Anisa Khan

Professor Shaw

Women’s Studies

5/10/20

                                                            Independent Study Prompt

            For my project I decided to celebrate Princess Diana not only because was she the most loved princess and the “people’s princess” but because many people tend to overlook the fact that she was a feminist and was ahead of her time in many ways. First, she broke a lot of the palace’s tedious rules and over time she learned not let anyone shove her around or tell her how to do her job. Diana was also a dedicated humanitarian. She advocated for and helped women all over the world when she travelled and when she was at home in England. Her impact changed the monarchy for the better. Diana broke down multiple barriers and redefined the meaning of being a princess. She did not let the palace tie her down or forbid her from doing what she loved. Diana helped raised awareness about the dangers of land mines and the AIDS epidemic. She touched people and were up close and personal with leprosy and AIDS patients despite the stigma around them. She had a great relationship with the public and fought for equality for everyone. She offered her royal clothes for auction which raised three million dollars to be donated to charities. To quote “I knew what my job was; it was to go out and meet the people and love them.”                                                                                          For my Princess Diana cereal box, I decided to draw a classic picture of Princess Diana because I wanted to showcase both her inner and her outer beauty. All the adjectives I put on the cereal box describe her perfectly. On the back of the box I drew an English rose because I think it represents Diana blossoming from a timid young girl suffering from a not so perfect childhood, and an unhappy marriage to an older man who she and barely knew, into a radiant confident woman filled with hope and purpose.  The scent of the rose represents her love and passion for her sons, the public, women, and children all over the world.  Another quote from Diana is “I like to be a free spirit; some don’t like that but that’s the way I am”.  I also incorporated international greetings such as “Namaste” which means “I bow to the divine in you” and “Ubuntu” which means “I am because we are”. I included these words because they reflect Diana’s multicultural and inclusive view of the world. Diana loved interacting, learning and being with all people from diverse cultures.                                                                                                 When the public learned about the tragic death of Princess Diana, everyone was in total shock. The entire world entered a period of deep and prolonged mourning. Losing Diana was like losing a beloved family member. An estimated 2.5 billion people tuned in to watch the funeral which made it one of the biggest televised events in history. Elton John performed “Goodbye English Rose” at Princess Diana’s funeral. He was so distraught at her passing that he stated he would never perform the song again. Diana’s legacy and impact still live on to this day. Without her help we would not have made as much progress. She continues to move us in the right direction by the way she raised her sons to help change the world for the better like she did. She took her sons to hospitals to visit the sick and she wanted them to be human and to be warm to others. For example, she paved the way for Harry to feel free to marry anyone he chose. In some ways she helped to bring out and to recognize the divine in all of us.

Sorry the website is not letting me fix the indentations, I had them right before