Princess Diana's Royal Photographer Spills His True Opinions On Prince Harry
August 31, 1997, was a day when the world stood still, as the beloved Diana, Princess of Wales, was taken from us. While millions adored her, few had the privilege of knowing the real Diana. Among those fortunates was Tim Rooke, who's been a royal photographer for more than 30 years. Getting up close and personal with the Windsors, Tim enjoyed a rare peek into the lives of Diana and her sons, Princes William and Harry. So when what would have been the late Princess's 60th birthday passed, Tim opened up about how her sons have affected her legacy and memory.
A heart of gold
After marrying the future King Charles in 1981, Diana soon became one of the most adored royals due to her beauty, warm personality, and caring nature. And even while tasked with her royal duties, Princess Diana remained true to her personal sense of duty and beliefs, as her actions over the coming years would prove. Tim Rooke was one of the first people to realize how special she was.
Early meetings
Tim recalled, "I first photographed Princess Diana at the age of 16 before I was even a professional photographer. I slept on the pavement outside Westminster Abbey the night before her wedding to Prince Charles so I could be in the perfect spot to capture it on my camera the next day." Soon enough, Rooke learned that not everything was as perfect as it seemed.
Rising to the occasion
Following the births of Prince William and Prince Harry in 1982 and 1984 respectively, it seemed as if Diana and Charles were the ideal couple. However, they were hiding their marital strain from the public eye and eventually divorced in 1996. While no longer adjacent to the throne, Princess Diana continued her mission to help humankind.
Diana's humanitarian efforts
There was something unique about Diana. Despite her royal status, she was very much in touch with the common people. Tim admired her true concern for their well-being as well as her passion for humanitarian work. In addition to supporting a myriad of charities, the Princess expressed a deep interest in helping victims of a disease that many leaders refused to discuss at the time.
