Reasons for disliking Diana?

[dakodas]

You know, it's really not appropiate to have this thread. I don't see one for disliking any other member of Royalty.
Yes, supposedly, we are welcome to "voice" our opinions in this forum. But to have a thread devoted to bashing, particularly one found under the persons heading is in poor taste.

I think it is entirely appropriate if people can remain civil, which they have. The very fact that there are not threads like this for many others attests to the unique passion Diana inspired in her fans and detractors.

 

[Elspeth]

In fact, the moderators are trying hard to discourage bashing. Since Diana generated strong reactions from people, a thread exploring the reasons for the people who didn't like her is appropriate as long as the participants stay true to the intent of the thread.

 

[branchg]

I began losing sympathy for her after the Morton book was published. After reading it, I felt she had fed the author half-truths and it just seemed impossible to me that her life could be so miserable that she tried to commit suicide. I also felt it was unseemly for a princess of the UK and mother of a future king to allow such a gross invasion of privacy by cooperating with the book.

In my opinion, the Morton book was the beginning of Diana's downfall as a member of the royal family. She became addicted to the media spotlight and public adulation without realizing what a double-edged sword that had become. As a princess of the UK, she had a duty to uphold the dignity of the monarchy, not diminish it. If she was unhappy in her marriage, then she should have taken some responsibility for her own behavior, rather than just blaming Charles for everything.

The Panorama interview was obviously contrived and rehearsed, right down to her carefully chosen dark suit and black eyeliner/runny mascara. She was playing a very deadly card and her comments about Charles ascending the throne were appalling to say the least. Divorce was inevitable after that.

 

[ysbel]

Well one problem with the Morton book is that at first she denied involvement in it but kept such close contact with people who were obviously involved, that everybody assumed she did contribute to it. That turned out to be the right assumption.

That probably got a lot of people wondering what was true and what was not.

 

[Elspeth]

I began losing sympathy for her after the Morton book was published. After reading it, I felt she had fed the author half-truths and it just seemed impossible to me that her life could be so miserable that she tried to commit suicide. I also felt it was unseemly for a princess of the UK and mother of a future king to allow such a gross invasion of privacy by cooperating with the book.

I gather you didn't believe her denials about her involvement in the book?

 

[ysbel]

Diana said in the Panorama interview that she allowed her friends to talk to Morton and then Morton's publisher last year produced tapes of interviews with her that covered a lot of what was in the book.

 

[branchg]

I gather you didn't believe her denials about her involvement in the book?

No, I did not.

 

[branchg]

Diana said in the Panorama interview that she allowed her friends to talk to Morton and then Morton's publisher last year produced tapes of interviews with her that covered a lot of what was in the book.

What Diana left out in her interview is that she later regretted the Morton book and felt it had done great damage to her credibility and reputation, which it did.

 

[Incas]

Didn't Morton or his publisher produce manuscripts with notes from Diana?

 

[Elspeth]

Its sad that, having realised the Morton book was a mistake, she repeated her mistake by doing the Bashir interview. She really needed people around her who she trusted and who could give her good advice. So many people were self-serving in their interactions with her.

 

[corazon]

Didn't Morton or his publisher produce manuscripts with notes from Diana?

diana send to morton 6 cassettes. with that (and photos from spencer family and diana's friend words about her royal life) morton write the book.

 

[regardez]

Well she made a lot of mistakes with manipulating the press, I can understand why the Queen didn't like her for that. But didn't they have differences even before Diana started that stuff?

 

[Incas]

diana send to morton 6 cassettes. with that (and photos from spencer family and diana's friend words about her royal life) morton write the book.

I seems to recall seeing a documentary about how the book came about. It concentrated interviews on Morton, his publisher, and a doctor who was the intermediary between Morton and Diana. It was the segments on that doctor that included shots of Diana's notes on the manuscripts. She made corrections on the '82 fall story among others. I remember the doctor mentioning a funny story about transporting the manuscripts Diana in his bicycle basket. He crashed the bike near KP and the paper went flying down the street. He eventually managed to collect all the paper.

 

[Margrethe II]

Well she made a lot of mistakes with manipulating the press, I can understand why the Queen didn't like her for that. But didn't they have differences even before Diana started that stuff?

I dont think it can be said that HM the Queen didn't like her for that or anything, rather, was dissapointed that someone from within her inner circle broke that sanctity of trust that is expected to observed, especially by members of her own family.

The Queen didn't dislike Diana, but felt helpless, hurt and no doubt very concerned about the circumstances that both her son and daughter in-law were facing and as a consequence, 'the firm' & its image. I can understand this 110%. As Monarch, her position must come first and if someone decides to disgrace the Sovereign institution, they may just aswell slap the Queen in the face.

Until Diana's death, it wasn't uncommon for Diana to call the Queen for conversations and infact go and use the pool at either Windsor or Buckingham Palace, where afterwoods, she would have an audience with the Queen for around 15-20 minutes if possible.

Sovereign and subject (contrary to what many believe) where beginning to correspond and were making constant and sincere efforts to get to know each other again; just as she was with Charles. Diana may have not been an actual member of the immediate royal family anymore, but the Queen still felt the same concern and deep down, the same affection for her just as she did during happier times.

You are only ever hurt by those you love!

I said to a certain confidant on the board that I wasn't planning on posting in the British sub forums again any time soon, but I just wanted to add that little contribution.

My kind regards to all,

"MII"

 

[corazon]

I seems to recall seeing a documentary about how the book came about. It concentrated interviews on Morton, his publisher, and a doctor who was the intermediary between Morton and Diana. It was the segments on that doctor that included shots of Diana's notes on the manuscripts. She made corrections on the '82 fall story among others. I remember the doctor mentioning a funny story about transporting the manuscripts Diana in his bicycle basket. He crashed the bike near KP and the paper went flying down the street. He eventually managed to collect all the paper.

yes, of course that was a intermediary, morton said the true about diana's participation late diana's death. there is very good movie about the history of the book ''the biographer'' is based in morton's words.

 

[corazon]

I dont think it can be said that HM the Queen didn't like her for that or anything, rather, was dissapointed that someone from within her inner circle broke that sanctity of trust that is expected to observed, especially by members of her own family.

The Queen didn't dislike Diana, but felt helpless, hurt and no doubt very concerned about the circumstances that both her son and daughter in-law were facing and as a consequence, 'the firm' & its image. I can understand this 110%. As Monarch, her position must come first and if someone decides to disgrace the Sovereign institution, they may just aswell slap the Queen in the face.

Until Diana's death, it wasn't uncommon for Diana to call the Queen for conversations and infact go and use the pool at either Windsor or Buckingham Palace, where afterwoods, she would have an audience with the Queen for around 15-20 minutes if possible.

Sovereign and subject (contrary to what many believe) where beginning to correspond and were making constant and sincere efforts to get to know each other again; just as she was with Charles. Diana may have not been an actual member of the immediate royal family anymore, but the Queen still felt the same concern and deep down, the same affection for her just as she did during happier times.

You are only ever hurt by those you love!

I said to a certain confidant on the board that I wasn't planning on posting in the British sub forums again any time soon, but I just wanted to add that little contribution.

My kind regards to all,

"MII"

is true, for example the queen was VERY happy in william's confirmation when the phtoghapher taken the official photo. (the last photo of charles and diana with the queen was in 1994) charles and diana have a good relationship and the queen was happy for that and for them.

 

[love_cc]

She should have not discuss her private matters with the media and journalists. She used the media to blame the Royal family and Charles for the problems in her marriage. It was an unfair opnion about what happened in the marriage. She should not have used William and Harry to revenge on Charles even he was unfaithful to her. She should have not taken so many lovers in her marriage but only claimed "there are three in my marriage. So it was bit crowded". She painted herself as the only victim and this was very biased and self-pity. I saw the pains but she should try to look back and think about her mistakes in the marriage.

 

[Margrethe II]

she should try to look back and think about her mistakes in the marriage.

Um... love_cc...I think that rather impossible, given her current condition

"MII"

 

[Avalon]

I was a way too young to have watched the Bashir interview live or read the Morton book at the time it was published (though I did both a bit later). But my Mom and Aunt were (and are) great Diana fans. They always take her side in every single matter and there is no point to try and explain them that there might be a tiny little bit wrong about their judgments. Both my Mom and Aunt have read the Russian translation of the Morton book and it's even more pro-Diana than yo can imagine (yes, Russians sometimes translate not word-to-word bu what is closer to the plot, in their opinion. Good example are Harry Potter books). Anyway I read it in English and the very first impression I got was “for Heaven’s sake, stop complaining and do something”. I really thought it was too much. I mean Diana would blame everyone and everything except her. Sometimes it’s better to be self-critical rather then criticize the others.

And the Bashir interview made me just terribly sorry for her. But no in the way she meant it. I was sorry that a woman of such beauty, talents and possibilities is able to d things like that, to try and manipulate people, to play on the fact they felt sorry for her. I don’t think that exposing your personal life was the very best thing to do. I had the impression that everything was very carefully staged and it was not exactly a pleasant feeling. The Princess tried to sound natural but that exactly what she lacked. I really was sorry for Prince Charles. I suppose it was after I watched the interview that I tried to look at everything from his point of view.

All of the things I wrote are just my opinion. I admit that I criticized her a lot. I named only the things I didn’t like about her but there are loads of things for which I loved her very much. She was a very good person (I believe in that). Had her life not ended so tragically and unexpectedly, she might do great things in her life. She was no saint but she was a very good human.

 

[Idriel]

I said to a certain confidant on the board that I wasn't planning on posting in the British sub forums again any time soon, but I just wanted to add that little contribution.

Well M II, I hope you stay around. It is always a pleasure to read you clever and well spoken thoughts.
I dearly agree with your analysis of the Queen and Diana relationship.

I don't dislike Diana per se but I agree with some posters the major reason to dislike Diana (beside any judgement of her personal life), would be the way she acted with the media. No only it wasn't a safe move for her own interest and, more important, the monarchy interest but it was incredibly inconsiderate of her children feelings. Reading about your parents sex-life or nasty-meets-nastier divorce on a day to day basis is not the kind of things young boys need.
I would not have expected to be a silently suffering wife or whatever, but clearly she misunderstood or willingly disregarded what her role meant, what her duties were. I she had no remaining loyalty to her husband (and she shouldn't have imo), she should have had her loyalty to her sovereign intact. And exposing the Royal family dirty secrets through Richard Kay and Morton is not my definition of loyalty.

BTW: I'm glad this thread exist, and even happier that everyone is so courteous.

 

[wymanda]

I was an avid follower of Diana from 1981 (scrapbooks & all) but I rapidly became disillusioned with her when the manipulation of the press became apparent. Tipping off the press when she was taking William & Harry out just so she could be portrayed as the "good parent" and using William as a sounding board to abuse his father really turned me off Diana. Whilst I will refrain from catagorising her as "a nut job" as someone earlier in the thread did, I think that Diana had a lot of emotional issues that would have made any marriage untennable let alone the one that she pursued & entered into which had such a huge public profile.

 

[Margrethe II]

Well M II, I hope you stay around. It is always a pleasure to read you clever and well spoken thoughts.
I dearly agree with your analysis of the Queen and Diana relationship.

Merci beaucoup mademoiselle

Je ne sais pas...lol. Oui, Je crois que oui.

Prends garde et bonne journée.

"MII"

Sorry about my bad French Idriel. Definitly wont take it up as a day job anytime soon.lol.

 

[ysbel]

she should try to look back and think about her mistakes in the marriage.

Um... love_cc...I think that rather impossible, given her current condition

"MII"

I think part of the healing process when a person starts to get over the emotional difficulties like Diana's is realizing the mistakes you made and then choosing a new healthier path.

It was the lack of taking stock of herself and her situation during the period from 1992 to 1997 that was a little disturbing. Before that she hadn't taken matters into her own hands but after she tried some things that didn't work out one hoped for a little enlightenment of what was healthier for her and her sons.

 

[branchg]

is true, for example the queen was VERY happy in william's confirmation when the phtoghapher taken the official photo. (the last photo of charles and diana with the queen was in 1994) charles and diana have a good relationship and the queen was happy for that and for them.

In the last year of her life, by all accounts, the Queen and Diana had a very good relationship, much like with Prince Charles, and things were changing rapidly for the better.

 

[Saragli]

I think the divorce shocked her back to reality and matured her. I think the Queen saw the good the princess can do and developed a relationship with her. I think she was hurt but I dont think they had a bad relationship. If she had lived I think things would have gotten better. If she wasnt so intent on hurting Charles and making his life hard and portraying herself as a perfect women with no faults a lot more people would like her. She should have been herself and blamed herself for her part. But, she is gone and time has moved on to a different Royal Family.

 

[fandesacs2003]

I was not a fanatic supporter of Diana, when she was alive. Basically I found her not extremely clever, infantil and manipulator, and her marriage problems did not touch my very deeply, it's not the first timeb such problems arrive, and in women much weaker that her.

Of course she got married young, full of illusions, and she has been cheated on her fairytale expectations ...., this was bitter and difficult to handle for a young girl .... so, normal she became unstable and depressed...

On the other hand, she obtained a glorious divorce, of course it's sad to divorse, and after that she used all her energy to become an icon, but why it's bad? It's human and understandable for a person who considered herself as fully cheated.... So she did not face such an enormeous tragedy, she was not the only woman whose marriage broke up, it's quite commun. But she managed to present her story in the saddest way, and to gain full of sympathy, this was well prepared and well done with a dose of Machiavelism.

I watched also the Bashir interview, it was obvious for me that she made a wonderfull manipulating performance (make up, dressing, etc), but basically did she lie??? No, I do not think , she did tell the truth!

But now she is dead, and she left 2 young orphans, I do not know if it's really appropriate to continue talking about her, in any way, positive or negative. She was a public person, but what about her private side? What do you think that her boys would feel when reading all these topics? They have their own remembers from their mother, which may have been fully different in private that all these press images.

I think the best think we should do for the young Princes it's to forget her. History will come in a couple of years, and put her in her right position, but as WE ALL are not history writers, for William and Harry let her be forgotten. Only them have the right to remember her, not as a public icon, just as their mother.

 

[Saragli]

They are not orphans, they do have a father. No one is critizing her role as a mother or private person. We are critizing her public life which by her fault includes a "tragic" version of her personal life. She should no be forgotten because she is a warning to keep quite, be gracious and rational and a reminder of the good that royalty can do.

 

[una]

I watched also the Bashir interview, it was obvious for me that she made a wonderfull manipulating performance (make up, dressing, etc), but basically did she lie??? No, I do not think , she did tell the truth!

There were 'lies' in this interview, though I'm not sure that lies had the same import to Diana as to most of us, or even that she always knew she was doing it.

 

[lashinka2002]

Of course Diana was only human, that is why this thread bothers me so! Let's discuss all of her faults that made us dislike her! I never considered her a saint and it's silly that people imply or think that she was. What people see through the eyes of the media or what the catch in person during a fleeting moment in time does not and should not define what you think of Diana for the rest of your lives. Everyone knows that the almost every media outlet exagerates every story out there. As for Diana asking for the sickest child, from a PR point of view as bad as it may sound the sickest looking child would certainly generate the most attention towards her charity cause. Charles may have never slandered Diana publically but he certainly did not defend her, the mother of his children either!

 

[Saragli]

This is a mature discussion to help others understand why some people are not fans of hers and dont like her as much as others. Why would charles focus extra time on a dead women. The truth is revealed and her good work continues. Charles would have to have been seriously depressed to not move on with his life and focus on his now wife and kids. Diana is gone and is fading into history. Her work continues and that is all that matters.