If there’s anything Princess Diana was known for other than her ravishing fashion and her infectious smile, it was her devout charity work.
The late Princess of Wales spent decades serving the community and beyond, and it’s her service to others that continues to lead her legacy today, even 26 years after her tragic death.
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In a special episode of Songs of Praise, the program set out to explore the inspiration behind much of Diana’s charity, which many believe to be her much-less talked about Christian faith.
Throughout the episode, friends and colleagues who spent extensive time with Diana are said to speak openly about how the Princess had “stronger faith than people give her credit for.”
Mike Whitlam, former director general of the British Red Cross, worked with Diana on numerous charity campaigns, including her famous landmine trip to Bosnia.
He says the Princess had a strong religious conviction that he believes helped motivate her remarkable charity work.
“She wanted to put love where there was hatred, and make a huge difference to people’s lives so that they could live a better life,” he added. “When you talk to people about making the world a better place, there are not many people who think it’s doable. She did.”
Tracy Borman, joint chief curator of Historic Royal Palaces, says Diana’s compassion and charity work “absolutely reflects very Christian values too.”
In recent years, other members of the royal family have been outspoken about their deep Christian faith.
Diana’s ex-husband, Prince Charles, has reportedly addressed the religious persecution of Christians and other minorities around the world on a number of occasions.
In 2016, Queen Elizabeth II called Jesus Christ “the King she serves.”
It wound up being the title of the book The Servant Queen and the King She Serves, written by Mark Greene and Catherine Butcher.
The tribute “focuses on the Queen’s own words to draw out the central role of her trust in Jesus Christ in shaping her life and work.”
“The Queen has served us all her adult life, with amazing consistency of character, concern for others and a clear dependence on Christ,” Mark says in a statement regarding the book. “The more I’ve read what she’s written and talked to people who know her, the clearer that is.”
Though she’s been gone for 25 years, Princess Diana remains a beloved and iconic figure for many throughout the U.K. and across the globe.
