The Late Diana, Princess of Wales News & Questions Thread 8: June 2008- 2020

[Curryong]

I'm a fan but that article is hyperbole. Yes Diana was an iconic figure in her lifetime, certainly in the last decade of it. People even now have fond memories of her and love and admire her. However, an icon of all time? Don't think so!

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Pfff... they are really milking an old cow until the very last drop... those British media...

 

[Mermaid1962]

Wait till the Cambridges are in India and the press starts dragging up all kinds of comparisons with Charles and Diana's visits while they're there! I like that they're visiting the Taj Mahal together. It's a way of saying there's a new generation now.

 

[Osipi]

I think its a given that there are going to be comparisons made especially when W&K visit the Taj Mahal. Not only does it portray that there's a new generation but also shows that time moves on and love heals all. I'm really looking forwards to following this trip. The Cambridges are going to be one very busy couple.

 

[Mermaid1962]

This is one reason why I enjoy seeing William and Catherine together and happy, along with their little family. It shows that the War of the Wales has truly been laid to rest. I've been rereading a couple of good Diana biographies lately and find it reassuring that things have turned out so well for William.

I think its a given that there are going to be comparisons made especially when W&K visit the Taj Mahal. Not only does it portray that there's a new generation but also shows that time moves on and love heals all.

 

[Dman]

I like that KP made it known that William knows the history behind the photos of his mothers visit to the Taj Mahal, and how the the Cambridge's are looking forward to doing things right and making new memories at the Taj Mahal. They know comparisons will be made.

 

[Queen Camilla]

When Princess Diana visited the Taj Mahal: The story behind THAT photo - Mirror Online

Isn't the real story that Royal tours are planned months in advance.
Prince Charles' visits were not last minute.

 

[Osipi]

Isn't the real story that Royal tours are planned months in advance.
Prince Charles' visits were not last minute.

It was on the books that Charles had an engagement in Delhi and to this day, we often see a royal couple split up and do separate engagements when on a tour. They can cover more ground that way. Its how its planned and executed.

It wasn't that Charles deliberately chose not to visit the Taj Mahal with Diana unless, of course, it was worked out that way when the itinerary was drawn up but rather how things went. Of course Diana used this to her advantage but really didn't downright allude to marriage problems at the time.

 

[Queen Claude]

Of course it could have been arranged for Charles and Diana to go to the Taj Mahal together but presumably one or both of them nixed the idea.

 

[Dman]

I think it was down to the officials who arranged their schedules and the opportunity was missed. It wasn't the best PR move at the time and it helped highlight the problems that was going on at the time.

 

[Roslyn]

Ken Wharfe says in Closely Guarded Secret that it was just something that happened, not something that was planned by Diana - though she certainly used it to her advantage. James Whitaker says in Diana v. Charles that Charles "shunned the anticipated photo-call outside the Taj Mahal because of its gruesome superficiality", which implies it was an active decision on his part. I don't know whether that is merely an assumption or he had sound reason to say it, but by this stage the marriage was in tatters, having long passed the point of no return, and it makes sense to me that Charles would have made a point of avoiding that photo op for its blatant hypocrisy.

By then these two were openly hostile to each other, sometimes even quite rude to each other in front of others, avoiding speaking to each other at all when possible, and they not only didn't occupy the same suite at the Viceroy's Palace in New Delhi but slept on different floors. The Taj Mahal incident was only a few days before Diana's infamous head turning trick when Charles went to kiss her at the polo game on the eve of Valentine's Day in Jaipur.

 

[Dman]

Ken Wharfe says in Closely Guarded Secret that it was just something that happened, not something that was planned by Diana - though she certainly used it to her advantage. James Whitaker says in Diana v. Charles that Charles "shunned the anticipated photo-call outside the Taj Mahal because of its gruesome superficiality", which implies it was an active decision on his part. I don't know whether that is merely an assumption or he had sound reason to say it, but by this stage the marriage was in tatters, having long passed the point of no return, and it makes sense to me that Charles would have made a point of avoiding that photo op for its blatant hypocrisy.

By then these two were openly hostile to each other, sometimes even quite rude to each other in front of others, avoiding speaking to each other at all when possible, and they not only didn't occupy the same suite at the Viceroy's Palace in New Delhi but slept on different floors. The Taj Mahal incident was only a few days before Diana's infamous head turning trick when Charles went to kiss her at the polo game on the eve of Valentine's Day in Jaipur.

Charles and Diana were going through (what I call) their 'Lucy and Desi' moments in those early days. Thank God it all stopped before Diana's passing.

 

[Curryong]

Diana's Taj Mahal moment was in February 1992, only five and a half years before she died though, so hardly the early days. It must have been ghastly for the two of them to be together in front of photographers on engagements on this tour, the the later South Korean one being even worse. They weren't even sharing the same hotel suite let alone the same bedroom.

 

[Dman]

Diana's Taj Mahal moment was in February 1992, only five and a half years before she died though, so hardly the early days. It must have been ghastly for the two of them to be together in front of photographers on engagements on this tour, the the later South Korean one being even worse. They weren't even sharing the same hotel suite let alone the same bedroom.

Yeah, but things calmed down a lot for them before her passing. I'm just saying things weren't that good between them in the start of the 90's. They tried to carry on though when they were duty together.

They were planning to tour the British Isles together on the Royal Yacht Britannia before its decommission in 97. So things were fine by that time.

 

[Mermaid1962]

I think that the photographer Jayne Fincher said the same thing.

Ken Wharfe says in Closely Guarded Secret that it was just something that happened, not something that was planned by Diana - though she certainly used it to her advantage.

 

[Curryong]

Dickie Arbiter, in his book on his Press Officer days with the BRF, states that the couple were given separate itineraries to cover the greatest amount of ground (but there was a need to bring them together for great photo opportunities.) Diana was scheduled to be in Agra while Charles was committed to giving a keynote address at an International Business Leaders conference in Bangalore, 1200 miles away.

Arbiter writes of the splendid PR opportunity that the Wales's could have had at the Taj Mahal, that it had been discussed at length during the reconnoiter that had been done pre trip. The POW had visited the Taj Mahal before and had vowed 'One day I would like to bring my bride here". Charles, Dickie says, was not interested in 'changing the arrangements'. There seems to have been a hint of frustration in the Press Office as once the couple's schedule had been made public the tabloids were screaming 'Di to visit Taj Mahal on her own!' and speculating on Why.

Dickie says he was told not to broach the subject of the Taj Mahal with the Prince any more. He got the sense both were tired of the whole charade. Sky News reporter Simon McKoy asked Diana what she thought as she sat on the bench in front of the monument. She paused and then said 'It was a healing experience..very healing.' McKoy asked 'What do you mean exactly?' and Diana replied, with a gleam in her eye 'Work it out for yourself'.

 

[Skippyboo]

This guy loves being in the press doesn't he?


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[Dman]

This guy loves being in the press doesn't he?


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He's a chef, so he loves cooking. I think he absolutely adored his late boss and her children. He enjoy sharing his memories of cooking for the royals.

 

[Queen Camilla]

No it is the DM reprinting old stories in a bid to overshadow the Queen's birthday.

 

[Osipi]

I don't think its really possible to overshadow the Queen's 90th birthday and all the festivities attached to is. Although not as much of a draw since 1997, there are still a lot of people who remember Diana, admire her and want to know more about her and articles about her and her life and her family still attract readers.

If I remember right, in one of the books about Diana, it mentions Mr. O'Grady and the meals he'd cook up and how appreciative Diana would be to him on occasions. Its all good.

 

[royal rob]

No it is the DM reprinting old stories in a bid to overshadow the Queen's birthday.

I don't understand why you think the DM would want to overshadow the Queens birthday.


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[Curryong]

I don't understand why you think the DM would want to overshadow the Queens birthday.


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Neither do I. You would think its editors would be ecstatic about the celebrations, thinking of possible larger sales, souvenir editions etc.

 

[royal rob]

Sometimes I think this forum should be renamed the hate the press forum.
As I have said here before if the DM etc upset you don't read it. I really don't think they sit around thinking how can we take the spotlight off the Queen !!!!


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[Queen Camilla]

What logical reason would the DM have for reprinting an old article?

Today and tomorrow are a celebration of the Queen's 90th birthday.

 

[Zonk]

What logical reason would the DM have for reprinting an old article?

Today and tomorrow are a celebration of the Queen's 90th birthday.

Logical reason of the DM?

To increase the amount of clicks or web views which will have a direct impact on their advertising rates. They know they will get three types of people to comment on the article: those who miss/love Diana, those who dislike Charles/Camilla and will use the opportunity to bash those two and three, those who will complain about the need for the article because Diana is deceased.

I just ignore those types of articles. They are just filler at this point..they are really not sharing any new information.

 

[TLLK]

A story like that is merely Clickbait.

 

[Osipi]

What logical reason would the DM have for reprinting an old article?

Today and tomorrow are a celebration of the Queen's 90th birthday.

For the same reason that at Christmas time there are far more human interest stories that relate to Christmas.

This is a major celebration for a Monarch and with it, many people that don't normally read royal related articles will be. Including even older royal related articles from the past puts more royal focus on royal things over the years at a very royal time of the year.

 

[Jacknch]

I must say, I can't see the point of doing an article about what Princess Diana ordered from her chef 30 years ago. As usual, it's very little, worthless information blown out of all proportion to make an "exclusive" and will have little or no impact on the interest concerning the Queen's 90th birthday - for me anyway.

 

[Duch_Luver_4ever]

Interesting article on that famous picture, recently watched a documentary where the BP press secretary bragged that he set that picture up, that two people can only do so much and he thought it would be better to spread them around to cover more places during the tour. He tried to argue the Princes' speech could lead to millions of pounds in exports for Britain...who can say for sure.

Had he known his job of press and public relations better,he'd have foreseen what a PR nightmare the solo visit at the Taj Mahal would be. Although maybe he was sly like a fox and a closet Diana supporter, he did say in his recent book that "everyone wanted to rip her knickers off" around the time of the wedding. IMO a distastful comment about such a lovely lady, but understandable. (Also the irony of him slagging Diana for her book is laughable now that Dickie has spilled the beans as well )

It constantly amazes me how BP and the royals had access to the best PR advice money can by, but little 'ol Diana was able to always beat them at the press game. Had she not been a Princess, she'd have been a cracking PR adviser

Yes, the Kate, or frankly, any woman that would marry Wills, im sure would have had to pass Diana's muster, but what mother doesn't want the best for their son? Although having to be compared to the most famous and beautiful woman in the world would have been tough for any woman, and Kate, without offering an opinion one way or the other on her, so dont read into it, has dodged a HUGE bullet. Even Diana-haters would have to concede that she was marvelous with children, and whatever the adult dynamics, its a safe bet she'd have been a SUPER grandmother

 

[Pranter]

I think Diana would of gotten along well with Kate...they would have some things in common besides William and grandchildren....and Diana would want to see William in this type of relationship....just as I am sure Charles is happy to see it.


LaRae