What is so great about Princess Diana?

[Anonymous]

It has all the components of a great story-- naïveté, (seeming) true love, betrayal, heartbreak, royalty, intrigue, redemption. The ultimate in-law drama. Her looks, the clothes, her approachability and charity work, and her willingness to talk about all of it. On camera.

A tragic death (while she was still pretty) leaving behind two young sons-- that sealed it.

And less cynically, on top of all of it, she seems to have been a genuinely good person who tried to be a good mom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

She used that attention for causes she cared about - AIDS patients, world poverty, land mines.

This is what was so great about Princess Diana.

She was unique bc she actually did something "useful" as a royal...like helping others, charities' fundraisers, etc. She did more than any other royal did in generations. One if the reasons she was so highly favored by the public.
Plus, Charles always had an eye for Camila so the public felt bad for Diana in that regard too.
See how the points are adding up in her favor? I could go on about her apoeal, down to earth (she came across as so relatable esp when William and Harry were born), she had a pretty face, etc.

Not quite true. Royals have been patrons of charities for long time now. To quote Queen Mary (grandmother of the present queen): "You are a member of the British royal family. We are never tired, and we all love hospitals." There was resentment within royal circles that Diana was absorbing all the media limelight over the royals' very long history and efforts with charities and causes and patronage.

I found Diana both naive and a bit manipulative and she certainly was capable of using the media to bolster her side. As it is, her life was getting messier and messier in the last few years. Look at how she died - she was running around with a drug addicted middle eastern playboy, someone wholly inappropriate as a suitor or lover. She was not a bright woman. She demonstrated a lot of empathy but she was also quite self-absorbed. Little known these days is that her personal popularity was actually declining in the year or so before she died, largely because of her relationships with unsuitable men.

[Anonymous]

PP

Just wanted to point out that I also think Diana was likely a great mother and a wonderful woman in many ways. Circumstances transformed her into something greater than she really was. People saw and wanted to see things in her that was likely not quite fair or justified, and ignore the unpleasant sides to her - after all, she is human with her own failings just like the rest of us). But that's the power of glamour and Diana had glamour (a perfect example is that she was not a beautiful woman yet was called one because of her glamour).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

She used that attention for causes she cared about - AIDS patients, world poverty, land mines.

This is what was so great about Princess Diana.

She was unique bc she actually did something "useful" as a royal...like helping others, charities' fundraisers, etc. She did more than any other royal did in generations. One if the reasons she was so highly favored by the public.
Plus, Charles always had an eye for Camila so the public felt bad for Diana in that regard too.
See how the points are adding up in her favor? I could go on about her apoeal, down to earth (she came across as so relatable esp when William and Harry were born), she had a pretty face, etc.

Not quite true. Royals have been patrons of charities for long time now. To quote Queen Mary (grandmother of the present queen): "You are a member of the British royal family. We are never tired, and we all love hospitals." There was resentment within royal circles that Diana was absorbing all the media limelight over the royals' very long history and efforts with charities and causes and patronage.

I found Diana both naive and a bit manipulative and she certainly was capable of using the media to bolster her side. As it is, her life was getting messier and messier in the last few years. Look at how she died - she was running around with a drug addicted middle eastern playboy, someone wholly inappropriate as a suitor or lover. She was not a bright woman. She demonstrated a lot of empathy but she was also quite self-absorbed. Little known these days is that her personal popularity was actually declining in the year or so before she died, largely because of her relationships with unsuitable men.

Agree with PP - she was famous and attractive, and then she died relatively young and in a relatively-dramatic manner: the latter two factors have a lot to do with her popularity today.

I was working in another country at the time she died. Many of my coworkers at that office were British. These coworkers who had been contemptuous and dismissive of Diana as she made headlines during the months before her death completely changed once she died. They became very emotional, even wanting to go home to mourn her death along with everyone else in England. If that accident hadn't happened, and Diana were alive today, it seems likely that she wouldn't hold such a special place in collective memory.

[Anonymous]

Am I the only one who thought her hairstyle was awful? I never "got it." It was basically the same for almost 20 years, too; I can only think of one slight modification.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

She used that attention for causes she cared about - AIDS patients, world poverty, land mines.

This is what was so great about Princess Diana.

She was unique bc she actually did something "useful" as a royal...like helping others, charities' fundraisers, etc. She did more than any other royal did in generations. One if the reasons she was so highly favored by the public.
Plus, Charles always had an eye for Camila so the public felt bad for Diana in that regard too.
See how the points are adding up in her favor? I could go on about her apoeal, down to earth (she came across as so relatable esp when William and Harry were born), she had a pretty face, etc.

Not quite true. Royals have been patrons of charities for long time now. To quote Queen Mary (grandmother of the present queen): "You are a member of the British royal family. We are never tired, and we all love hospitals." There was resentment within royal circles that Diana was absorbing all the media limelight over the royals' very long history and efforts with charities and causes and patronage.

I found Diana both naive and a bit manipulative and she certainly was capable of using the media to bolster her side. As it is, her life was getting messier and messier in the last few years. Look at how she died - she was running around with a drug addicted middle eastern playboy, someone wholly inappropriate as a suitor or lover. She was not a bright woman. She demonstrated a lot of empathy but she was also quite self-absorbed. Little known these days is that her personal popularity was actually declining in the year or so before she died, largely because of her relationships with unsuitable men.

Seriously. Not only did Dodi offer nothing of substance, but he wasn't even particularly attractive. Why would she choose him?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

She used that attention for causes she cared about - AIDS patients, world poverty, land mines.

This is what was so great about Princess Diana.

Gimme a fscking break. If I married into huge wealth and had no real responsibilities, I'd find some do-gooder hobbies too.

Mother Theresa, she was not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

She used that attention for causes she cared about - AIDS patients, world poverty, land mines.

This is what was so great about Princess Diana.

She was unique bc she actually did something "useful" as a royal...like helping others, charities' fundraisers, etc.

They ALL do that.

http://thirdforcenews.org.uk/tfn-news/prince-philip-praised-for-charity-work-as-he-steps-down-from-public-office

[Anonymous]

1) She was a princess - fantasy of little girls/some grown women everywhere
2) She was blonde and pretty
3) She was kind and did charity work
4) She was sad and eventually tragic

[Anonymous]

She used that attention for causes she cared about - AIDS patients, world poverty, land mines.


This is what was so great about Princess Diana.

She was unique bc she actually did something "useful" as a royal...like helping others, charities' fundraisers, etc. She did more than any other royal did in generations. One if the reasons she was so highly favored by the public.
Plus, Charles always had an eye for Camila so the public felt bad for Diana in that regard too.
See how the points are adding up in her favor? I could go on about her apoeal, down to earth (she came across as so relatable esp when William and Harry were born), she had a pretty face, etc.

Not quite true. Royals have been patrons of charities for long time now. To quote Queen Mary (grandmother of the present queen): "You are a member of the British royal family. We are never tired, and we all love hospitals." There was resentment within royal circles that Diana was absorbing all the media limelight over the royals' very long history and efforts with charities and causes and patronage.

I found Diana both naive and a bit manipulative and she certainly was capable of using the media to bolster her side. As it is, her life was getting messier and messier in the last few years. Look at how she died - she was running around with a drug addicted middle eastern playboy, someone wholly inappropriate as a suitor or lover. She was not a bright woman. She demonstrated a lot of empathy but she was also quite self-absorbed. Little known these days is that her personal popularity was actually declining in the year or so before she died, largely because of her relationships with unsuitable men.

Agree with PP - she was famous and attractive, and then she died relatively young and in a relatively-dramatic manner: the latter two factors have a lot to do with her popularity today.

I was working in another country at the time she died. Many of my coworkers at that office were British. These coworkers who had been contemptuous and dismissive of Diana as she made headlines during the months before her death completely changed once she died. They became very emotional, even wanting to go home to mourn her death along with everyone else in England. If that accident hadn't happened, and Diana were alive today, it seems likely that she wouldn't hold such a special place in collective memory.

This is why I am annoyed that she is still so revered. Yes, she did charity work, but so do all the royals. She cheated on Charles, too. I think the press continues to publish stories and pictures because she still sells magazines.

[Anonymous]

She was a promiscuous husband stealer, a fantasist and a narcissist. Completely mad as a box of frogs.

But she looked nice and she was kind to those less fortunate than her.

Hopefully once Aug 31st is past we can cease to hear endlessly about her and have to see all those old photos brought out again.

Enough already.

[Anonymous]

I don't think Diana was mentally equipped to handle her life with Charles. First of all, she was a teenager, had only been with Charles 12 times when they got engaged and did not come from a good (well balanced) family situation. Charles stepped out first with Camilla which led to Diana's infidelities. I can't comment on Diana's intelligence, but she rose up against Charles (and ultimately, the Queen) by becoming more popular than them all. She obviously loved her children and always put them first. I find it hard to believe that William and Harry can even be civil to Camilla and Charles.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, she cheated on Charles after years of him screwing Camilla and her being stuck in a loveless marriage.

Her charity work went above and beyond what most royals do. Most of them are professional plaque unveilers. Her work on land mines and especially AIDS were life changing. Her advocacy actually changed health policy in the U.K. People hiv positive or with AIDS were publicly shunned.

She is revered bc she worked hard, got screwed over, and died tragically and too soon. She was hounded by paparazzi all the time. Dodi was probably one of the few private citizens that could offer her some semblance of a normal life. Who knows if they would've ended up together long term. I also don't care what the courts say, if the paparazzi weren't chasing them, she'd be alive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think Diana was mentally equipped to handle her life with Charles. First of all, she was a teenager, had only been with Charles 12 times when they got engaged and did not come from a good (well balanced) family situation. Charles stepped out first with Camilla which led to Diana's infidelities. I can't comment on Diana's intelligence, but she rose up against Charles (and ultimately, the Queen) by becoming more popular than them all. She obviously loved her children and always put them first. I find it hard to believe that William and Harry can even be civil to Camilla and Charles.

Do we know what Williams relationship with Charles is?

[Anonymous]

She did good works and brought attention to needed causes. Move on if you don't like her