It's been almost 20 years since Princess Diana, Princess of Wales, passed away in an accident in August 1997. This August, "Diana: Her True Story – in Her Own Words" will be republished with a new foreword from the author himself, Andrew Morton. Interestingly, what once was thought to be the secret source for the book was, in fact, Princess Diana herself. She had recorded cassette tapes detailing her life with Prince Charles, who apparently body-shamed her and caused her battle with bulimia nervosa.
The Prince of Wales commented on Diana's weight
Prince Charles and Princess Diana were married in 1981, but prior to their marriage, the Prince of Wales was very particular about the weight and appearance of his wife-to-be. PEOPLE reported that on a tape that Princess Diana recorded, she said, "The bulimia started the week after we got engaged. My husband put his hand on my waistline and said: ‘Oh, a bit chubby here, aren’t we?"
This brings to light the issue of body shaming, which many may think is an issue that arose with the spread of social media and the Internet. Little did people know, men and women were already experiencing body shaming even before the dawn of technology. Prince Charles himself was guilty of body shaming his own fiance, commenting on how she looked like she put on a little bit of weight.
Following his comment, Princess Diana lost about six inches off her waist, as she resorted to bulimia to drop pounds.
What is bulimia nervosa?
According to the National Eating Disorders Association, bulimia nervosa is a "serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder" in which the afflicted goes through the continuous cycle of binge eating and self-induced vomiting to negate the effects of overeating.
NEDA also reported that rates of bulimia had increased during the 1980s and 1990s, and about 1.5 percent of women and 0.5 percent of men have dealt with bulimia at one point in their lives. Additionally, a study revealed how about 5.2 percent of adolescent girls meet the criteria for bulimia, anorexia, or binge eating disorder.
Princess Diana a victim of body shaming
The late Princess of Wales continues to influence many, even years after her death. Her struggle with bulimia and body shaming shows people just how like ordinary individuals she was, dealing with such issues at a young age.
Today, her son Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton are advocates for children's mental health, determined to raise their children right and encourage others to promote mental well-being among children, so they won't have to deal with bulimia and other physical and mental issues as they grow up.
