Why Princess Diana Always Kept Her Head Down — No, It Wasn't Because She Was Sulking
Diana was often referred to as 'Shy Di' as she kept her head down in public. While many mistook this for sulking, the Princess claimed it wasn't so.
Princess Diana, remembered as the 'People’s Princess,' captivated the world with her compassion, dedication to helping others, and bold fashion sense. While Diana wasn't afraid of ruffling feathers, in the early years of royal life, she was often referred to as 'Shy Di', given her habit of keeping her head down during public appearances. While many mistook this for sulking, Diana once revealed the real reason behind her posture.
In recorded interviews with Andrew Morton, for his book Diana: Her True Story–In Her Own Words, Diana explained, "When I first arrived on the scene, I'd always put my head down...Now that I interpret it, that did look sulky. I've never sulked. I've been terrified out of my tiny little mind." Diana shared that the sudden shift from leading a private life to one of constant spotlight was overwhelming. She said, "One minute I was nobody, the next minute I was Princess of Wales, mother, media toy, member of this family, you name it, and it was too much for one person at that time." She stressed, "It took me six years to get comfortable in this skin, and now I'm ready to go forward."
Additionally, Diana described just how much her daily life had changed. "When I have my public duties, I understand that when I get out of the car, I'm being photographed. But actually, it's now when I go out of my door, my front door, I'm being photographed. I never know where a lens is going to be." She recalled being followed by multiple cars and surrounded by photographers wherever she went. As such, she claimed wearing hats that partly covered her face and lowering her chin helped reduce the delirium of cameras flashing around her. She asserted that she found the constant interest daunting as she hated 'being the center of attention.'
Interestingly, one of the Queen's press secretaries, Dickie Arbiter, who met her a few days before Diana's wedding, offered another perspective on why the Princess was often seen with her head down. He told Vogue, "People used to call her 'Shy Di' because she kept her head down when she talked to you. But there was nothing shy about her. She was conscious of her height — 5 feet 10. She used to keep her head down when talking to people to not make them feel uncomfortable and to talk to them at their own level."
Over time, Diana learned to manage her role as a public figure and used her position to bring attention to important causes, becoming an ambassador for the UK. In her 1995 Panorama interview, she said, "I'd like to represent this country abroad. When I go abroad, we've got 60 to 90 photographers, just from this country, coming with me, so let's use it in a productive way, to help this country."
