Princess Diana: The Many Ways She Rebelled Against The Royal Family

For a 1985 appearance in Melbourne, Australia, the fashion icon accented her gown with an emerald-and-diamond choker — but she wore it as a tiara. We’re pretty sure that wasn’t quite how the Queen, who gave the necklace as a wedding gift, imagined the art deco treasure being displayed.

9. She talked frankly with the press.

In 1995, Diana secretly gave a very revealing interview to the BBC’s Martin Bashir. Though her aides claimed she later regretted it, the princess tried to take control of the media and paparazzi frenzy around her life. It was her first solo interview and was watched by more than 21.5 million people in the United Kingdom.

10. She got real about her marriage.

In the BBC interview, she addressed Prince Charles’s longtime relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles: “A woman’s instinct is a very good one; obviously I had knowledge of it from people who minded and cared about our marriage … There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.”

The feisty princess also didn’t deny her own eventual affair when Bashir asked her if she was unfaithful with James Hewitt: “Yes, I adored him. Yes, I was in love with him. But I was very let down.”

But airing the royal dirty laundry just wasn’t done: Within a month of the interview, Diana’s press secretary had resigned and the Queen sent the couple a letter urging them to divorce.

11. She spoke about mental illness and eating disorders.

Princess Diana also told Bashir about her struggles with bulimia, which she said were a result of the stress she felt keeping her marriage publicly intact. “That’s like 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 … It’s a repetitive pattern which is very destructive to yourself.”

Her heart-wrenching honesty is one of the reasons why her sons and daughter-in-law are so passionate about their own work in mental health.

12. She enjoyed the single life.

After her divorce from Prince Charles, Diana refused to disappear. She enjoyed romances with various charming, wealthy men — including Dodi Al Fayed (not pictured). She and Prince William vacationed with him in Saint-Tropez in the summer of 1997, shortly before Diana and Dodi were killed in a car crash in Paris on August 31.

13. She refused formality.

When Diana spoke with children, she always crouched to see them at eye-level. (It’s become a signature move of her daughter-in-law.) “Diana was the first member of the royal family to do this,” said Ingrid Seward, editor of Majesty magazine. “The royal family used to say that everyone had to be deferential to them. But Diana said, ‘If someone might be nervous of you or you’re speaking to a very young child or a sick person, get yourself on their level.'”

14. She wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty.