Lady Di - Queen of Hearts
Never forgotten - but at what cost?
Last time, we extensively discussed the new King of the United Kingdom. However, when we think of him, the thought of his first wife is almost inevitable.
Even before her death in 1997, Diana was a mystery to many, but her popularity and belovedness are still strongly felt today. Even decades after the tragic accident, she is talked about and mourned. Today, with the help of astrology, I would like to try to look a little behind the scenes and find out who she really was. I will particularly examine her relationship with Charles, also because the comparison to my last article about Camilla is thereby obvious. However, an analysis of everything that happened after the divorce would exceed the scope of today's article.
To better understand her and her impact on Charles, the royal family, and all her fans, let's first take a look at her natal chart.
Diana Frances Spencer, 01.07.1961 Sandringham 19:45
Diana was the third daughter of a very wealthy family. However, her birth was rather regretted as both parents had desperately wished for a son. It even took a week after her birth for her to be given a name. When Diana was seven years old, her mother left the family and shortly after divorced the father of the children. He remarried when Diana was 15, but did not inform her in advance. Diana remained angry at him and her stepmother for a long time.
All of these prenatal and childhood experiences are essential in a psychological and astrological interpretation. When we read about Diana's childhood, it quickly becomes clear that she must have often felt excluded, rejected, and unloved. Even later in life, she repeatedly encountered situations revolving loss and betrayal (in the eyes of a child), which certainly had a significant impact on her behavior and feelings as an adult.
When it comes to childhood experiences, we always take a look at the water houses. For example, the 12th house represents prenatal imprints. The tip of this house falls in Sagittarius, and its ruler Jupiter falls into the 2nd house. We can see the parents' strong desire, hope, and anticipation (Jupiter) for a boy, whom they hoped would bring stability and security to the family (2nd house). However, Jupiter is retrograde, possibly indicating the disappointment the parents experienced (this Jupiter also certainly continued to not be the most optimistic one). The 4th house, which represents childhood, falls into Aries. A high-energy sign that acts impulsively and unpredictably and therefore often unintentionally hurting others. This could represent how Diana perceived her parental home or how she behaved towards her family. She may have had to assert herself strongly to be seen and often harbored angry feelings towards her parents. The ruler of this house, Mars, falls into the 8th house, the last of the three water houses. This house deals with the themes of inheritance in every sense. Just as one can inherit money from parents, one can also inherit behavioral patterns, emotions, and traumas. We see this house enlarged and strongly occupied, an indication that these topics were always a big part of her life. Diana was a rather reserved child (Leo enclosed in the 8th house), swimming against the tide and deliberately provoking (the 8th house also deals with taboo topics, behaving in a way that is not desired to break superficiality). According to reports, she didn't take school seriously, although she was intellectually gifted like her sisters, but rather demonstrated a highly developed emotional intelligence (retrograde Mercury in Cancer). She was more interested in sports (Sagittarius rising), was popular with her classmates (Sun and Mercury in the 7th house), and pursued careers such as dance teacher or nanny. Her high rank seemed to not have been of great importance for her for a long time, and it can be assumed that she sometimes saw her position in society as a nuisance (Lilith in the 8th house rebelling against the inheritance, wanting to expose unpleasant things; Pluto in the 8th house - entanglement in the areas of loss and inheritance).
Due to all these imprints, her Moon placement also makes sense. She longed for stability, reliability, and was probably often emotionally detached to cope with difficult experiences (Moon in Aquarius in the 2nd house). However, her desire for structure, security, and trust was repeatedly violated and hurt (Chiron in the 2nd house). She most likely associated her mother with a certain unreliability and emotional coldness (Moon in Aquarius opposition Uranus). Both her Moon and the stellium in the 8th house create challenging squares to her Venus and therefore her self-confidence. Despite the relatively good position in the 5th house in its domicile, it only receives challenging aspects and planets, which surely hindered her full development of a healthy confidence.
When reading all of this, one might wonder why she, despite her apparently quite strong aversion to status and rank, married into the royal family. Here it’s important to note, that these were unconscious patters that one will keep falling into until they are recognized and solved. Her marriage to Charles was certainly another instance in which she relinquished control (8th house), and her Pluto-patterns repeated themselves (Pluto also represents the themes of feeling controlled and suppressed, which are difficult to escape). It is also part of her inheritance to preserve her standing and, as is customary in prestigious families, marry someone of a high rank. She couldn't escape the public eye not her family, and ultimately, she needed this external validation to unfold herself. Of course, at that time, she could not have foreseen that all of this would turn on her one day.
She knew how to behave in public and always had a good reputation, as revealed by her Libra Midheaven and the Sun and Mercury in the 7th house. She naturally made a sympathetic and authentic impression on others and was admired for her beauty and generosity. This is also indicated by the ruler of the Midheaven sign (the popular and well-spoken Libra), which strongly influenced her positive appearance, where she showed and presented herself stylishly and knew how to use her charm to her advantage.
With the South Node and Chiron in the 2nd house, as well as her Moon, we can see that security, particularly financial security, was crucial to her. At the same time, she was likely a resentful person, finding it difficult to let go of certain things even when it was time. Although the Aquarius Moon also longs for independence and can appear detached, it is still a fixed sign and prefers things to be familiar (we can also see this in her Saturn in the 1st house).
She was a security-oriented woman who cared for others and was concerned about everyone's well-being. As we recall Charles's ideal partner, this should fit perfectly, right? So why did this marriage begin to crumble so early and had to end this tragically?
Before we delve into their synastry, I think it's important to mention that Charles's character must not be overlooked. Diana was a person who couldn't handle secrets and uncertainties well. With her strongly occupied 8th house, she was probably often jealous, and as we later learned, not always without reason. Charles, on the other hand, seeks a woman who provides him with security but is himself a rather impulsive character who wants to be confirmed and supported without being overshadowed (as seen when looking at his Moon and the dynamic with his mother, which was a recurring pattern for him that probably didn’t reemerge entirely out of the blue).
Since he married Camilla, he seems to be simply too old to engage in many flirts like he used to enjoy doing in the past. Camilla was his secret; they were never really together for a long period, and in his eyes, she may have even seemed perfect. However, we know that Charles didn't only cheat on Diana with Camilla. Even before their marriage, he proposed to several women within a short period of time, which speaks volumes about his Mars in Sagittarius in the 5th house. It seems that a deep, intimate connection was never really of importance to him (Aquarius Descendant), and the secrecy in which he operated, likely making him feel courted and in control, aligned with his emphasis on the lower hemisphere and the many Pluto topics in his chart.
It definitely makes sense that Diana eventually became too much for Charles. We have a Sagittarius Ascendant, an Aquarius Moon, and a Gemini Descendant... She surely had her own vision of life and probably didn't put up with everything, even though she managed to integrate that aspect of herself only later in life. It's important to note that it was a big concern for the royal family to erase Camilla from Charles' mind and thus from the image of the royals. A replacement had to be found quickly, and Diana, with her charming, accommodating, and reserved nature, seemed to be the perfect fit for Charles and, due to her family background, also suitable for the royal’s bloodline.
Next, we can create the synastry chart for Charles and Diana to better understand their connection to each other.
synastry chart between Charles (inner circle) and Diana (outer circle)
Looking at the synastry, it appears that the relationship brought more happiness to Charles than to Diana. One of the convincing factors is her Jupiter directly on his Descendant, his point of relationships. She seemed optimal for him, especially in terms of children (as I mentioned in the previous article while discussing his Jupiter placement). However, we can already see the strong square between Jupiter and his Moon, indicating the conflict that would trigger his maternal influences and wounds.
It's interesting to note her Lilith placement directly on his Pluto. Lilith - a celestial body that often represents rebellion and provocation, and especially for women being an indicator for emancipation - falls provocatively onto his power-seeking, controlling Pluto in the 1st house. Her increasingly self-confident and assertive nature became more and more bothersome to him, hindering his personal empowerment both in the relationship and in the public eye. This is also revealed by her Uranus, which squares his Sun. She likely irritated him frequently and was simply too restless, which interfered with his self-expression and ego (Sun).
When we consider the relationship from Diana's perspective, it seems that power and control played a significant role. His Mars forms a conjunction with her Ascendant; therefore, she might have perceived him as stronger and overpowering. There is also a Pluto-Saturn conjunction: where she wanted to let go, he held on tightly. Her wound, her entanglement with inheritance and status, was further reinforced by him, trapping her to some extent in her old patterns and emotions, sircumstances under which all of us would have probably lost our minds.
The square between his sun and her Uranus could have felt like a restraint on her freedom and individuality (Uranus) because of his views and strong presentation of self (Sun). On top of that her Venus recieves an opposition from his sun, probably leading to her feeling unloved and overtrumped.
On top of that both of their Mercurys get occupied by challenging slow-moving planets, therefore the communication between them was likely poor. Whereas both Saturns recieve hardly any aspects, indicating that a long-lasting and profound relationship was not to be expected.
In the article about Camilla, we described both hers and Charles' search patterns, so I would like to describe Diana's as well to complete the trio.
She longed for an intellectual partner (Gemini Descendant and Mercury in the 7th house). It was probably somewhat subconscious that she desired someone particularly expressive, but not a coincidence. A Sun in the 7th house often describes a self-sacrificing person who is frequently preoccupied with others' thoughts, making the partner usually an extroverted person who can easily stand up for themselves.
The ruler of the Descendant is in Cancer in the 7th house, indicating a caring and social person (which also aligns with the Sun). Mars is in Virgo, representing an organized and intellectual partner (a pattern we also observed for Camilla).
There were likely similarities between the two, such as their search for a rather calm partner, where her Virgo Mars and his Taurus Sun aligned. His Moon also represents his female search pattern, to which she perfectly corresponded with her Taurus Venus. Similarly, his Venus in Libra fits well with her Aquarius Moon. A Moon-Sun square, like we can observe between the two is often interpreted as an attraction, but it can also signify suppression and overshadowing of her feelings (in this context). If this was the case, she had to suffer for his good image.
I mentioned it briefly in the previous article, Charles was undoubtedly a very non-committal and unpredictable type. With his Mars in Sagittarius in the 5th house, he was always seeking new and exciting relationships and quick flirts. However, he longed for a friendly, calm, and reserved woman (Moon in Taurus), who might be somewhat artistic or dreamy but also stood for tradition and roots (his Venus placement). With his Descendant in Aquarius and his Mars placement, it's clear that he wasn't the most faithful partner. He needed a lot of freedom, which Diana may have suffocated, as she prioritized exclusivity and trust.
Composite chart between Charles and Diana
In this composite chart, we can observe the dynamic between (similar to the one I created for Camilla and Charles in the previous article of this series). It is evident here: their image was joyful, happy, and celebrated by the entire country (Jupiter on the MC), particularly in Capricorn. This relationship was primarily public, superficial, and heavily calculated. The Moon in the 12th house indicates suppressed emotions and a lack of display when it came to personal matters. The majority of planets being places in the nocturnal hemisphere confirm this assumption.
Charles, being the older of the two, is represented by Aries here, indicating that the relationship was under an impulsive, aggressive, and immature influence. The ruler of the Ascendant (Charles) is Mars, which is located in the 7th house (the house of others) in a close conjunction with Neptune (indicating his absence, desires, and secrecy). We also see a sextile to Pluto (power manipulation, betrayal, in the house of flirting) and a square to Uranus, the planet of unreliability and irritations.
On the other hand, Venus (representing Diana, as she is the younger partner ruling the Descendant) is in the 4th house in Leo. She takes her relationship and role in the royal family seriously, with a focus on the family and her role as a mother, also since she gave birth to Charles' only children, securing the line of succession. It is likely that she sometimes felt exploited for these reasons, as Venus has no aspects. She probably didn't feel taken seriously or seen in the relationship (its dispositor, the Sun, is in the 6th house, the house of duties and work, aspected by a controlling, strict Saturn and the pressure of the public, the pressure of living the "beautiful life" they were supposed to lead (Jupiter on the MC)).
Combin chart between Diana and Charles (aka Davison relationship chart)
Most interestingly, the dynamics change completely when looking at their Combin chart, which is often used to observe how a relationship will develop.
We see that the roles of the two have completely reversed. Now, Charles is represented by Libra, and Diana by Aries.
Diana (here, Mars) is in the 8th house in Taurus. She has become more active compared to her previously very passive position, but in a typical 8th house and Taurus manner: passive-aggressive, manipulative, and stubborn. The 8th house also represents taboos and depths, which could indicate her various psychological issues that put pressure on her as well as the royal family. She didn't intend to leave the relationship (or perhaps couldn't do so directly) (Taurus) and preferred to fight back using Charles's own tactics. She persisted, publicly revealed private matters, and thus tarnished Charles's reputation and gradually that of the entire royal family as well. What was hidden came to light (Neptune now in the 1st house), and the happy public image was shattered. The relationship was no longer observed with joy by the people (Jupiter now retrograde and in conjunction with Uranus, in Cancer) and also became more transparent and permeable, giving the feeling of personally sitting in the royal living room between the disputed two.
Mars squares Venus (the two partners), which is not surprising. At a certain point, they wanted nothing more to do with each other. Charles was hurt by the whole situation (Chiron in conjunction), yet presented himself as unaffected, and outwardly appeared cool and distant (Aquarius). He knew he held the upper hand and could later retreat to his family (Venus in the 4th house and trine to the Moon in the 12th house, representing the mother/heritage, which ultimately communicated and initiated the divorce. Also important here: the square to the North Node - she ended the relationship, so a future for the two of them never materialized).
Composites are often created between two individuals to better understand and interpret the dynamics of the relationship. However, a composite can also be created using the chart of a person and one of an event to gain insight into the intentions and motivations behind the action. With this composite between Charles and the wedding day (on the left), many things become clear.
We see a strong concentration in the 1st house. It was primarily a decision centered around Charles himself. The Moon is in the 10th house – so emotionally, it was about reputation. The Descendant is in Pisces, which represents the partner as the subordinate, the accommodator. Both rulers of the Descendant signs fall into the enclosed sign of Scorpio in the 3rd house. Diana had little autonomy in this decision; her compliance played into his plans and to his advantage.
The composite between Diana's natal chart and the wedding day (on the right side) also indicates that she had only little to say in this whole matter. The planets in her 1st house demonstrate this. Additionally, there is a peace-loving, patient Moon that blocks the otherwise well-placed Mars in its assertiveness. Once again, we see the 8th house with three personal planets, indicating external pressures from family and others.
Furthermore, her Sun is not-aspected, which means her views and feelings towards this, as well as how this would later affect her in the long run, did not matter in that moment.
I want to make it clear that I'm not taking sides but merely attempting to examine the situation from back then to better understand these otherwise so far celebrities and also to demonstrate the complexity of astrology. I believe that Diana had a tendency to seek the approval of others and sacrifice herself for them, while Charles is more assertive, striving for confirmation and recognition. Diana fought for herself to not drown in this marriage, although she must have increasingly noticed how she got slowly pushed out of her husband's life and the royal family. As many of her fans often claim, she ultimately had to paid for this with her life.
Whether the Royals were truly involved in her accident is perhaps a topic for another article, but it is clear to everyone that Diana fought an uphill battle from the very beginning.