A letter addressing Princess Diana’s battle with bulimia is among a collection of letters featured at the Las Vegas exhibit Princess Diana: A Tribute Exhibition.
Diana, known fondly by the public as the “people’s princess,” was known for writing heartfelt letters. One of them, which touched on her battle with bulimia, is now part of the Las Vegas display marking the 25th anniversary of her death.
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“[This] is the only letter that we know on record where she publicly speaks about having bulimia and writing to someone else about the struggle she had [with it],” David Corelli, curator of the exhibition, told Fox News. “This was the late ‘80s, early ‘90s. Nobody was speaking about mental health. And for her to come out publicly and start to bring up some of those issues, you start seeing a wave of people … getting actual treatment and seek help. She single-handedly changed the world.”
Diana addressed her battle with bulimia in a letter to Richard Saunders, dated Jan. 31, 1996, a year before her death. Saunders had previously written to the princess about his struggles with the disease.
“Dear Richard — Thank you very much for your letter — it is not easy for a gentleman to be open and honest about Bulimia!” Diana responded. “However, you’re obviously coping extremely well in the circumstances and having Sam beside you will bring you both the support and encouragement that’s needed at this time in your lives. It was lovely to hear from you and remember if I am able to conquer Bulimia, you can too!!”
Although Diana hated the intrusion of the press in her royal life after marrying then-Prince Charles in 1981, she also used it as a tool to change the way the public thought about causes that were close to her, including mental health and AIDS.
“I didn’t like myself. I was ashamed because I couldn’t cope with the pressures,” Diana told the BBC in 1995. “I had bulimia for a number of years, and that’s like a secret disease. … It’s a repetitive pattern, which is very destructive to yourself. It was a symptom of what was going on in my marriage. I was crying out for help but giving the wrong signals, and people were using my bulimia as a coat on a hanger: They decided that was the problem — ‘Diana was unstable.'”
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Diana and Charles separated in 1992 but did not divorce until 1996. Charles has since married Camilla, the queen consort.
The princess, born Diana Spencer, died in a car crash in Paris in 1997. However, her legacy has lived on. The exhibit sits adjacent to the ARIA Resort and Casino. It features more than 700 items of memorabilia, including evening gowns, photographs, letters, and gifts she gave to friends. One gift was a heart-shaped locket that she gave to one of her bridesmaids, which the woman wore for 16 years.
