Princess Diana was asked in an interview once whether she thought she could “ever be queen”. Her response resurfaced online before her ex-husband King Charles III’s coronation and was widely shared on social media.
At the time of the interview, Princess Diana was married to Charles. They married in July 1981 and have two children, Prince William (born 1982) and Prince Harry (born 1984).
But the marriage broke down and in 1992 they announced their formal separation. UK PM John Major had said at that time, With regret, the Prince and Princess of Wales have decided to separate. Their Royal Highnesses have no plans to divorce and their constitutional positions are unaffected. This decision has been reached amicably, and they will both continue to participate fully in the upbringing of their children.
There is no reason why the Princess of Wales should not be crowned queen in due course, he added. Princess Diana was later asked whether she ever believed she would be queen. In a clip from the interview, the princess said that she did not believe the crown would one day fall to her.
Do you think you will ever be queen? she was asked. No, I don’t, no, she responded.
I’d like to be a queen of people’s hearts, in people’s hearts. But I don’t see myself as being the queen of this country.” I don’t think many people would want me to be queen. When I say many people, I mean this establishment that I am married into, she responded.
She had also said in the interview that the royal family decided that she was a “non-starter”, explaining, Because I do things differently, because I don’t go by a rule book, because I lead from the heart, not the head, and albeit that’s got me into trouble in my work, I understand that. But someone’s got to go out there and love people and show it.
