5 Royal Family Members Who Battled Crippling Depression

Princess Diana — The Smile That Hid a Secret Illness

Princess Diana was the most photographed woman in the world, but behind the glamorous image was a woman struggling with severe depression, bulimia, and self-harm. Diana wept before and after public engagements because of the impossible expectations placed on her. She was prone to mood swings and self-mutilation, and she made multiple suicide attempts that were dismissed as “cries for help”. She described bulimia as her “secret illness,” linking it to the problems in her marriage. The British upper classes viewed psychiatry with disdain—Diana was expected to “keep a stiff upper lip” rather than seek help. Prince Charles arranged for her to see a psychiatrist during their honeymoon, but she rejected the treatment. She spent years taking sleeping pills instead. The world saw a princess. Behind closed doors, she was drowning.