Images of Lady Diana you've never seen before

Everything stopped on August 31, 1997, when the world learned of the death of Princess Diana of Wales. She was 36 years old when she died in a car crash in Paris. 

Diana, known as 'The People's Princess,' was loved for her character and her philanthropic work. In this photo, we see her on a trip to Lagos, Nigeria, in March 1990, wearing a Catherine Walker outfit and a Philip Somerville hat.

Many years after her death, Diana continues to interest people. She has been one of the greatest icons of recent times: a true queen of hearts.

Looking back from a time when we are used to the universe of influencers, Diana of Wales was, without a doubt, the first great influencer around.

Instead of social media, the tabloids helped spread her image - for better or for worse.

Both in life and after her death, the images of Lady Diana in magazines, newspapers, films, and documentaries have seemed infinite. 

Some of these images are iconic and have transcended into popular culture (with movies like 'Spencer' and series like 'The Crown,' for example), but there are still a few that are not so common in the public memory.

Snapshots of her public and private lives portray the princess, but also the fragile and vulnerable person behind her. Take a look at this portrait of a young Diana, taken in May 1981 in Scotland, a few months before she would become a princess. 

In this photo we see Diana Spencer leaning out of a window when she was still living in her London apartment. The famous wedding to Prince Charles at Saint Paul's Cathedral in London would take place a little later (on July 29, 1981), before the eyes of millions of people.

Here at a gala dinner in New Zealand in 1983, Diana was wearing the spectacular Queen Mary tiara. Despite her appearance, Diana's story was not exactly a typical princess' tale. It wouldn't have a happy ever after either.

Her problems with anxiety and bulimia began right in this period, as she would later reveal in her 1991 interview with the English journalist and writer Andrew Morton. 

"The bulimia started the week after we got engaged," she told Morton. "My husband put his hand on my waistline and said: 'Oh, a bit chubby here, aren't we?' and that triggered off something in me."

At just 20 years old, Diana could not withstand the media pressure and paparazzi harassment. It caused a state of anxiety, which only got worse when she realized that there were "three in the marriage," as she revealed in her last interview with the BBC in 1995. Number three, of course, was Camila Parker, Prince Charles's lover.

Early on, all was laughter. Here we see them happy and smiling in 1981, on their honeymoon aboard the yacht Britannia. Princess Diana later told Andrew Morton that she was madly in love with Charles and that she hoped he would take care of her and protect her. However, she soon discovered that this would not be the case.

In her institutional work as princess, Diana of Wales accompanied Prince Charles on countless occasions. People loved to see her, even more than they loved to see Charles, and it caused some jealousy in him.

In a world as hermetic and corseted as that of the monarchy, the way in which Diana showed herself to the world was quite a challenge. Other members of the royal family often did not know how to deal with her behavior.

Diana did not hesitate to show herself as she was, both in good and bad times. She had the guts to reveal to the world the sadness that at times harbored her soul. 

Diana went to see her therapist at Swiss Cottage, in London, regularly. This image is from January 1996. 

Diana often took refuge in motherhood to overcome her failed marriage and the pressure of her position in the Royal Family.  

On this occasion, we can see her inside a car, in the company of her son Harry. The photo was taken in September 1986 at London Heathrow airport.

Diana was a recognizable style icon, trying out innovative looks while others in the conservative royal family stuck to classic outfits.

This beautiful pose from behind was photographed during the British Fashion Awards at Royal Albert Hall in October 1989.

A quarter century has gone by since that fateful August 31, 1997, when Diana, her partner Dodi Al-Fayed, her bodyguard, and the driver crashed into the tunnel walls below the Alma Bridge in Paris.

Yet, Diana of Wales continues and will continue to draw media attention with the same force. We remember her for being like an open book, such as the time she was photographed at a banquet in Vienna in 1986.

Diana of Wales lives on the hearts of those people who value her, among other things, for her humanitarian commitments and for being a princess who broke with protocol.

Her character transcends time and space, as we can see in the images. Diana is an icon of the 20th century who, decades later, continues to inspire us.