The question is: "Did Princess Diana suffer from depression?"




 

For years, the public believed that Princess Diana was living a fairy tale life, married to Prince Charles. As it appeared, this was far from the truth. According to "Diana: The Last Word" by Simone Simmons, late in her first pregnancy Diana threw herself down a staircase trying to draw attention to her pain. She told of the incident: "I wanted Charles to put his arms around me and say he loved me, but all he ever did was give me a pat on the back."


In a 1995 interview conducted by the BBC, Diana revealed that she had suffered from post-natal depression after her first son, Prince William, was born. 



Diana admitted to self-injuring due to the pressure she felt trying to adapt to her role as Princess of Wales, but said it backfired since rather than getting her the help she needed... In fact, it made people believe she was attention-seeking and unstable. She also confessed to secret binging and purging of food to help her deal with her marriage problems, including the fact that her husband was still in love with ex girlfriend, Camilla Parker Bowles. 


Needless to say that Diana's personal diaries, public interviews and public comments to friends and family give insight into her state of mental health during her years as the Princess of Whales. According to research and commentary in "A Tribute to the People's Princess" by Peter Donnelly, depression was a factor in Princess Diana's struggle to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Donnelly focuses on several factors that influenced Princess Diana's struggle with bulimia and her battle with emotional stability.


Unfortunately, instead of helping Diana, Prince Charles made matters worse. Shortly after the birth of Prince Harry, Prince Charles began to criticize and demoralize Princess Diana with words and actions that caused her to go into a state of depression. The pair began fighting in public and started a lifestyle of separate living. As a result of the emotional stress, Princess Diana started to battle with bulimia. 


Due to Princess Diana's sensitive and expressive personality, she was unable to hide her hurt and disappointment over the failed marriage. This has resulted in Princess Diana's difficult battle with depression. Even though the world absolutely adored Princess Diana, Prince Charles had his affections set on another woman, Camilla Parker Bowles. As a result, Princess Diana felt  rejected and humiliated. 


Sadly, most of 1988 Diana was under the care of a famous psychiatrist who helped her address her gorging and food rejection, often associated with bulimia. Her internal turmoil, depression, struggle with bulimia and insecurity took a toll on her life. 






The truth is that Princess Diana undeniably sank into a lonely and depressed state that was only relieved once she left the royal family. Princess Diana had a strong battle with depression for nearly a decade and her mental health became worse during her years spent with Prince Charles and the royal family.

Conclusion: Being a princess didn't apparently attribute to Diana's happiness.

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