Born on this day in 1961, Diana, Princess of Wales, embodied compassion in its most elegant form. She reached past expectations and royal protocol, choosing instead to reach for hands, for hearts, and for hope.

“Everyone needs to be valued,” she once said. “Everyone has the potential to give something back.” That was her magic—making others feel seen. The sick. The broken. The forgotten. She touched lepers. Held AIDS patients. Sat with mothers who had lost children. She saw their pain and stood beside them. Not above.

She wasn't perfect, but she was profoundly human—and that’s what made her unforgettable. In a world polished by appearances, she offered presence. In the corridors of wealth, she carried warmth. “I am always going to be true to myself,” she said. And she was.

Diana died in 1997, far too young. But her light remains. In acts of kindness. In the courage to speak from the soul. In the permission to live with feeling.

We don’t all wear crowns. But we can all lead from the heart.