Diana Bakirdzis

Princess Diana is the eldest daughter of Prince Paul and the late Princess Eirene. She is heir apparent to the Throne of the Principality of Bilbtoria and in line to the Danaan Crown.

Princess Diana is well-known for her expertise on classical antiquity. She has sponsored a number of archealogical and academic projects on the classical period and has even led an excavation of a Roman fort in Wales and written several scholarly papers on the subject of classical Greek drama herself.

Birth

At the time of her birth, Diana was Lady Diana Bakirdzis and her parents were the Duke and Duchess of Palamas. She was baptized by Andreas Papriga, the Eastern Orthodox Archbishop of Aristonople and all the Resurgent Dream. Her godparents were Sir Abel and Lady Akilina Alexopoulos.

Early life

As the second cousin once removed of the Duke of Tasat, Diana was a well connected among the human aristocracy in the Resurgent Dream almost from birth. As a child, she was playmates with Lady Anna Cadmus, now Princess of Corral and Lady Chrysanthenum Kennedy, now Princess of Wintermore.

Education

Because of the status of her family, Diana was educated by a governess, Chesna Paderewski, until she entered her teen years. After this point, she was taught different subjects by individual tutors, most of whom also tutored other aristocratic girls her age. All of her tutors were unmarried women. Her tutor in theology was a nun in the Danaan Orthodox Church.

After she came of age, Diana was granted a degree certifying that she had completed a private education legally equivalent to successful completion of secondary school. After this point, she had no further formal instruction. However, Diana continued to pursue her own education. She read the classics and kept up with current scholarship regarding them, insisting that her father's library subscribe to all respectable academic publications in the area. She corresponded at length with noted authorities on the classics and arranged to personally go on a number of archaeological digs sponsored by her father. By the time she was thirty, she was writing scholarly papers herself. While she has no formal degrees, she is generally recognized to have an expertise in classical Greece and Rome at the equivalent of a doctoral level.

Created Marchioness of Aristonople

In late 2005, after the events of the Shattering and shortly after her father became Prince of Bilbtoria, Diana was created the Princess Diana, Marchioness of Aristonople. Although Diana, as Prince Paul's oldest child, to the courtesy title of Duchess of Aristonople, she was granted the title of Marchioness in her own right as one aspect of the many conventions surrounding the the titles and styles of the children of reigning princes in Danaan principalities.

Romances

Diana has been rumored to be romantically linked to a number of prominent Danaans at various times in her life. Among them are numbered General Blandford James, Ambassador Archie Sale, film star John Coleridge, Member of Parliament Joel Pickens, and Pele Senator Michael Anderson. A few of the seedier tabloids have also alleged from time to time that Diana is a lesbian and have romantically linked her with feminist political leaders like Beatrice Wake and Hannah Weidenseld. While it is acknowledged that Diana has likely had many infatuations and even relationships, most reputable sources maintain that she is both heterosexual and a virgin.

So far, no serious candidate for marriage has appeared in Diana's life. While any number of noblemen have sought her hand, she has thus far been dissatisfied with all of them. Her father is rumored to worry that it is too late for Diana to find a husband and that, even if she does, it might be too late for her to have children. If this is the case, then, upon Diana's ascension to the throne of Bilbtoria, her heir would be her sister, Princess Theophania.

Personal interests

Diana is best known for her interest in the classics. She has written articles for a number of scholarly journals including The Danaan Journal of Classical Studies and the International Journal of Hellenism. She has only been on one actual excavation. She is literate in Attic Greek and in Latin. For her work in the field, Diana has honorary doctorates from Agwenberg College, the University of Civic Virtue, and the University of Civic Duty.

Diana is especially interested in classical philosophy. She is known to correspond regularly with Drs. Paulos Alexopoulos, Radman Abratkiewicz, Kabos Bakics, and Mecislava Formanova, all leading experts in that field. She also corresponds on a less regular basis with philologists, Greek and Latin linguists, and archaeologists.

Diana is passionately committed to the cause of education. Among other smaller charities, she holds the presidency of the Orthodox Women's Education Fund and the Princess Eirene Foundation for Adult Literacy Education in Ambara, named for her late mother. Since becoming the ambassador to Pantocratoria, Diana has given generously to local charities. However, to avoid becoming embroiled in local religious politics, she has refrained from giving to charities with an overt sectarian affiliation, a policy which has severely narrowed her options as far as Pantocratorian charities are concerned.

Diana has recently taken up an interest in Pantobyzantine architecture and Pantocratorian history. It is unclear whether this is to better understand Pantocratoria or merely a result of natural intellectual curiosity. It seems probable that it is a mixture of both.

Diplomatic career

Diana's first diplomatic task was to represent the Resurgent Dream at the coronation of the Grand Duke of Saxmere. This was a duty she shared with her younger sister. Theophania. The mission was fairly sensitive, given the recent tensions in the Excalbian Isles which had resulted in the reestablishment of the Grand Duke of Saxmere as a figure in the government of Saxmere with Saxmere itself remaining a state in the Confederation of Sovereign States.

Diana's next appointment was as ambassador to Pantocratoria. She has just begun this task and it is difficult to predict how she will do. It is generally considered both an advantage and a disadvantage that Diana is notably older than her predecessor, Princess Sarah. It is expected that Diana will be taken more seriously but will be less effective at cultivating generic goodwill and affection.

Official residence

At present, Diana's official residence is the Danaan Embassy in Pantocratoria which features exquisite residential quarters. As a foreign royal recognized by the Emperor of Pantocratoria, Diana is also entitled to stay from time to time at the Imperial Court of Christ Pantocrator. As a member of the Danaan royal family she is entitled to take up residence in any of the many official royal residences in the Resurgent Dream.

Principal title in use

From her birth until her father's ascension to the Throne of Bilbtoria, Diana was known primarily simly as the Lady Diana. Since her father's ascension, he principal title has been The Princess Diana, Marchioness of Aristonople.