The Sweet Way Prince Charles Reportedly Supported Princess Diana During Her First Solo Trip Abroad
Many royals are public servants who take on work to support their country. They usually act as patrons for charity organizations and representatives for their country abroad.
As with any job, being a working royal involves a learning curve. When Princess Diana was still getting used to the job, Prince Charles showed support for her first solo trip abroad.
Princess Diana joined the royal family in 1981
Diana joined the royal family in 1981 when she married Charles. She was only 20 years old at the time, and he was 33.
Before becoming a royal, Diana had some work experience in very normal jobs. For example, she was a part-time nanny for an American woman named Mary Robertson. Diana was paid $5 an hour to take care of Mary’s toddler son. Additionally, Diana was also a kindergarten teacher at the Young England School in London’s Pimlico district.
After marrying Charles, Diana became one of the most famous women in the world. In 1983, Diana confessed (via The Christian Science Monitor) that royal life was rather challenging: “I am finding it very difficult to cope with the pressures of being Princess of Wales – but I am learning to cope with it. I have learned a lot in the last few months, particularly the last three or four.”
Nonetheless, she took on her royal duties faithfully. In particular, she supported schools and hospitals as well as charities that help the less fortunate.
How Prince Charles reportedly supported Princess Diana during her solo trip to Norway
In early 1984, Diana took her first solo trip abroad to Norway to represent the royal family. Before then, she had always been accompanied by Charles when going abroad for work. According to royal author Ingrid Seward, Charles sent Diana a gesture of support during her trip to Norway.
“Diana’s first solo trip abroad was to Norway in early 1984. She has just discovered she was pregnant for the second time but no announcement had been made,” Seward said (via Express). “When Diana arrived in Norway, she found a note inside her suitcase written by her husband which read, ‘We were so proud of you’ and was signed ‘Willie wombat and I.’”
Willie Wombat is the nickname Charles and Diana gave to Prince William when he was a child.
Princess Diana later became a world-renowned humanitarian
As Diana settled into her royal role, her confidence grew. By the early 1990s, Diana was taking many trips abroad by herself, especially when her marriage was breaking down.
She became a world-renowned humanitarian for her work with charities in various countries. For example, she worked with The Leprosy Mission and visited leprosy patients in places such as India, Nepal, and Zimbabwe. She also visited South Africa in 1997 and met with President Nelson Mandela to help AIDS patients in the country. Additionally, that same year, she was photographed visiting a minefield in Angola, which helped to raise awareness for the issue of landmines.
Diana’s work was cut short when she died in 1997. Today, her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, continue to keep her legacy alive and finding their own ways to make a difference in the world.
