How Princess Diana used the media to her advantage: 'That was her power'

Diana, Princess of Wales would have celebrated her 60th birthday on July 1, but tragically her life was cut short in 1997.

To honour her legacy, 9Honey is paying tribute to Diana by looking back at some of the key moments from her life in a special edition of video series Talking Honey.

That includes Diana's relationship with the media and paparazzi.

Princess Diana was once the most photographed woman in the world, and with all that attention came not only adoration, but intrusion.

She famously used the media to her advantage, but soon found lines were often crossed – to the detriment of not just her, but her sons Princes William and Harry.

READ MORE: Princess Diana's 'secret' visit to Australia before she became the most famous woman in the world

"She gave a window into the royal family. It felt like you were getting a new perspective on the royal family," Nine's Mark Burrows says in in a special edition of Talking Honey.

"[Diana] was great for the brand, but she was almost rogue. The royals wanted to control the image all the time."

Former magazine editor-in-chief Deborah Thomas says putting a photograph of the Princess of Wales on the cover would guarantee top sales.

"She was fascinating to us all," Thomas says. "She was the most famous person in the world and everyone wanted to know everything about her.

"She used the media to manipulate her story, and that was her power."

READ MORE: How Princess Diana's warm approach to being a mum paved the way for other royal parents

But royal author Juliet Rieden says Diana's relationship with the media quickly evolved, likening it to "dealing with the devil".

"She was chased down the street but quite quickly she learned the power of a photograph, she learnt the power of her photograph," Rieden says.

"And she used that."

To understand Diana's doubled-edged sword relationship with the media, watch the video above.