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HEIR ABOUT THAT

Was Princess Diana a nursery school teacher before becoming a full-time royal?

PRINCESS Diana may be best known for being a royal, but before marrying Prince Charles and becoming a part of the Palace, she spent her time working in a London nursery.

The Princess of Wales, who is mum to Prince William and Prince Harry, had a relatively normal life before becoming a royal and spent her time working as a nursery teacher and nanny.

Princess Diana worked as a nursery teacher's assistant at Young England Kindergarten
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Princess Diana worked as a nursery teacher's assistant at Young England KindergartenCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

Her last job before she became engaged to Charles, who she later wed in 1981, was at a nursery in Pimlico called Young England Kindergarten.

Originally Diana - who would have turned 60 on 1 July - wanted to become a ballerina, but later set her sights on teaching and worked as a nursery teacher's assistant in the years before she became a full-time working royal.

When did Princess Diana work in a nursery?

In 1978, Diana returned to London from Switzerland, where she had been attending a finishing school, and took a number of low-paid jobs, including a playgroup pre-school assistant and as a nanny for an American family, the Robertsons, living in the city.

She was at the school located in Pimlico, London, while dating Prince Charles in the 1980s
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She was at the school located in Pimlico, London, while dating Prince Charles in the 1980sCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

She then landed the role of a nursery teacher's assistant at Young England Kindergarten and was working there when she first started dating Prince Charles in 1980 when she was 19 years old.

The pair married the following year in 1981 and officially a royal, Diana wasn't allowed to keep a regular job.

Where is Young England Kindergarten?

Young England Kindergarten is based in St George's Square in Pimlico, located in South West London.

The nursery references the time Diana worked there on its official website.

Diana set her sights on teachers because she "absolutely adored" children
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Diana set her sights on teachers because she "absolutely adored" childrenCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

"Some may recall the name of this nursery as the place where Princess Diana was working when she was engaged to Prince Charles, but many know Young England Kindergarten (YEK) as the nursery that's all on one level, the children play in the very large communal gardens next door and also have access to their own private outside space," it reads.


Everything you need to know about Princess Diana's final years

After years of separation, Prince Charles and Princess Diana divorced in 1996.

In 1997, Princess Diana spent her summer in the south of France and Italy. During August, she visited Sarajevo, Bosnia, to highlight the fight against landmines.

By the end of the month, the Princess of Wales and Dodi Al-Fayed travelled to Paris together.

It was revealed that Princess Diana stayed longer than planned in Paris due to a row over her land mine campaign.

Travelling in a black Mercedes Benz, Princess Diana was involved in a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel on August 31, 1997.

The Princess of Wales died at the age of 36.

Her funeral was held on September 6, 1997. As her coffin made the journey from Kensington Palace to Westminister Abbey, Prince William and Prince Harry walked behind their late mother.

Princess Diana's mother, Frances Shand Kydd, and sisters, Jane Fellowes and Sarah McCorquodale, also attended the funeral.

The Princess of Wales was buried at her childhood home - Althorp House

If it wasn't for her tragic death, Princess Diana would have been 62 today.

What did Princess Diana say about working as a nursery school assistant?

Diana was quizzed about her love of teaching and asked why she went into the profession, her answer was simple - she really loved kids.

"I absolutely adore children, that's really why... I just love children," she says in old interview footage shared on .

She also worked as a playgroup pre-school assistant and as a nanny for an American family
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She also worked as a playgroup pre-school assistant and as a nanny for an American familyCredit: Rex
Diana gave up her nursery job to work as a full-time Royal when she got engaged to Charles
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Diana gave up her nursery job to work as a full-time Royal when she got engaged to CharlesCredit: Getty
She and Charles are parents to Prince William and Prince Harry
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She and Charles are parents to Prince William and Prince HarryCredit: AFP

Can children still go to Young England Kindergarten?

Young England Kindergaten is open today. It's a private nursery school for children aged two to five-and-a-half years old and is still considered one of the most established in London, first opening in the 1960s.

The children that attend the nursery are likely to move on to top neighbouring schools like Kensington Prep and Hill House.

While the nursery has modernised over the years, it prides itself in incorporating "contemporary methods" into its learning while "maintaining" traditional values.

Those that attend the nursery can take part in a whole host of activities during their time there, including trips to the ballet and the theatre.

Young England Kindergarten was given an "outstanding" rating by Ofsted in 2018.

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