Diana, Princess of Wales (UK)

[Deleted]

Nearly 8 years after her death, Diana still has an impact on the Royal Family. People held up flags with her picture at Chuck and Cams wedding. There are things that happened in her life that will forever be up for debate.

Despite her mental problems, I think she got the raw end of the deal in the marriage. Charles treated her like a brood mare. Once her got his heir and spare, he was back into the arms of his true love, Camilla.

[Deleted]

Aw, poor Di.

They showed a little doco about her early relationship with Charles the other night during the broadcast of Charles and Camilla's wedding celebrations. It appears she was quite trusting of Camilla and her friendship at first. However after her engagement and towards the wedding day she was increasingly suspicious of and upset at Charles's relationship with Cam.

There was footage of her seeing him off at the airport on his solo trip to the Australia just before they were married. She's hiding behind officials but is quite obviously crying her little heart out. The accompanying commentary says that she'd overheard him speaking to Camilla on the phone just prior to departure and she realised that they'd always be in communicado in some way or another.

Other footage from the time when she was first introduce to the press just highlights what a painfully shy, naive and gormless kid she was. He had to drag her out in front of the photographers on one occasion and she could barely lift her face to be photographed for all her shyness. For someone with her family history, timid disposition and young age those first few years with Charles knowing he didn't love her much would have been quite shit I imagine. That's why I can't blame her for her bulimia, insecurity, neuroses or those suicide attempts while pregnant - she really seemed to have been at the end of her tether and just utterly desperate. I'd be just as fucked up if I was her and living under those circumstances.

And there was that telling bit from their engagement interview where she's asked if she's in love and she says yes whereas Charles answers "Yes, whatever love is". What a prick.

I'm not sure why she get criticised for having a plurality of lovers during her marriage. How was Charles any better because he was monogamous in his adultery?

I'm not a fan but I kind of miss having the odd news story about her and her visiting land mine infested countries. She was such a trooper in the end.

[Karrit]

MsHairyLegs-I agree entirely with your post about Diana.

I remember reading stories that after Charles and Diana where married, they would go on 'walk-abouts'
and each would take a side of the street to shake hands with the fans. There would be audible groans from the crowd when they realized that Charles would be walking down their side, and not Diana. Charles reportedly resented this.

IMO, Diana brought a previous unknown level of celebrity to the Royal Family. They were not used to the intensity of the microscope that came with Diana's popularity, not just on official engagements, but on every aspect of their private lives. I think this is especially true on an international level. (international interest meant that pictures and stories were suddenly worth a lot more money) Once they were engaged, Diana was thrown into shark-infested waters and then Charles and his aides gave her no clue on how to navigate. I am willing to concede, given her unprecedented level of public interest, they might not have exactly known how to guide her, but at least some support and attempts to help her deal with her overwhelming popularity might have helped keep the crazy in check.

I'm not sure why she get criticised for having a plurality of lovers during her marriage. How was Charles any better because he was monogamous in his adultery?

Excellent point. Charles had a chance to sow his wild oats, and then decide Camilla was the one. Diana was practically snatched from the cradle before she had a chance to do the same. (Assuming that Charles is 30 year old and not almost 60, it is a good thing he isn't looking for a virginal bride now....he would have to be looking at 14 year olds. )

What irritates me, as a Diana fan (and one who wishes Charles and Camilla happiness) is the Camilla supporters, ie: Penny Junor, who can't quit putting down Diana to lift up Camilla. Why not just say that Camilla makes Charles happy....Charles makes Camilla happy, and that is what is truly relevant. It bugs me when they say, "Camilla is content to be Charles supporter and not a star in her own right." That infuriates me as much as Diana fans who won't live and let live.

[phenobarbara]

It appears she was quite trusting of Camilla and her friendship at first. However after her engagement and towards the wedding day she was increasingly suspicious of and upset at Charles's relationship with Cam.

It's pretty sick how C&C used Diana as their pawn, figuring she'd be too stupid to know what was going on. Yes, it takes two people to ruin a marriage, but Charles clearly had no intention of committing to his marriage, not even from the beginning. And the sad thing is, Diana really couldn't do anything about it. Imagine being a terrified 19 year old girl suddenly thrust into the spotlight, about to be in the "wedding of the century" and about to become the Princess of Wales and future Queen. Did people really expect the girl to say to the Royal Family and the entire world: "gee, I'd love to marry the Prince of Wales, but I've just discovered that he's sleeping with a married woman named Camilla Parker-Bowles and the only reason he's marrying me is because he has to produce heirs, so I've decided to call off the wedding." She couldn't do that, because it would have humiliated both sides of the family. She was truly trapped.

Penny Junor, who can't quit putting down Diana to lift up Camilla.

Isn't it funny how people like this keep lamenting that others won't let Diana's memory go yet they keep finding ways to bring her name up and bash her?

Another thing that bothers me is how some commentators kept saying "Prince Charles is finally getting to marry the woman he really loves". Gee, that must be nice for William and Harry to hear, that their mother was a nuisance who was in the way of C&C's happiness.

[azaleaqueen]

Diana didn't "go after stardom". It came to her. All she had to do was stand there. She was a shy young girl when she first became engaged to Chuck and when the image makers go hold of her, she became a stunningly beautiful woman. This, coupled with the fact that she charmed people and had a rep for being a loving mother, just made people more attracted to her. Charles has looked, for the past 25 years, like his hemorrhoids had hemorrhoids, but he was center stage, being the heir to the throne. Then Diana came along and sort of pushed him into the background. I remember when John and Jackie Kennedy went to Europe. She created such a sensation in France that when he gave his first speech in Paris, he introduced himself as the man who accompanied Jackie Kennedy there. This was kind of the same thing, and Chuckie just couldn't take it.

[Aspasia]

Chuckie was used to being a pampered poodle. Remember he couldn't even squeeze the toothpaste on the brush, nor hold the bottle for his own urine sample. Maybe Cowmilla will have the honors now.

[azaleaqueen]

Damn, Camilla has all the luck, doesn't she, Aspasia?

[Deleted]

A little old but...

Diana's Specter Looms Over Royal Wedding

I'm a fan, for sure, but some people go a little overboard.

[Oxynia]

Penny Junor, who can't quit putting down Diana to lift up Camilla.

Penny Junor makes my flesh crawl. She is billed as a journalist and royal biographer when all she is is Charles' apologist.

I found it laughable during the BBC's coverage of the wedding, when it was said by another commentator that the Queen's absence from the wedding itself was a highly public snub, she fiercely interrupted to dispute the claim only to get shot down by everyone else. It was a snub alright, no question about it.

Wonder how Penny chose to spin the hasty retreat that the Queen and the Duke of York made right after the ceremony...they left skid marks before they even got into that Rolls!

[Door]

Joan Rivers was just on Larry King Live talking about the wedding. She went on and on about how fab C&C are, then said something to the effect of "Let's face it. Diana got around." She insinuated that it was Diana that caused Charles to stray, and wasn't it great that he could finally be happy?

I found that really... base. I mean, we all know that Charles and Camilla got together before Diana. Rewriting history isn't going to work. Especially if Joan Freaking Rivers is your mouthpiece.