.' So I said, 'Yes, of course, we are,' and Charles turned around and said, 'Whatever love means.' And that threw me completely. I thought, 'What a strange answer.' It traumatized me."

According to Brides, the ring was designed by crown jeweler Garrard but was chosen by the princess-to-be from a catalog, meaning that technically anyone could have purchased the sapphire and diamond ring.

According to Vogue, the royal family didn't approve of this and didn't want commoners having the same access to jewels fit for royals. At the time of its original purchase in 1981, the ring was estimated to cost about $36,000. Today, however, the ring is priceless.

When Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton, he proposed to her with his late mother's stunning engagement ring.

The dress was designed by husband-and-wife team David and Elizabeth Emanuel and featured sequins, lace, 10,000 pearls, and a 25-foot train.

On June 21, 1982, Princess Diana broke with royal tradition when she gave birth to Prince William, and later Prince Harry, at the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital in London. Prior to Princess Diana becoming a mother, it was usually custom for members of the royal family to give birth at the palace.

Duchess Catherine later gave birth to all of her children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, at the same hospital. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's son, Archie, was born at Portland Hospital in London.

According to Diana herself in Andrew Morton's book, "Diana: Her True Story," Charles originally wanted William to be named Arthur and for Henry — who goes by his nickname "Harry" — to be named Albert.

Both names, however, were used in some regard. Prince William's full name is William Arthur Philip Louis, while Harry's is Henry Charles Albert David.

Princess Diana was always eager to meet with people of all ages and backgrounds while traveling through the Commonwealth and other countries, and refused to wear gloves when meeting people, which was typically customary for royals.

Nearly 100,000 people cheered for Prince Charles and Princess Diana as they drove through the streets of Tokyo, exemplifying that Diana's popularity reached far beyond the borders of the United Kingdom.

In Andrew Morton's book, "Diana: Her True Story," the Princess of Wales also opened up about her mental health and struggle with bulimia as a result of her troubling marriage and complicated relationship with the press, who would make comments on her appearance.

In a 1995 interview with BBC, Diana described bulimia as a "symptom of what was going on in [her] marriage," and described it as "a secret disease."

"You inflict it upon yourself because your self-esteem is at a low ebb, and you don't think you're worthy or valuable," she said. "You fill your stomach up four or five times a day — some do it more — and it gives you a feeling of comfort."

"I was crying out for help, but giving the wrong signals, and people were using my bulimia as a coat on a hanger: they decided that was the problem — Diana was unstable," she said.

According to archived recordings from National Geographic and the documentary, "Diana: In Her Own Words," Princess Diana approached Camilla at a party after becoming suspicious of her involvement with her husband.

According to the recordings, Diana went downstairs where she found her husband speaking with Camilla and another friend. After her husband and the friend left the room, Diana told Camilla, "I'd just like you to know that I know exactly what is going on."

Diana then recalled Camilla defending herself by saying that Diana had "all the men in the world." However, when asked "what more could she want," Diana replied by saying, "I want my husband."

Among the princess' famous friends were Liza Minnelli, Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn, Elton John, Freddie Mercury, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, and Naomi Campbell.

After her heartbreaking death in 1997 due to a car crash in Paris, Princess Diana was laid to rest at Althorp House in Northampton, which has been in the Spencer family for more than 500 years.

Her memorial is located on a small, tranquil island across from a lake, where visitors can go to pay their respect to the "people's princess."

• Read more:
• Princess Diana's former chef told us what it was like to live with the royal family at Kensington Palace
• Princess Charlotte looks just like a young Princess Diana in the Cambridges' latest family photo
• 30 photos of Princess Diana that show the lasting impact she had on our world
• Princess Diana's former butler says she wouldn't have gotten along with Meghan Markle because they're both 'strong, independent women'