From teacher to tragic figure, the life of Princess Diana

It has been 20 years since the death of Princess Diana in a car crash in Paris and the outpouring of grief that followed. Here is a timeline of the key moments in Princess Diana's life:

—July 1, 1961: Diana Frances Spencer is born into an aristocratic family.

—February 24, 1981: Lady Diana's engagement to Prince Charles, 32, is announced.

—July 29, 1981: Diana, 20, marries Prince Charles at St Paul's Cathedral in London. The wedding was broadcast around the world, watched by hundreds of millions on television.

—June 21, 1982: Princess Diana's first son, William Arthur Philip Louis, is born. He is known as Prince William.

—September 15, 1984: The royal couple's second son, Henry Charles Albert David, is born. He is known as Prince Harry.

—June 1992: Andrew Morton's book, "Diana, Her True Story," is published. It reveals she attempted suicide and suffered from an eating disorder.

—December 9, 1992: Charles and Diana's formal separation is announced to Parliament by Prime Minister John Major

—November 20, 1995: Diana speaks about her marital problems, affairs, postnatal depression, and tensions with the royal family in a widely-watched interview on the BBC.

—December 20, 1995: Buckingham Palace says the Queen wrote to the couple earlier that week calling on them to divorce.

—August 28, 1996: Diana and Charles divorce.

—August 31, 1997: Diana and her companion Dodi Fayed die in a high-speed car crash in Paris.

—September 6, 1997: Thousands attend Diana's funeral in London.