Newly Uncovered Document Shows Princess Diana Lied in Order to Secure Her First Job

Diana, Princess of Wales, wears an outfit in the colors of Canada during a state visit to Edmonton, Alberta, with her husband.

An employment contract reportedly filled out by Princess Diana has surfaced in an online auction, suggesting that the then-teenager "deliberately" lied about her age in order to secure the job.

The contract, for Solve Your Problem Ltd—which provided childcare for "the elite," including the royals and other wealthy and well-known London-area residents, according to the Daily Mail—is expected to bring in between £5,000-£8,000 at an auction ending on April 30, 2024.

It's believed to have led to her first formal work position, despite the deception which had the 17-year-old royal-to-be tweak her date of birth to make it appear as though she was already 18 at the time—something that the company apparently became aware of, at least eventually, as "nearly 18" was annotated underneath the incorrect year.

Auctioneer Andrew Stowe told the publication that they're certain the error was intentional, noting, "Our client had always been told that this was done deliberately, in order that Diana would appear older and therefore more likely to secure a job with the agency, or at least a higher rate of pay."

They clearly didn't mind the lie, though, as someone also wrote in "lovely girl - send anywhere" on the form.

"This is an incredibly important piece of history," Stowe continued. "Here we have a teenage Diana Spencer, freshly moved to London, trying to find her way in life and applying for her first job. It's so human, so real, so normal."

Just two years later, Diana became the Princess of Wales.

"At face value, this is just an everyday document, a piece of office stationery that lived in a filing cabinet alongside hundreds of others," Stowe added. "[But] this contract is one of the last remaining snapshots of Diana's life before she was thrust into the spotlight."

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