‘Good Days and Bad Days’: Princess of Wales Gives Update on Cancer
Battle
Princess Diana’s cancer battle was a private one, but she did share some of her experiences with the world.
In a 1997 interview with BBC’s Panorama, the late royal opened up about her health struggles, including her cancer diagnosis.
“I’ve had a very bad year, a very bad year,” Diana said in the interview, which was conducted in the summer of 1997. “I’ve had a lump in my neck for a year and a half, and I’ve had it operated on, and it’s come back.”
Diana, who was 36 at the time, said she was diagnosed with a tumor in her neck, which was later found to be a form of cancer called carcinoma. She underwent surgery to remove the tumor, but it returned.
“I’ve had all the tests, and I’ve had the operation, and I’ve had the radiotherapy, and I’ve had the chemotherapy, and I’ve had the hormone treatment,” she said. “I’ve had everything that anybody could have.”
Diana also spoke about the emotional toll her illness had taken on her.
“I’ve been through a lot of pain, and I’ve been through a lot of suffering, and I’ve been through a lot of depression,” she said. “I’ve been through a lot of despair, and I’ve been through a lot of fear, and I’ve been through a lot of anxiety.”
Despite her struggles, Diana remained hopeful and determined.
“I’ve got a long way to go, but I’m going to fight this cancer with all my might,” she said. “I’m going to keep going, and I’m going to keep smiling, and I’m going to keep taking it one day at a time.”
Diana passed away on August 31, 1997, at the age of 36, after a car crash in Paris. Her death was a shock to the world, and her legacy continues to live on.