The Late Diana, Princess of Wales, News Thread 7: October 2007-June 2008

[Skydragon]

Originally Posted by sirhon11234

After reading the article I was happy to learn that the Princess had already chosen the role and path she would follow in life;

We have no idea as to the accuracy of Browns opinion, further to this, nobody else has in the past 10 years spoken of it.

We do know that she wanted to be involved with Blair, we don't know if he wanted to be involved with her, (from Campbells report, he didn't).

[Jo of Palatine]

Originally Posted by Skydragon

We have no idea as to the accuracy of Browns opinion, further to this, nobody else has in the past 10 years spoken of it.

We do know that she wanted to be involved with Blair, we don't know if he wanted to be involved with her, (from Campbells report, he didn't).

One thing we do know since the inquest: that Diana told each and any person a different story. So even if she told friends that she'd like to do such documentaries, it's not necessarily what she actually planned.

[sirhon11234]

Originally Posted by Warren

Oh please, there are some things which really need to be placed in perspective. Making a hagiography of Diana's future-that-never-was is not only absurd by its over-statement but merely serves to diminish her real and concrete achievements.

I respect your opinion, but I don't think "discussing what could have been"
diminishes her real and concrete achievements such as her work with AIDS and Red Cross causes.

[georgiea]

Originally Posted by sirhon11234

I respect your opinion, but I don't think "discussing what could have been"
diminishes her real and concrete achievements such as her work with AIDS and Red Cross causes.

Sirhon, I AGREE WITH YOUR OPINION about Diana, Princess of Wales. She was just getting somewhere in her charities when she died. I will try to repect other opinions on this site, but truly it is hard to see a dead person diminished because Diana fans will always wonder what other wonderful causes Princess Diana would have champion if she lived.

[Skydragon]

Originally Posted by georgiea

She was just getting somewhere in her charities when she died. I will try to repect other opinions on this site, but truly it is hard to see a dead person diminished because Diana fans will always wonder what other wonderful causes Princess Diana would have champion if she lived.

She had dropped most of her charities!

Makes me wonder how some people would have reacted if she had decided to continue being a party girl, we know her popularity was diminishing here in the UK, (my opinion and based on newspaper articles at the time) where she was being portrayed having holiday after holiday.

[Warren]

Originally Posted by sirhon11234

I respect your opinion, but I don't think "discussing what could have been" diminishes her real and concrete achievements such as her work with AIDS and Red Cross causes.

Discussing "what she could have been" is somewhat different to stating, as you did, that "she was on her way in becoming one of the world's greatest humanitarians".

This type of projection based on nothing but wishful thinking serves no purpose other than to perpetuate the "sainted" Diana myth. People's lives should be commemorated for their achievements, not for overstated fantasy.

[TheTruth]

Originally Posted by Warren

Discussing "what she could have been" is somewhat different to stating, as you did, that "she was on her way in becoming one of the world's greatest humanitarians".

This type of projection based on nothing but wishful thinking serves no purpose other than to perpetuate the "sainted" Diana myth. People's lives should be commemorated for their achievements, not for overstated fantasy.

And I think Diana was well thanked for her work and achievements. We had a perfect demonstration of people's gratitude in 2007, for the 10th anniversary of her death. She's one of the most commemorated person in the world and I doubt she would have had this impact if she had died later than in 1997. Like Skydragon said, her reputation was going down and I really don't know what future would have turned her into.

[georgiea]

Originally Posted by TheTruth

I doubt she would have had this impact if she had died later than in 1997. Like Skydragon said, her reputation was going down and I really don't know what future would have turned her into.

I don't think a summer of fun ruined her reputation. Diana, Princess of Wales always had a way of coming back to the graces of her fans. We really don't
know what the future could have been, but Princess Diana, in a documentary in Africa, STATED that she wished she could become an ambassor for her homeland.

Discussing "what she could have been" is somewhat different to stating, as you did, that "she was on her way in becoming one of the world's greatest humanitarians". This type of projection based on nothing but wishful thinking serves no purpose other than to perpetuate the "sainted" Diana myth. People's lives should be commemorated for their achievements, not for overstated fantasy.

The statement right above is true about what could have been, but Princess Diana fans do not think of her as sainted, but a very troubled woman that wanted to do good on this earth. After this inquest how could you think we fans don't know Princess Diana with all her troubles? I believe even people on this forum who didn't like Princess Diana, like other famous people who have troubles.

[Skydragon]

Originally Posted by georgiea

I don't think a summer of fun ruined her reputation. Diana, Princess of Wales always had a way of coming back to the graces of her fans.

She had not, until that point had the tabloids turn against her and where the tabloids led, the Diana fans appeared to follow. There were mutterings from all but the hardcore fans, about the dropping of the charities, the Panorama disaster and what were seen as constant holidays.

We really don't know what the future could have been, but Princess Diana, in a documentary in Africa, STATED that she wished she could become an ambassor for her homeland.

She could state it all she wanted, but it would have been reliant on Blair, the government and HM.

I believe even people on this forum who didn't like Princess Diana, like other famous people who have troubles.

Not me.

[Russophile]

Well, she went the way most artists do to become immortal: she died.

[Polly]

From certain memory, it didn't seem to me that Diana's popularity had diminished so very much, given the overwhelming public reaction to her death and funeral.

Whatever Diana might or might not have been, and I'm quite aware of her many faults and shortcomings, it is too ungenerous, in my view, to be disdainful towards the very real good which she did accomplish in life.

Stephen Lee, director of Britain's Institute of Charity Fundraising Managers,said '(Diana's) overall effect on charity is probably more significant than any other person's in the 20th century.' (Hubbard et al, 1998).

At the time of her death, Diana was the official patron of Royal Marsden NHS Trust (a cancer fund); Greater Ormond Street Children's Hospital, London; the National AIDS Trust (an umbrella group for a wide array of AIDS causes in the UK); The Leprosy Mission, the English National Ballet, and Centerpoint Soho (which provides services to homeless youth). She was also closely associated with the British Red Cross, indeed, the International Red Cross' Anti-Personnel Land Mines Campaign.

I have a photo of Diana in Bosnia with the Landmines Survivor Network in August, 2007, not long before her demise. She was working, in the August holiday-month, almost to the end.

In 1998, Robin Smith, the Foreign Secretary, introduced the second reading of the Landmines Bill 1998 to the House of Commons, thus:

"All Honourable Members will be aware from their postbags of the immense contribution made by Diana, Princess of Wales to bringing home to many of our constituents the human costs of landmines. The best way in which to record our appreciation of her work, and the work of NGO's that have campaigned against landmines, is to pass the Bill, and to pave the way towards a global ban on landmines."

Which, arguably, it did!

In 2001, Bill Clinton said:

"In 1987, when so many still believed that AIDS could be contracted through casual contact, Princess Diana sat on the sickbed of a man with AIDS and held his hand. She showed the world that people with AIDS deserve no isolation, but compassion and kindness. It helped change world's opinion, and gave hope to people with AIDS."

Diana's dignity has been torn to shreds, publicly, in recent times, when it was not possible for her to utter even the tiniest squeak in retort or defend herself or reputation. I believe that we might now justifiably permit her memory to embrace her very real accomplishments, if not for her then for the sake of her sons, and let that be an end to it.

[Skydragon]

Originally Posted by Polly

From certain memory, it didn't seem to me that Diana's popularity had diminished so very much, given the overwhelming public reaction to her death and funeral.

All IMO - Before her death, she was a fading 'star', it was by her death that her reputation was saved from being shredded further by the press and ordinary men and women. I have in the past, posted many news articles that were the early editions published on the morning of her death, including the famous 'woodentop' one. All criticised the amount of holidays and playgirl behaviour.

I may have misunderstood, but I thought we were talking about what she might have done if she hadn't died, not the over the top reaction, egged on by the same tabloids (to cover their guilt), that were about to bring her to heel. All IMO

[Jo of Palatine]

Originally Posted by Skydragon

All IMO - Before her death, she was a fading 'star', it was by her death that her reputation was saved from being shredded further by the press and ordinary men and women. I have in the past, posted many news articles that were the early editions published on the morning of her death, including the famous 'woodentop' one. All criticised the amount of holidays and playgirl behaviour.

Diana already had had a time in her life when the tabloids turned against her and most biographers of her claim that this had a serious impact on her - she became dependent on her journalist friends. Kay told that she had called him on the evening of her death to find out what was in the Sunday papers and she was not happy about it. Okay, getting herself killed was a bit overdramatic an action for Diana to get more positive headlines , but she had shown very often that she manipulated the media when she thought it was necessary. But exactly this is what the tabloids find amusing. So I guess they would have continued to press her for more and more information while OTOH feed her to the masses who love to see people falling off their pedestals. And Diana was no longer protected by her Royal rank, so destroying her reputation was not longer going to seriously threaten the monarchy (which is, I believe, a point where most papers stop).

Skydragon, are some of these early edition links still working? And where could I find them? Thank you in advance.

[Skydragon]

Originally Posted by Jo of Palatine

Skydragon, are some of these early edition links still working? And where could I find them? Thank you in advance.

Unsurprisingly many of the links in the folders no longer work - however I did find this synopsis of the early editions and the ones that were hastily rewritten.

[Polly]

Originally Posted by Skydragon

All IMO - Before her death, she was a fading 'star', it was by her death that her reputation was saved from being shredded further by the press and ordinary men and women. I have in the past, posted many news articles that were the early editions published on the morning of her death, including the famous 'woodentop' one. All criticised the amount of holidays and playgirl behaviour.

I do accept your opinion that Diana was a 'fading star'. However, I was resident in England at the time of her death and didn't particularly notice it.

I may have misunderstood, but I thought we were talking about what she might have done if she hadn't died, not the over the top reaction, egged on by the same tabloids (to cover their guilt), that were about to bring her to heel. All IMO

Well, no, we weren't. That 's how the thread developed, however.

My post was a direct negation, based on documented fact, that the late Princess had become an uncaring and disdaining party girl. She hadn't.

Personally, I have every respect and affection for Charles and his Duchess, though I cannot see how this could ever mean that I should dismiss and disparage the late Princess and her attributed good works, attested to by some of the world's eminent and most prestigious citizens, including Nelson Mandela.