Lady Diana Spencer by

In Life

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In Legacy

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In Loss

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28. Diana shakes the hand of an AIDs patient, 1987

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In an era of prejudice and baseless fear towards a community suffering with a rampant epidemic, as well as vast misinformation that left those afflicted stigmatised and ostracised, Lady Diana shook hands with an AIDs patient in London, April 1987, without gloves.

29. Diana's compassion in a time of condemnation

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In 1991, Diana visited a Brazilian hostel for abandoned children, where she was photographed holding a child, many of the children at the hostel were HIV positive. When positioned in the context of 1991, such monumental acts of compassion illustrate her usage of her stardom and influence to try to affect change in the most positive of ways.

Philanthropy

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Diana understood the commodity and profitability of her star image and utilised it to help people.

The Fashion of The Princess

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In Television

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In Cinema

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65. The 'Frustratingly Empty' Diana: The Musical

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A bordering on offensive musical released on Netflix in 2021, 'Diana: The Musical' is a tone-deaf handling of Diana's legacy.

66. Baga Chipz as The People's Princess in 'Drag Race UK vs. The World'

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As an outspoken supporter of, and venerated icon of, the queer community, Lady Diana is a very popular inspiration for many drag artists, in 'Drag Race UK vs. The World', Baga Chipz entered the Main Stage paying tribute to Diana, her stardom still being extraordinarily celebrated today.

In Documentary

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61. 'Diana: In Her Own Words' The 2017 Documentary

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This is one of the finest examples of a documentary attempting to give Diana her own agency, a right she did not have for much of her life in the public eye.

Cultural Depictions of Diana

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64. 2021's Academy Award Nominated Picture 'Spencer', Starring Kristen Stewart as Lady Diana

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This intimate and intense feature takes place over her final Christmas at Sandringham, the fact Hollywood is still producing films surrounding her life illustrates the monumental extent of her celebrity.

28. Diana visits The London Lighthouse, a centre for people affected by HIV and AIDs

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Diana was one of the first public figures to kiss an AIDs patient. Though these acts should not seem so groundbreaking, this act of affection changed the way in which the epidemic was viewed by many, and cemented her reverence among the queer community forever.

62. 'Diana' (2013), chronicles the final two years of Diana's life, to very little acclaim.

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Diana (2013) follows the divorced Princess through the final two years of her life, from the philanthropy, to the relationships, to the paparazzi.

63. Stephen Frear's 2006 'The Queen' follows the events that transpired in the immediate aftermath of Diana's passing.

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If there is one narrative that exemplifies the importance of a person more than a biopic about their life, it is a film surrounding the impact and complexities of their death.

57. Prince Harry follows in Diana's footsteps in fight against landmines

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Despite being banned, landmines are still in use. Diana's activism has been continued by her son, the way in which she used her impact and her image to raise awareness for world issues lives on in her children, in this context her youngest, Prince Harry, taking the torch.

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Diana and the Hollywood Industry

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Reclaiming her Narrative

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43. The Queen's Protocol Breech

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Bowing her head, as the Head of State, to any person is prohibited. The popularity of Diana forced the Queen to do it anyway. Perhaps a genuine display of sorrow, perhaps a calculated play to regain the faith of the people, this was monumental.

37. The People's Mourning for their Princes.

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Few stars in history have seen such an outpouring of grief in the wake of their passing as Lady Diana, her celebrity palpable in the world's heartbreak.

49. Elton John's "Candle in the Wind"

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John performed at the funeral, dedicating his song originally written about Marilyn Monroe to Diana. The words of "Candle in the Wind" taking on bitterly applicable meaning when played for Diana. Changing the lyrics to "Goodbye English Rose".

47. The elite of many entertainment industries attended, including those from the world of fashion

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Celebrities from the spheres of music, sport, media, acting, and more, such as Elton John, George Michael, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman were present. The impact of Diana's fashion was represented at her funeral by the fashion royalty who attended, exemplifying her image and influence. Present was Donatella Versace, Anna Wintour (pictured above), Karl Lagerfield and more.

48. Political figures in attendance

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Along with Tony and Cherie Blair, all former living Prime Ministers, and representatives of most nations across the globe, US First Lady Hilary Clinton attended the funeral - the political world was also shocked by this death.

42. The Queen under fire

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Elizabeth faced the biggest crisis of her reign in the aftermath of Diana's passing, while the nation mourned, she conspicuously did not. Headlines such as "Where is Our Queen", "Your People Are Suffering, Speak To Us Ma'am" in newspapers illustrate the outcry of the people.

50. Ratings for the Funeral

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To this day, the current ratings system employed in the United Kingdom lists this as the most watched live event on record. In the UK alone, 31 million people tuned in. Worldwide, an estimated 2.5 billion people watched the funeral.

46. The Procession

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Diana's funeral procession to Westminster is led by her brother, Charles Spencer, her ex-husband, The Prince of Wales, her ex-father-in-law, The Duke of Edinburgh and her teenage sons, William and Harry.

Season 5

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32. Diana with amputees at Neves Bendinha Orthopedic Workshop, Angola, January, 1997

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Sitting on Diana's lap is 13-year-old Sandra Thijica, who lost her left leg to a land mine while working the land with her mother in 1994.

40. 'The People's Princess' Speech

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The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, addressed a mourning nation on August 31, 1997. It is in this speech that the now famous articulation of Diana's standing in the United Kingdom is coined, "The People's Princess".

64. Spencer's Promotional Material

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Without seeing her face, audiences immediately know who this film is about. The film profits off Diana's iconography.

56. Prince William vows to end homelessness in the UK, carrying on Diana's passion for tackling this crisis

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Homeward, the name of William's initiative, is seen as a continuation of the work Diana did when she was alive to aid the homeless. Starting in 2023, this organisation will give each location chosen to flagship the initiative £500,000 for innovative housing schemes.

59. Prince William and Harry honour Diana on what would have been her birthday, sending messages of praise to recipients of The Diana Award.

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'The brothers send separate messages of support to the 180 winners of the Diana Award, which is given to young people internationally who have made charitable contributions to their communities', Vanity Fair describing this as 'honouring her legacy'.

44. The Nation Stops

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Banks were closed, sports events postponed, many theatres cancelled Saturday matinees and cinemas did not open until 3.00 p.m. A spokeswoman for the abbey said the thousands of flowers placed around the church would remain until they fade.

38. Diana's home, Kensington Palace, with thousands of bouquets of flowers laid in honour.

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One of the many stately homes across Britain bathed in flowers, notes such as "Queen of Our Hearts" labelled the flowers. Tributes to a person who's fame was unlike any other.

45. The Flowers on the Hearse.

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Mourners of Diana turned up in their thousands to line the streets through which the hearse would proceed.

The Final Season Promotional Material

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The only poster released for the first part of the final season of "The Crown", without seeing her face, we immediately know who and when this is. Profiting off the iconography, and the tragedy, of Diana's life without even revealing the face of the actress. She is monolithic in our culture.

Diana in Season 6

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Diana's death, as it has much of "The Crown", 'looms over season 6', the audience have always known where the tragedy of Diana goes, and after three seasons, as unethical as it is, it play out on November 16.

Season 4

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Season 4

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Season 4

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67. The Crown

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Chronicling the reign of Elizabeth II, it was inevitably this multi-award winning Netflix show would reach and exploit the devastating story of Diana in the Royal Family. When it did, to varying affect, producers were sure to include the defining moments of this era and the things that made Diana the star she became.

3. Merchandising the 'Fairytale'

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The royal wedding was surrounded by media attention and an onslaught of merchandise goods was released. Tins, booklets, t-shirts, packs of cards, commemorative plates and more were distributed across the globe, furthering Diana's star image as a literal household name.

52. Her iconography immortalised

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Every year, more and more people pay homage to Diana for fancy dress parties, as seen on TikTok and other social media platforms, donning tiaras, pearls, wigs and outfits. Her star burns as bright now as ever.

23. Twisting with Travolta

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'Before the revenge dress, there was this stunner'.

22. Going to Film Premiers

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As a member of the Royal Family, Diana went to many premiers for Hollywood blockbusters.

41. Mother Theresa.

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Allies in the fight to help those less fortunate, upon Diana's death, Mother Theresa expressed her condolences. “She was very concerned for the poor. She was very anxious to do something for them, and it was beautiful. That is why she was close to me.”

21. Her celebrity friends

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Elton John, Freddie Mercury, Liza Minelli and many more of the celebrity elite considered Diana a dear friend.

24. Diana and Freddy in the gay club

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Gossip that has become legend, the two close friends went to a gay bar in South London, Diana disguised as a man in a baseball cap and jacket to get in and stay anonymous.

36. Tributes

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Following the shocking news of Diana's passing, an outpouring of tributes from world leaders, celebrity friends and complete strangers who were so deeply hurt by her death exemplifies her celebrity and adoration.

4. The Australia Tour

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The Australia tour of 1983 lifted her to even greater heights of eminence. This popularity overshadowed that of the heir to the throne, causing friction for the newly-weds.

51. The Paparazzi under fire.

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The press faced significant criticism for their treatment of Diana and the role they played in her death. Blair was interviewed on BBC about the issue the Sunday before the funeral, stating: 'This is a problem that requires more than the letter of the law. It requires a degree of acceptance of what is proper conduct and what is not towards people'.

2. 'The Wedding of the Century'

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On June 29, 1981, the most watched wedding of the 20th century took place. Lady Diana and Prince Charles married in St. Paul's Cathedral, London, in a televised ceremony followed by 750 million people around the world.

1. The Engagement Announcement

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The moment that Diana became known: after 6 months of courtship, the two relative strangers announced their engagement.

5. Diana gives birth to Prince William

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Two years after William's birth, Henry is born. According to Diana, the couple never have sex again. The world does not yet know this, they are in love with the perfect couple.

20. Diana at Cannes Film Festival, 1987.

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15. Diana at the gala of the British Fashion Awards, 1989.

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Diana was, and still is, an absolute fashion icon. A major part of her star image, her fashion encapsulates trends and heights of 1980s and 1990s fashion.

9. Mother's Race, Sports Day

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Diana's informal, personal and fresh take on what a Princess could be is what made the country, and the world, fall in love with her. Put in the context of the privileged, out-of-touch and 'restrictive demeanour of the Royal Family', this was new kind of royal was one which the world could not get enough of.

7. Diana's motherhood and reported relaxed nature.

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Taking her children to fast-food restaurants and amusement parks, media coverage of Diana presents a woman who said she was trying to give her children a 'normal' childhood. This is obviously impossible, their wealth and privilege making such an existence unfathomable. However this made her even more beloved - seeing a mother put her children's wellbeing first and do all she can to make them happy and different from royals past.

25. The 'Panorama' Interview

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A result of manipulation and blackmail, this exploitative and amoral interview of November 1995, dubbed by obsessive press outlets as 'the scoop of the century' saw Diana recount her life in the royal family in detail. Mere months after it aired, Diana and Charles signed the divorce papers. The implications of this interview on her personal life, and on her celebrity image, cannot be understated.

11. Reclaiming her narrative.

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Feeling as though the Family was not protecting their future Queen against the brutality of the press, and the adultery of her spouse, Diana took actions into her own hands.

Unheard of for a Royal, Diana reclaimed her narrative through secret tapes to Morton, who published them to great success. Her first step to fighting back against the Family, this sent paparazzi, and the world into an even greater frenzy of obsession with her story, and pushed her further away from the Establishment.

34. Paparazzi at fever-pitch

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In the weeks leading up to Diana's death, media interest was reaching even more dangerous heights, while she was already the most photographed woman on the planet, the paparazzi were going to greater lengths to secure any picture of her.

33. The last summer of her life

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Hounded by the press, Diana vacationed with her partner, Dodi Fayed on his father's yacht. Seeing her children for the last time on this holiday, these were the final, and some of the most famous, weeks of Diana's and Dodi's lives.

6. The Family

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19. Diana attends the Met Gala

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17. The Revenge Dress

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This climax of Diana's celebrity image in June 1994. The most famous image of Diana, this photo captures the monumental zenith of Diana's stardom.

13. The support of the public

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A unique aspect to Diana's celebrity image is the unwavering love and loyalty of her fans. At a time when people would believe a man before a woman, and would certainly support their heir over a once-stranger to the public, Diana almost unanimously had the support of the public throughout her entire life. Whether it was against the infidelity of Charles, the oppressive nature of the Royals or the viciously aggressive pursuits of the paparazzi, Diana has always received the full backing of the people.

12. The Prince and Princess of Wales split.

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Rumour of their marriage collapsing was proffitable gossip magazines and journalists, by 1992, separation was finally and formally announced. By this point Camila Parker-Bowles was well-known and her involvement with Charles was too. The people supported Diana. Debatably her star image grew in this sympathy.

16. Another major part of her physical star image, her hairstyles and jewellery

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Along with outfits, the iconic hairstyles and jewellery, the pearls, tiaras, earrings, were another cornerstone of her celebrity image and her eminence in the fashion world.

18. Even dressed casually, the Princess' fashion was adored.

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31. The landmine walk

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As with much of Diana's activism, her trailblazing walk to raise awareness for banning landmines was a 'turning point' in the global effort to bring an end to landmines. Landmines were banned three months after her passing, her walk seen as a major reason for this eradication.

14. Diana and the Press

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What started out with ostensibly innocent interest in the new Princess, the paparazzi's obsession with Diana was unlike that of any other celebrity at that time and was disturbingly pervasive, heightening Diana's struggles.

27. Raising awareness for mental health, eating disorders

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While this was not intended to be a form of activism, rather opening up about her own struggles, Diana's description of her mental health, as well as her eating disorder, helped break down stigma, instead discuss the issues faced. There may not be a statistic for all those she saved by opening the door in the public eye to being truthful about ones struggles, it is palpable the change this made to Britain.

53. For Diana and Dodi

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Dodi's father, Mohamed al-Fayed, erected a statue in Harrods, the store he owned, paying tribute to his son and his son's partner.

55. Diana Statue, Kensington Palace

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The Kensington Palace statue representing her charitable nature and passion for children, commissioned by William and Harry, commemorating their mother.

39. The family in grief

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A grieving William, 15, and Harry, 12 with their father.

35. Diana's passing

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Paris, France, August 31, 1997.

Diana, aged 36, and Dodi Fayed, chased by the paparazzi, at the height of their mania, were in a 'headlong flight' to evade them, at which point the car crashed in a Parisian tunnel.

The news of the untimely and shocking passing rocked the world. What came next speaks to the adoration of the world for their Princess.

8. Her love of her children

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2. The Wedding Day

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4. Leaving the Australia tour

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Diana's Motherhood

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10. Cracks begin to show

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The photo that 'captured a disintegrating marriage. A Princess without her Prince'. Charles abandoned Diana - the world knows something is wrong.

54. The Place Diana, Paris

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Above the tunnel in which she lost her life, a flame of liberty has been placed on the Parisian street to commemorate the life of Diana. Many visit every year to pay their respects. The Place Diana, translated to Diana Square is situated by the Seine.

60. The Diana Award

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'Empowering Young People to Make Positive Change', The Diana Award is a fitting tribute to Diana, and ensures the charity and philanthropy which she represented will live on in her legacy.

26. Diana Post Divorce

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Using her image to raise awareness for more charitable causes, it is fair to say Diana after her divorce experienced greater celebration by people, and became a greater target of the press.

A reason her death was so painful for many was because of the potential of what more she would have done to help people.

25. 'Well there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded'

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Iconic quotes such as this and her desire to be 'queen of our hearts' made perfect soundbites for the BBC, who have since issued an apology for the way they deceived Diana into acquiring the interview.

30. Shelters

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Homeless and Women's shelters were also commonly frequented by Diana throughout her time both in and out of the Royal Family. She would take her children, too.

The Funeral

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Statues

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58. Meghan Markle Mistreatment

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Despite rhetoric that the Royals, and the press, had changed their cruel treatment of outspoken and compassionate women within the Family, the treatment of Harry's wife, Meghan Markle, proves, after everything that happened to Diana, nothing has changed. All the while constantly comparing her to Diana.

Her Children

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Season 5

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