How many Royals?

[LouisFerdinand]

Before she became engaged to Prince Charles, how many of the British Royals had Lady Diana met?

[Curryong]

I think Diana had met most of them. She was supposedly a playmate of Andrew's as a child, and she and her brother went over to Sandringham from Park House to play with him and watch the occasional film. However, I have read that she didn't really like it very much. A rather stiff and formal atmosphere, I suspect, and probably the children's nanny emphasised minding her Ps and Qs. I do get the feeling that, apart from Andrew these were brief encounters with the adults there, though. And of course when she was a teenager the family moved to Althorp in Northamtonshire and any visits ceased.

[amabel]

As I recall she was invited to various big royal events, such as the QM's birthday, prior to her dating Charles.  She certainly had met many of the RF... and since her sister dated Charles when she was 16, she met him at visits to Althorpe  as well

[Curryong]

Diana may have briefly met the Queen Mother in connection with her grandmother Lady Fermoy, who was Elizabeth's Lady in Waiting and friend as she was growing up but it wouldn't have been at the QMs birthday party. In August 1979 (Elizabeth's birthday month) Charles was already involved with Anna Wallace. At the 1980 BP ball to celebrate the QMs 80th birthday, Anna was present and greatly objected to Charles spending most of the evening dancing with CPB. By 1981 Diana was married to Charles, not sure whether the Royals were gathered at Balmoral on that occasion. Pre-1979 Diana was nannying and cleaning in London and not dating anyone significant to the BRF, so she, then 18, would have been an unlikely guest. 
Double post auto-merged: July 21, 2018, 04:59:38 AM

The joys of checking up on something after you've posted! In April 1978 the young Diana Spencer was a bridesmaid at her sister Jane's grand wedding at the Guards Chapel in London. The QM was a guest. She congratulated Diana's father on the way Diana had turned out and counselled the gratified Earl that 'the more difficult part, her future settlement in life', was to come.

In November 1978 Diana was at a big dance at BP for 370 young people, given by the Queen and PP to celebrate the POW's 30th birthday. She came with her sister Sarah. Charles danced with Lady Jane Wellesely, Sarah and Camilla on that occasion.

[amabel]

I thought she was invited to some big royal event, just before she and C started dating.  As Ruth Fermoy's granddaughter, I could imagine that she had been....
Double post auto-merged: July 21, 2018, 05:24:28 AM

actually I thought that there was some kind of big bash in 1980 to celebrate the QM's 80th brithday, Princess Anne's 30th and some other anniversary whch came up around then, and that Diana was at it.. It may not have been a formal birthday ball, but I was sure I had read about it years ago and seen a pic of Diana in  a fancy dress but with a rather plain old coat over it, going to said party.  I thought that it was some occasion jus before the actual courtship, where Diana was attending a royal event, which showed her status as a young lady of birth and breeding and part of the Royal cirlcle.. 
Double post auto-merged: July 21, 2018, 06:11:30 AM

I had a quick look at Tina Browns' book which is the only biog that I have.. and it doesn't mention the 80th Birthday.  It does mention the QM having met Diana and hinting to Charles that Diana was a charming girl.. and Ruth F invited Diana to a performance of Verdi's REquiem with herself and Charles... Ths was in 1980 and showed Di being drawn into the Royal cirlcle more.  her Grandmother was in the inner circle as the QM's friend.. Johnny S had dropped out of that sort of thing, but now that Di was growing up, she was gradualy being included in some Royal events...

[Curryong]

Yes, Diana went up to Balmoral on a visit, where the Parker Bowles's, Soames' and others met her and thought she was jolly. She went to Cowes on the Britannia for Cowes week. Maybe the fancy dress party was then. Can't find anything relevant to that in Sally Bedell Smith. Might ask Duch. He knows everything about photos of Diana.

[amabel]

It wasn't a fancy dress party... I thought that it was the 80th birthday for the QM.... because I seem to remember reading that it was her 80th, P Ann's 30th and someone else's birthday.. perhaps P Margarets - she would have been 50 in 1980.
I think that the Balmoral visits were later when she and Charles were starting to see each other, but I think in 1978 or 9 to 1980, Diana was an occasional visitor to the RF's private events, due to her status and her family connextions with the Court..  and during these events, Charles would have seen her and other members fo the family would have no doubt noticed that she was growing into a pretty girl and was now old enough to be marriageable, and young enough to be suitable as a virgin bride...

[LouisFerdinand]

When did Diana first meet Princess Michael of Kent?