20 ways Princess Diana’s legacy of good lives on

4. Diana initiated the mental health discussion

Diana destroyed any facade that royal life is perfect when she opened up during a BBC interview about her eating disorder, depression, and her failing marriage. It’s important to remember how taboo these subjects were in the ’80s and early ’90s. Diana was a pioneer with her admissions, and paved the way for individuals in the spotlight to share their struggles openly and without shame. Instantly, her impact was powerful and hard-hitting. Not long after Diana shared her struggle with bulemia, former Prime Minister John Prescott followed suit and opened up about his own eating disorder.

She made the daring choice to share herself with no apologies. Her choice lives on through her children. They’ve adopted a similarly candid approach in tackling the issue of mental health using their celebrity status. Harry is very open about how his role as prince affects his mental health, and doesn’t hide the struggles he dealt with while grieving the very public loss of his mother. William, too, has opened up about his mental health issues, most recently to GQ magazine. He encourages people  to end the stigma around mental health with the campaign initiative, Heads Together. Before Princess Diana, could you imagine three royals wearing sweatbands that encourage people to talk about their feelings? Especially if they’re negative feelings?