Princess Diana

An entrepreneur is defined as a person who creates a product on his or her own account. His or her own account is an industrial enterprise in which workmen are employed. An entrepreneur is someone who organizes a business venture and assumes the risks for it. Princess Diana did not create a product nor did she undertake an industrial enterprise, however, she is considered an entrepreneur because of the organization she undertook of a number of charities. She took on the success of each charity despite her own personal risks. These risks defied the “correct” way a princess should act. She took a risk with all the criticism she would receive from the press and those whom she chooses to work with, particularly AIDS patients. She also underwent harsh disapproval from both Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles. The question remains of how did Princess Diana become so involved in charities and why did she cut down on the number of charities that she worked with once she became a goodwill ambassador?

When Diana was younger she started visiting the elderly, the sick, and the physically challenged while at West Health because the school encouraged students to serve the surrounding community. She soon discovered that she had a natural ability for humanitarian work. It is assumed that because of Diana’s own childlike personality, she enjoyed working with children the best. It is said, “Her success stemmed in part from her likeability” (Brennan 34). Diana’s many enduring qualities made people love her. During one of her visits to the people of Wales, when the rain was pouring down, she refused an umbrella because she desired to put herself in the shoes of others. Crowds lined the streets during this weather because she had the ability to make them feel important. She had a natural style of communication that caught the attention of many people across the world. These natural abilities form the foundation for her success with each charity she was involved in. Years later, Diana’s preparedness would elicit praise from the numerous organizations she would work with.

After her schooling, despite Royalty’s shape disapproval of Diana’s charity work, Diana worked with many different groups and charities from those rejected from society, the sick and the dying, mentally ill, the deaf community, the elderly, those addicted to drugs, AIDS patients, homeless, and to the children found in any of the above categories. “Being constantly in the public eye gives me a special responsibility, particularly that of using the impact of photographs to transmit a message, to sensitize the world to an important cause, to defend certain values” (Adler 83). Diana made this statement and it was obvious that it worked. People across the world were mesmerized by her never-ending care. She would often take her own children, William and Harry, to visit AIDS victims and many others. She once made the comment, “If I’m gong to talk on behalf of any cause, I want to go and see the problem for myself and learn about it.” (Adler 83). She wanted to make her children aware that there were people suffering and people that weren’t. The public was horrified when she did this, even though it was know that AIDS cannot be spread like the common cold. By drawing the attention of the public and impacting a change, as small as it was, in the treatment of AIDS patients, she, in turn, also created popular charities. Because Diana was the type of person who would rather help others than sit back and watch, she drew sympathy out of citizens and they then would donate to the causes she supported.

In 1993, Diana made a public address scaling back her public duties. She addressed each charity and stated that she would reduce the amount of time she would spend in the public eye and the amount of time she would be able to spend with each charity. She stressed what great importance her charity work was for her but she intended on focusing on smaller areas in the future. In May, Tony Blair replaced John Major and championed Diana’s efforts to become a goodwill ambassador. For these reasons, when she became the goodwill ambassador, she reduced the number of charities she served as patroness from over one hundred down to six. Only one of these, the English National Ballet, was not focused on health or social welfare.

“Nothing gives me greater happiness than trying to help the weakest in this society. It’s a goal and, from now on, an essential part of my life. It’s a sort of destiny. I will run to anyone who calls to me in distress, wherever it is.” (Adler 88). This statement made by Princess Diana, demonstrates her true passion in life other than her children. She organized several hundred charities at one time and then reduced them down to six, only one not related to health and wellness. She was the patroness for over a hundred of charities. Princess Diana was not an entrepreneur in terms of a person who creates his or her own company. She does not own and industrial enterprise in which workmen are employed. Instead, she was a person who organized a business venture, in this case numerous charities, and assumed the risk for them. These risks, however, were on a more personal level than for most business entrepreneurs. Princess Diana became involved with charity work since she was little. Her school wanted the students to participate within the community. Once she became the goodwill ambassador, she cut down on the number of charities that she represented from over one hundred to just six. She did this, in part, because she was getting her priorities in order and wanted to put her family before anything else. Throughout her charity work, she drew public attention around the world and involved her children. To the media, Princess Diana said, “Like it or not, I’ve been quite a provider for the media. And now I’m asking for your help to reduce the suffering caused by drugs.” (Adler 82). This was one of her major advantages, her popularity with the media helped make the causes she was fighting for known world wide.