Diana Spencer and the Causes of Eating Disorders
Bulimia in the Life of Princess Diana: Early Years
The life of Princess Diana, ex-wife of Prince Charles (England), contained the dynamics for an eating disorder, for her--bulimia.
Causes for Eating Disorders
There are a number of factors that contribute to the development of an eating disorder. They include the following (quoted from Healthyplace.com, no author or date, written for a website):
- "Major life transitions;
- Family problems;
- Social problems;
- Failure at school, work or competitive events;
- A traumatic event;
- Major illness or injury; and
- Other psychiatric illnesses."
The Possible Causes of Bulimia in Princess Di's Early Life
Given the aforementioned, Princess Diana's life enveloped all of those components, some at multiple levels. Though her father was happy that she was in good health at the time of her birth, Diana was initially a disappointment to her parents who wanted a boy. She was supposed to be the boy who would inherit the Spencer estate.
Diana was christened at Sandringham Church with well-to-do godparents. However, when Charles, her younger brother was born, he was christened at Westminster Abbey, and the Queen was appointed as his godmother.
At an early age Diana endured, along with her younger brother, living between the households of her divorced, bitter, and resentful parents. When she and her younger brother stayed with their father, Diana listened to her brother cry himself to sleep at night as he longed for his mother. Diana yearned to comfort him. Terror of the dark anchored her to the safety of her bed, surrounded by the security of her stuffed animals. The luminescent eyes of a hippo helped her to sleep at night knowing that someone kept watch.
She saw her older sisters infrequently. They lived away at school.
There were also a number of nannies. What she and her siblings held in material possessions (no lack of), they were deprived of regarding emotional nurturing. Diana suffered from low self-esteem most of her life.
Talking about problems was just not done in her family. Diana found comfort with the working staff of the household, her pets, and--food. Though the pictures of young Diana do not portray an overweight girl, she considered herself chubby.
In Diana's own words, "It was a very unhappy childhood. Parents were busy sorting themselves out. Always seeing my mother crying. Daddy never spoke to us about it. We never asked questions....very unstable the whole thing....being very detached from everybody else." (Andrew Morton, Diana Her True Story, In Her Own Words (Commemorative Edition), Simon and Schuster, Rockefellar Center, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020, 1997, pg. 24).
Diana's School Years
She attended the same school as her sisters, West Heath Boarding School in Kent. Sarah and Jane excelled in a number of areas. Diana did not. She seemed to hold an affinity for harmless pranks (sometimes concerning food). Her grades were average. However, Diana improved in scores when the subject material focused upon people and athletics.
She also loved her ballet, tap dancing and piano lessons. However, her height prevented her from pursuing a career in ballet. Her piano playing accomplishments were shadowed beneath those of her sister, Sarah, who could boast of conservatory lessons, and her grandmother who had performed before nobility.
More catalysts for bulimia emerged in the form of Camilla Parker-Bowles as Diana began dating Prince Charles as well as within her life as Princess of Wales.
Sources
Andrew Morton, Diana Her True Story, In Her Own Words (Commemorative Edition), Simon and Schuster, Rockefeller Center, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020, 1997.
Healthyplace.com website
Westminster Abbey, Knights of Bath, Canaletto
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