Edward White

A kaleidoscopic portrait of Princess Diana (1961–1997), as viewed by the people whose lives she touched... White takes an evenhanded perspective on his subject... his panoramic approach attests to her lasting influence across the world. This achieves the difficult task of finding a novel take on the much-discussed former royal

I didn’t think it possible to produce an interesting book about Princess Diana at this juncture, but, by George, White has done it [...] there is an admirable intelligence at work here

A wide-ranging cultural history of the former Princess of Wales... Dianaworld teems with striking, odd anecdotes that will be irresistible to anyone with an eye for Diana-related ephemera

Devotees of the ‘People’s Princess’ will revel in White’s explorations of the territory behind the curtain

Highly entertaining, witty and just judgemental enough... With an enjoyably light touch, White takes apart the affectation of Diana and other famous people

This eclectic non-fiction account of the sociological phenomenon of Princess Diana reveals some fascinating oddities

Equitable and ecumenical… White ensures that readers will appreciate the phenomenal impact this often misunderstood yet perennially alluring woman has made on the culture

Dianaworld is very well done... and it is that unexpected thing in this field: something of a contribution to knowledge

White takes advantage of a quarter-century’s distance to present the cultural postmortem she deserves

Deft and often odd [...] it offers valuable insights

Among the strengths of this book is its dissection of its subject’s self-presentation

Dianaworld [is] a portrait of Britain and Britishness

An Obsession

For more than forty years, Diana, Princess of Wales, has been mythologized to the most extraordinary degree. Adored and lionized by some, ridiculed and traduced by others, Diana has always commanded a cultural presence unmatched by any other member of the royal family. 
 
In Dianaworld, Edward White offers both a portrait of the princess and a group portrait of those who existed in her orbit—from her royal in-laws, her servants, and the dilapidated ranks of the British aristocracy from which she rose, to drag performers, artists, Britain’s ethnic minorities, and the Gen Z superfans who maintain her status as a cultural icon. 
 
Drawing on a wide array of sources and perspectives, many never used in books about Diana or the royal family, White vividly recreates the world Diana lived in, explores the growth of her global reputation, and illuminates her lasting impact on the world she left behind.

Edward White

Praise for Dianaworld

A kaleidoscopic portrait of Princess Diana (1961–1997), as viewed by the people whose lives she touched... White takes an evenhanded perspective on his subject... his panoramic approach attests to her lasting influe ...

I didn’t think it possible to produce an interesting book about Princess Diana at this juncture, but, by George, White has done it [...] there is an admirable intelligence at work here

A wide-ranging cultural history of the former Princess of Wales... Dianaworld teems with striking, odd anecdotes that will be irresistible to anyone with an eye for Diana-related ephemera

A kaleidoscopic portrait of Princess Diana (1961–1997), as viewed by the people whose lives she touched... White takes an evenhanded perspective on his subject... his panoramic approach attests to her lasting influe ...

I didn’t think it possible to produce an interesting book about Princess Diana at this juncture, but, by George, White has done it [...] there is an admirable intelligence at work here

A wide-ranging cultural history of the former Princess of Wales... Dianaworld teems with striking, odd anecdotes that will be irresistible to anyone with an eye for Diana-related ephemera

A kaleidoscopic portrait of Princess Diana (1961–1997), as viewed by the people whose lives she touched... White takes an evenhanded perspective on his subject... his panoramic approach attests to her lasting influe ...

I didn’t think it possible to produce an interesting book about Princess Diana at this juncture, but, by George, White has done it [...] there is an admirable intelligence at work here

A wide-ranging cultural history of the former Princess of Wales... Dianaworld teems with striking, odd anecdotes that will be irresistible to anyone with an eye for Diana-related ephemera

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter