10 Things Princess Diana Got to Keep After Her Divorce
Updated: Mar. 16, 2022
After a seemingly fairytale romance, Princess Diana and Prince Charles divorced in 1996. The People's Princess lost a lot during the separation, but in some ways, she got to keep her royal lifestyle.
A Kensington Palace home
Princess Diana didn’t have rights to the entire palace after her divorce, but she did get a section of it to herself: apartments 8 and 9. But make no mistake—this was no small chunk. The property had three levels, including a nursery for the boys that took up the entire top floor. Learn about the final straw that made Princess Diana want a divorce.
An impressive income
The palace never officially announced the cash settlement between Charles and Diana, but media at the time reported she got a lump sum of $22.5 million, plus an extra $600,000 to help with office costs, according to the New York Times at the time.
Private jets
Lady Di didn’t have to return to flying business class just because she lost her “Her Royal Highness” title. She still had access to the royal family’s jets so she could keep traveling like a queen.
Office space
While Princess Diana did have to clear out of her old office in St. James’s Palace, which would have been next to her ex-husband’s workspace, she did get new digs for her work. The royal family let her move into new offices at Kensington Palace, where she lived. Check out what Princess Diana could have lost if she’d remarried.
Party space
Even though she had to give up her permanent office space at St. James’s Palace, Princess Diana could still access it from time to time. As long as she asked permission first, she was allowed to use apartments there for entertaining.
Her title
Even though Charles demanded his ex-wife lose the right to her “Her Royal Highness” title—meaning she’d need to curtsey to other royal family members, including Prince Charles himself—Diana still got a royal nod in her name. After the divorce, she was still allowed to be known as Diana, Princess of Wales.
Jewelry
Perhaps one of the most obvious signs of luxuries for royalty is the flashy necklaces and tiaras they get to show off. As part of the divorce settlement, Princess Diana got to keep all of the jewelry that she’d collected during her marriage—including her engagement ring, which Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with. The only piece she wasn’t allowed to keep was the Cambridge Lover’s Knot tiara that Queen Elizabeth II had passed down to her then-daughter-in-law as a wedding present. Here are more things Prince Harry and Prince William inherited from Princess Diana.
Invitations to royal events
The royal family insisted Diana would still be “regarded as a member of the royal family” and assured the public that the queen and government would keep inviting her to events. Find out what Princess Diana did lose during the divorce.
Key staff
Diana’s home staff was dramatically downsized during the divorce, but she did get to keep a few key players: chef, cleaner, and dresser, according to her biography The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown.
Time with her sons
Diana and Charles got joint custody of their sons, Prince William and Prince Charles, who spent most of their time away at boarding school. When Diana got to have her kids at her home in Kensington Palace, she was known to let them eat decidedly un-royal foods like pizza, fried chicken, and potato skins. The boys also got to spend half their holidays with their mom. Next, find out the 8 rules Princess Diana changed for good.
