The Duchess of Cambridge: Will she become more popular than Diana?

[Osipi]

What are "MBs"? Is that a British slang or am I out of touch with Internet abbreviations?

I think MB refers to message boards.

 

[Sonjapearl]

Oh OK. I feel silly now, but thanks for answering

 

[Lady Ann]

Your mother was in the US whereas I was growing up in a very small country town in Australia. It didn't rate a mention amongst school kids of my age or even older.

Yesterday I was talking to a number of much older people - people now in the 70s and 80s and most of them only have a vague memory of it as the TV coverage here wasn't all that great across the country. A lot of the country simply didn't have any TV until the late 60s and even these people who were in their 20s and 30s didn't take much notice of Kennedy's assassination as it was half a world away and had no bearing on their lives here at that time. None could recall what they were doing when they heard but most assumed they were getting breakfast or simply getting up when they turned on the radio although some said that it would have been later in the day, after they had dropped the kids at school or arrived at work. My brother who was 10 at the time also told me that he had no memory of the event at all and has no memory of anyone talking about it or anything like that. His teachers didn't mention it.

Almost universal TV coverage certainly makes it easier to remember these

I was agreeing with your point..that. It seemed my mom remembered because of the fact that it happened in US... but i ment to impley that people would remember Diana, even poeple from other countries.. I guess my point was that I think alot to people more so (in UK) will remember Diana..becuase of the media coverage and the simple fact that she is a part of the HISTORY now. Im 34 and I remember her wedding like I remember my husband waking me up telling me she was dead... Like all people who die Im sure there will come a time when people dont remember Diana, the walking, talking,first person to publicly touch an aids suffer in a time that it was not the status quo..but the newspapers,stories,pictures and the fact that she is the mother of a futrue King will last forever IMO

 

[Iluvbertie]

Of course people will remember her but someone in this thread said that in 30 years or so the majority of people would still remember her as a living person so I did some research on how many people would remember her as a living person now and came up with the figure that over 25% of the population now already don't have that memory as they were too young when she died to remember her as a living being. She is history and she will get a mention when the books on Charles and William are written but she won't figure prominently in the story of their reigns - lives maybe - but reigns no - she won't be there.

Harry has almost reached the point (within months) where he will have lived longer without her than with her. William still has a few years to reach that point but she is fast becoming an historical figure rather than a contemporary figure anymore.

 

[Lady Ann]

I agree on this point. Anyway, this is a thread about Kate..right/// I wonder if she marries William in thirty years will we be talking about her legacy???

 

[Opal]

Because Diana was so massively covered in the media (I think she holds the record of magazine covers plus all the news clips, etc.) not to mention the advent of the internet where people can continue to have discusssions about her and post photos it will take much longer for her memory to fade than it would have in the past.

 

[Little_star]

What are "MBs"? Is that a British slang or am I out of touch with Internet abbreviations?

Message Boards- Sory, I should have been clearer!

 

[Sereta]

Princess Diana will always be a part of history by virtue of what her position was (once wife of Prince Charles and mother of future King William) so she couldn't possibly be forgotten even if some would like her to be.

 

[Sereta]

That's true!! She will never be forgotten!!

 

[Elessar]

Kate Midd. is already popular in mags & media. do you think if she married to william, she will be a bew Diana and will make covers of magazine during all her life? Or the media won't reproduce the same "plan" like with diana?

I do not believe Kate will ever as popular as Diana. And certainly not as well known around the world. Perhaps the future will prove me wrong.

But I think Kate will always linked to William. William is William. He is Diana's son. He is the future King. And Kate will be the woman William married.

Diana being the woman Charles married was a little before my time. By the time she died, Diana was Diana, a bona fide global celebrity in her own right.

 

[yvr girl]

Charles was a very popular bachelor in his day. No one would have thought he'd be eclipsed by his wife.

Diana was alone on the world stage as a new princess. The British Royal family is about a 1/2 generation older than most other royal families. The only prominant new brides |can think of from the same era were Queen Silvia and Queen Noor.

 

[Priest008]

Wow there are a lot of anti-monarchists here, from past posts people are stating they would love Kate Middleclass to marry William, because it will make the monarchy less Royal and more common. If you don't like the monarchy why are you even here. Kate Middleclass is already attracting media attention and in fact she will be more famous than Diana. PS:... at least Diana was of Noble birth.

 

[Lumutqueen]

Kate Middleclass is already attracting media attention and in fact she will be more famous than Diana.

How, may I ask?

 

[sirhon11234]

Why are some people calling her Kate Middleclass? I think that's really offensive.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Wow there are a lot of anti-monarchists here, from past posts people are stating they would love Kate Middleclass to marry William, because it will make the monarchy less Royal and more common. If you don't like the monarchy why are you even here.

When I came here I was an avowed monarchist. You couldn't have gotten a bigger monarchist than me but this board has turned me into a republican and I thank the board for that but I still enjoy discussing royals and their lives and history. Just because they no longer have a place in a modern world doesn't mean that they aren't to be discussed.

 

[Helen Anna]

I have sympathy for Middleton but she'll never be more popular than Diana.In fact i believe that even Charles at some point became jealous of Diana's growing popularity.Don't get me wrong i like him a lot but that's my opinion.Diana was not only loved but also forgiven about everything press accused her of.

 

[Opal]

Wow there are a lot of anti-monarchists here, from past posts people are stating they would love Kate Middleclass to marry William, because it will make the monarchy less Royal and more common. If you don't like the monarchy why are you even here?

I was wondering the same thing. If I don't have an interest in something, I'm not going to waste my time discussing it.

 

[Mermaid1962]

I agree completely. The young woman's name is Kate (or Catherine) Middleton. I don't think that nicknames that refer to her social status or her "waiting" should be used on this forum. For the trashy messageboards, fine, but not this forum.

Why are some people calling her Kate Middleclass? I think that's really offensive.

 

[Iluvbertie]

I was wondering the same thing. If I don't have an interest in something, I'm not going to waste my time discussing it.

Having an interest in something doesn't mean you have to support it e.g. I have an interest in gladiatorial fights in Ancient Rome but that doesn't mean I would want to go and watch one.

 

[rob2008]

No princess has the level of charisma, the star quality, the impact of Diana. They're all now too keen to be uninspiring, conforming, safe pairs of hands. Even Prinses Mabel's quirky clothing jokes are timid expressions of a fake rebelliousness. Despite her commoner origins, Maxima has a certain genuine classiness which demonstrates a commendable sense of duty and ardent love of her adopted country and the Oranje-Nassaus - but not in the league of Diana.

 

[Zonk]

Please note that future posts that refer to Kate Middleton as Kate Middleclass will be deleted without notice.

Please remember the following TRF rule:

• Insulting comments about other posters and royals are not permitted. Criticism is acceptable; insults and flames are not. We expect our members to treat each other with respect.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact any of the British moderators and/or TRF administrators.

Zonk
British Forums Moderator

 

[berengere]

No princess has the level of charisma, the star quality, the impact of Diana. They're all now too keen to be uninspiring, conforming, safe pairs of hands. Even Prinses Mabel's quirky clothing jokes are timid expressions of a fake rebelliousness. Despite her commoner origins, Maxima has a certain genuine classiness which demonstrates a commendable sense of duty and ardent love of her adopted country and the Oranje-Nassaus - but not in the league of Diana.

Beautifully stated.
We met Princess Diana when she was a young lady and bride. Her obvious warmth and smile touched so many of us. We were captivated from the outset.

No offense to Kate but as she had just been just a girlfriend to date, and understandably guarding her privacy, we have no sense of who she is.

I just can't possibly imagine she could ever really approach Princess Diana's degree of popularity SHOULD she become Williams wife. I have nothing against her but nor have I yet to be able to relate or warm to her. That being said, she does seem like a reasonably nice young woman.

 

[Penny Royalty]

Kate is attractive and I think it's an appeal that Diana harnessed and beheld aswell and led Diana to charm Charles and eventually the people of her time. Sometimes I hear it is what is from within that counts and it can be said Diana poured herself out for her country and fellow man from within, but she had a look that endeared us all once upon a time.

The times of years ago when Princess Diana led her country and the time we all share now are different having mystiques and a historical correlation all their own. Yes there are similarities but the issues and happenings aren't quite alike as I've observed. I sometimes wonder if we have lost touch to our historical affinity where people were the beacons of perfection and the holy.

Nonetheless we always will have a progression that is important and present. Therefore I wonder if through the shear attraction of Kate's phenomena, will we have someone that we will warm up to and somehow cherish and esteem when she is presented someday. Kate is becoming someone who may imminently become Will's chosen one and marry and wear the crown for England.

Someday we are to find out if they do marry and maybe more importantly who Kate is from the inside. For now we know she keeps endearing the heart of Will and maybe it is like with her outward looks she is beautiful inside. And since she seems the prominent one for William I have to say that she may indeed be beautiful inside and out. I hold William's integrity well rounded to know best as such. Maybe someday we shall see.

 

[Sereta]

No princess has the level of charisma, the star quality, the impact of Diana. They're all now too keen to be uninspiring, conforming, safe pairs of hands.

I agree with this wholeheartedly regarding today's princesses . . and Kate pales even next to them.

 

[Iluvbertie]

I agree with this wholeheartedly regarding today's princesses . . and Kate pales even next to them.

They are also alive to see their kids grow up and mature because they aren't being chased by paparazzi to get picutures for fans. They are also in happy marriages.

Maybe dull and uninspiring is a better way to be - certainly for the kids.

 

[Zonk]

I think Diana has served a cautionary tale for a lot of royal families.

You really need to know the potential mate although really there are no guarantees. Can they handle the pressures and responsiblites of being a royal? And then if there is an extreme interest in the newbie....how can you cater to the interests in way that it doesn't become celebrity like. I agree with iluvbertie, I think a lot of royal families don't want or need anyone to become as popular as Diana.

I am a Diana fan and I can look back and say it was just too much. We loved everything about her...her clothes, her love life, her drama, her work. The pictures had to come from somewhere but did we realy know that she was basically stalked? It was legal stalking. Some of it was necessary for her work, some of it she caused herself by seeking out the media, but some of it was just unncessary. She couldn't and they (the press) wouldn't let the genie go back in the bottle.

So my answer is that I don't think Kate will be as popular as Diana because honestly, a Diana only comes around once in a life time, and I think that Kate (or whoever marries William) will try to be low key and work on her family and her patronages. The best Kate would be similar to Sophie ( but a little more high profile because of her position) who as the Queen said...You wouldn't pick her out of a crowd.

 

[Sereta]

Not only would she not be as popular (that's even if William ever married her) she and her family would be an absolute disaster to the monarchy!

 

[Lumutqueen]

Not only would she not be as popular (that's even if William ever married her) she and her family would be an absolute disaster to the monarchy!

Why?
And what is her family going to do?

 

[Zonk]

If the British Royal Family can withstand the Woodvilles, the Nevilles, the Howards the Mountbattens and the Spencers, surely they can handle the Middletons.

 

[Iluvbertie]

If the British Royal Family can withstand the Woodvilles, the Nevilles, the Howards the Mountbattens and the Spencers, surely they can handle the Middletons.

After the Spencers the Middletons will be a doddle.