Book Summary and Reviews of The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown

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Cathryn_Conroy

A Balanced Interpretation of a Glamorous and Troubled Life: It's a Page-Turner!
From the blushing, young "Shy Di" to the heartbreaking "England's Rose," Princess Diana was an unlikely person to take on the formidable royal family traditions and forever change them. Her story is iconic and one we (mostly) know. From riding in the golden carriage for her fairytale wedding to Prince Charles to her tragic death that haunted a grief-stricken world, Diana Spencer's life story reads more like a novel than a biography.

Tina Brown, British-American journalist and magazine editor, took on the big task in the writing of this book—one of many, many, many books on the princess. She tells Diana's life story, separating fact from fiction, truth from rumors, and actualities from mythology.

The book begins and ends with the story of Diana's death, the events that led up to it, the role of the paparazzi, the medical care she received on the scene of the crash deep in a Paris tunnel, the reactions of the royal family—from the queen to Prince Philip to Prince Charles to William and Harry—and the unprecedented reactions of the British public.

But the book is more than that. Find out about:
• Diana's troubled childhood, including the histrionics of her parents' divorce and her relationship with her two older sisters and younger brother.

• Her education—or startling lack thereof.

• Her dreamlike, fairytale vision she always had of marrying a prince, and the machinations she undertook to make that dream come true. (Did you know that Diana's older sister, Sarah, dated Prince Charles, but following a serious blunder she was left weeping alone?)

• All about the wedding! The details from the engagement, her deep love for Charles, the dress, her friends' reactions, her family's lack of support, and the interference from Prince Philip that made the whole thing happen.

• All about Camilla Parker-Bowles! She was key in helping Charles choose Diana as his wife and was just as key in breaking up the marriage.

• Diana's suffering as a new bride, the birth of her sons, and the trials and tribulations of bulimia.

• Her eventual sense of "superstar entitlement" and how this impacted her everyday life.

• How she handled and manipulated the paparazzi from the time she was rumored to be Charles's girlfriend to the time of her death.

• Details of day-to-day royal life.

• How Prince Charles was desperately caught between Diana's expectations of him as her husband and the queen's expectations of his duty as the prince of Wales. Spoiler alert: Charles was in a no-win situation.

• How Charles was threatened very early on by Diana's extreme popularity and the formidable and crushing impact this had on their marriage.

• How clever, smart Diana "won" big time in the divorce wars. It was Diana vs. the palace…and (shockingly) Diana was the decided victor.

• She only had one year to live after her divorce from Charles, but Diana made that year count. Find out all she did worldwide that had a lasting impact that not only eased human suffering, but also helped save countless lives.

Even though we all know how this story begins and ends, this book is still a page-turner thanks to Tina Brown's excellent writing, savvy sources, and ability to sort out what really happened vs. all the tabloid gossip. While she is sympathetic to Diana, she also honestly portrays many of the princess's less-than-honorable actions, maneuvers, foibles, and decisions in an open manner. It's a balanced interpretation of a glamorous and troubled life.

Bonus: The end of the book features several iconic photos of Diana, including the shot in front of the nursery school when her skirt became see-through, the engagement photo, wedding photos, and lovely pictures of her sons.