Princess Diana reportedly considered becoming a U.S. first lady after an American politician courted her, according to claims from her brother.
Princess Diana considered becoming a U.S. first lady after an American politician reportedly courted her, according to claims made by her younger brother, Charles Spencer, in his new memoir.
Diana’s surprising post-divorce possibility
The revelation offers another glimpse into Diana’s life after her divorce from then-Prince Charles. According to Spencer, the late princess once asked him whether he thought she could make a good American first lady.
Spencer said Diana had been approached by one of her “many powerful aging American suitors,” who allegedly believed he could win the presidency if she agreed to marry him.
The identity of the politician was not identified in the account.
Diana was intrigued by White House life
According to Spencer’s account, Diana appeared more intrigued by the possibility of living in the White House than by the prospect of marrying the American politician.
The idea would have represented a dramatic change from her life within the British royal family. Diana had already become one of the world’s most recognizable public figures, and a move into American political life would have placed her at the center of another highly visible institution.
Spencer described his sister as having a playful attraction to the possibility of reinventing herself and embracing a role that could surprise her critics in Britain.
Diana’s life after her royal divorce
Diana’s marriage to Charles ended formally in August 1996, following years of intense public scrutiny surrounding their relationship.
After the divorce, she continued to command enormous international attention while focusing on charitable causes and her public work.
Spencer also wrote that Diana considered moving to South Africa with heart surgeon Dr. Hasnat Khan. He said she imagined building a quieter life there, away from the pressures surrounding her in Britain.
That possibility ultimately did not become reality.
A different future that never happened
The first-lady idea is one of several revelations about Diana’s private hopes and plans that have emerged from Spencer’s memoir.
Her life after the royal divorce was marked by possibilities that could have taken her in very different directions, from a new life overseas to relationships outside the British establishment.
Diana died in a Paris car crash on Aug. 31, 1997, at the age of 36. Her death ended those possibilities but left behind an enduring public fascination with the life she might have lived.
The claims about her thoughts and conversations come from Spencer’s recollections and should be understood in that context. Buckingham Palace has also previously disputed other claims concerning the royal family made in the memoir.
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