From 1975, when her
father inherited the Earldom of Spencer
and until her marriage in 1981, Diana was known as
the Lady Diana Spencer.
The title Earl Spencer was created in 1765 in the Peerage of
Great Britain for John Spencer, a great-grandson of the First Duke
of Marlborough. Lady Diana Spencer, later Princess of Wales, was the
daughter of the eighth Earl.
The subsidiary titles of the Earl Spencer are: Viscount Spencer
(created 1761), Viscount Althorp (1765), Viscount Althorp of
Brington (1905) and Baron Spencer (1761). All titles save one are in
the Peerage of Great Britain; the title Viscount Althorp of Brington
is in the Peerage of the UK. The courtesy
title of the eldest son and heir of the Earl Spencer is Viscount
Althorp.
After her marriage to the Prince of Wales
in 1981, until 1996, Diana was known as Her Royal Highness,
The Princess of Wales.
From 1996 onwards, she was known as Diana, Princess of Wales.
The usage Princess Diana, though commonly used in speech and
the media, is incorrect. Diana, Princess of Wales herself made a
point of correcting people who used it.
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Photograph © Tim
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