The Memorial Service: August 31, 2007

[Dman]

I remember the service clearly and remember Charles's look at the service. He really did appear to be sad and looked down throughout the service.

I did think Camilla was treated badly by the press and people during that time. She was invited and should've been there. The Queen and palace official read the mood of the media and Camilla pulled out. That indeed was sad.

 

[Curryong]

Diana loathed, detested and hated Camilla throughout her marriage and after. Why would Camilla want to go to a memorial service to a woman she supplanted and once called 'that ridiculous creature'? She had no fond feelings for her.

If I died after a very nasty divorce I certainly wouldn't want my ex's next wife (with whom he'd committed adultery, making me miserable) sitting in the pews at my memorial service trying her hardest to look sad. I bet if people had asked Diana who she wanted turning up at her (hypothetical) funeral/memorial service Camilla's name wouldn't be near that list by a thousand miles!

 

[tommy100]

Above all if William and Harry invited Camilla then that should stop anyone else having a say in it. Never mind what we think others would have said or done, William and Harry's decisions must be respected in this regard

 

[Curryong]

I'm giving my opinion on an opinions forum and my opinion is that Diana wouldn't have wanted her there and if Camilla had any sense of honour she wouldn't have wanted to be there.

William and Harry always do their best to please their father, their only live parent. He obviously wanted Camilla there, God knows why, and I imagine the boys agreed. Public opinion at the time forced a withdrawal. Good, IMHO.

 

[tommy100]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I'm not saying you shouldn't express yours. All I am saying is that whatever others may think William and Harry's opinion is the only one that really matters in this. I've always wondered what gives people (and I don't mean anyone on here just people in general) the feeling their have a greater right to say what is right or wrong in regards to Diana than her own family.

 

[Curryong]

Diana wasn't around to speak for herself, though, was she? And Charles at that time of the memorial wished Camilla to be accepted by the general public and there was a rather strong campaign going on at the time, coordinated by his own spin doctor to do just that!

Diana cut off contact with her sister in law Sarah over one joke about foot warts due to borrowing Diana's shoes. Yet we were asked to believe that Diana would have been quite OK with a woman who caused her inconceivable misery sitting there at her memorial service! Yes, I truly believe that!

 

[Jacknch]

Whether or not Camilla was invited to go to this event is all rather beside the point - she didn't attend and it was appropriate that she didn't. I would be amazed if anyone within or without the Royal Family would have tried to get her to attend, make her attend or indeed plead with her to attend, and I certainly cannot imagine she would have wanted to go or felt it appropriate herself to go.

As for Diana's thoughts on the matter, let's be realistic - she had been dead for 10 years and if my knowledge serves me correctly, she never publicly discussed her thoughts on who she would and wouldn't wish to attend her very own memorial service.

 

[royal rob]

I'm giving my opinion on an opinions forum and my opinion is that Diana wouldn't have wanted her there and if Camilla had any sense of honour she wouldn't have wanted to be there.

William and Harry always do their best to please their father, their only live parent, at the time. He obviously wanted Camilla there, God knows why, and I imagine the boys agreed. Public opinion at the time forced a withdrawal. Good, IMHO.

I agree to even think about going was crazy and if there is something next year for 20 years I hope to goodness they both stay away MO


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[Curryong]

Whether or not Camilla was invited to go to this event is all rather beside the point - she didn't attend and it was appropriate that she didn't. I would be amazed if anyone within or without the Royal Family would have tried to get her to attend, make her attend or indeed plead with her to attend, and I certainly cannot imagine she would have wanted to go or felt it appropriate herself to go.

As for Diana's thoughts on the matter, let's be realistic - she had been dead for 10 years and if my knowledge serves me correctly, she never publicly discussed her thoughts on who she would and wouldn't wish to attend her very own memorial service.

She might well have been there in spirit though, Jacknch!

No it's true she didn't discuss the attendees at her own memorial. She did however, discuss Camilla with friends on several occasions and made her opinion clear on that matter!

 

[Dman]

It would've been good for Camilla to attend guys. It would've been her chance to pay tribute to Diana and put the past behind. William and Harry wanted her there, but the media and the public opinion decided to act silly and they forced her to pull out.

I would hope both Charles and Camilla attend any event that's being planned for next year. It would not only be appropriate, but right for them to do so. Healing folks, healing is the important thing.

 

[royal rob]

Healing for who ?? Not Diana she's dead. For Charles and Camila ? That's for them to work out them selfs they don't need to overtake something for Diana to make them feel forgiven. That's for them and God (or who or what is their believe system) they don't need to show up for Diana. Diana's boys are grown men they don't need their father with them.


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[tommy100]

Again isn't it worth something that William & Harry, who loved their mother so much and she loved them even more, wanted Camilla there? Again I would say whatever anyone's own personal feelings about that if its what they wanted then the public and the media shouldn't have put pressure to have anything different. Let's be realistic, W & H were both grown men in 2007 and therefore able to make their own choices in who should or should not attend a memorial service for their mother.

 

[royal rob]

We don't really know they wanted her there do we. Anyway she wasn't


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[Dman]

When I say healing, I mean healing over the past. Also Camilla would've been there to show support to Charles and Willian and Harry. The very fact that the media and opinions from some members of the public prevented that from happening was very much sad.

Yes, William and Harry are grown men, but if they want to make next years events a family event, then Charles and Camilla should be there too.

Both princes are the ones that was in charge of the putting the memorial service together and it was officially announced who would be in attendance. Senior members of the Royal family was invited by William and Harry. Due to public noise and the media, The Queen and palace official advised Camilla to pull out of the event. During the service, Camilla was pictured on the Balmoral estate with a basket looking for mushrooms or truffles.

I just happened to think if next year is to be a family event paying tribute to Diana, then the family should be there.

 

[sophie25]

How on Earth could Camilla have gone to that service? What would she have been remembering apart from the fact that Diana warned her off Charles and blamed her for wrecking her marriage? Come on.

 

[Osipi]

Memorial services are for the living to gather, remember and and pray for the deceased loved ones. If there is a 20th anniversary memorial service, I'm of the opinion that Charles and Camilla should attend together with the family. Camilla is very much part of the family and I would think that both William and Harry would want her to be there.

 

[Curryong]

These services are also there for those to attend who loved and cared for the deceased person. Did Camilla do anything to show love and caring for Diana while she was alive? Not on your nelly! She made her life uncomfortable, sad and miserable, and she can stay away from any future memorials, IMO. William and Harry can do without her 'support'.

 

[Dman]

How on Earth could Camilla have gone to that service? What would she have been remembering apart from the fact that Diana warned her off Charles and blamed her for wrecking her marriage? Come on.

It would've been a chance for Camilla to pay respect to Diana, show her support for Charles, William and Harry. People really need to let these peoples past mistakes go and move on. Her steps sons invited her, so she should've went. It was public opinion of the media and some di fans that prevented that.

I'm a huge admirer of the late Princess, but I know that the past is the past and it's time for people just to leave it all behind and allow the family to gather to remember a loved one. Camilla was robbed of the opportunity to pay her respects, IMO.

 

[sophie25]

It would've been a chance for Camilla to pay respect to Diana, show her support for Charles, William and Harry. People really need to let these peoples past mistakes go and move on. Her steps sons invited her, so she should've went. It was public opinion of the media and some di fans that prevented that.

I'm a huge admirer of the late Princess, but I know that the past is the past and it's time for people just to leave it all behind and allow the family to gather to remember a loved one. Camilla was robbed of the opportunity to pay her respects, IMO.

Pay her respects? She was sleeping with Diana's husband even after the Princess pleaded with her to back off. No point showing respect now when she didn't show her any during her life.

 

[teeyah]

I find bringing the Duchess of Cornwall to this thread even after ten years very ridiculous, it only bring outs the Diana lovers to pour more on hate on her. For the past then ten years I have watched her avoid anything associated with Diana, yet none of you are satisfied. I hope the Duchess does indeed stay away from any memorials or anything about Diana next year or beyond, it will only bring her peace and she should remain focus on her own family, it was not her fault Diana died.

 

[Denville]

Pay her respects? She was sleeping with Diana's husband even after the Princess pleaded with her to back off. No point showing respect now when she didn't show her any during her life.

And Diana slept with Oliver Hoare, Diane Hoare's husband, and helped break up Carling's marriage. I Dont think ti was a good time for Camilla to have attended a remembrance service, but maybe in another few years, it woudl be. As some posters have siad, its past, life goes on, its time to leave old hurts in hte past...

 

[Dman]

Guys, we don't have to make an argument out of this. I'm just saying, if there's any events planned for the 20th anniversary and, if there's a family event, I think the whole family should attend in paying respects and remember the late Princess.

 

[Denville]

Diana loathed, detested and hated Camilla throughout her marriage and after. Why would Camilla want to go to a memorial service to a woman she supplanted and once called 'that ridiculous creature'? She had no fond feelings for her.

Ifs!

Camila was damned if she did and damned if she didnt. If she hadn't been invited, it would have looked bad, she was the boys stepmother. If she went, it looked like she was being hypocritical, if she didn't, it looked like she was unkind.
I should not think she wanted to go, but whatever she did, was going to be criticised...
After all if Diana had been alive when William married, she woudl have had to see Camilla in a place of honour as Charles' present wife, at the wedding. I think that in another year or so, if there's another memoiral, its time to let the old stuff go....

 

[Osipi]

Any memorial service for the 20th anniversary has not been announced nor have there been any indications that there will be one in the planning stages so right now, any arguments about the possibility of the Duchess of Cornwall attending or not attending is kind of futile.

We should keep this thread for the topic of memorial services that have already been held up until a 20th anniversary memorial service is announced.

JMO of course.

 

[Denville]

No I dont think there will be one.. But really the Memorial service, I can harldy remember it, it was so long ago. From what I can remember, Charles did not seem desperately upset...

Above all if William and Harry invited Camilla then that should stop anyone else having a say in it. Never mind what we think others would have said or done, William and Harry's decisions must be respected in this regard

I shoudl imagine that they had to invite Camilla, in the name of Family unity. I think that it woudld have been better had she refused immeidatley, politely, pleaded another engagement or that she felt it was for them as Diana's sons. As it was, it looked like she had been forced to withdraw becauase of public pressure.

 

[Dman]

It's why I've been using the word (if). If there's anything planned and if it's a family event, I hope to see the family there. I hope something will be planned, because it would be nice to see the royals and Spencer's come together to remember Diana for the 20th Anniversay of her passing.

 

[Osipi]

The more I've thought about it, the more I'm inclined to think it would be best all the way around is that if there is to be a 20th anniversary memorial service, make it private for just family and friends of Diana. No media and nothing released to the public. That way, those that do attend can remember Diana in peace and not have the tabloids or the internet saturated with varying opinions.

 

[tommy100]

These services are also there for those to attend who loved and cared for the deceased person. Did Camilla do anything to show love and caring for Diana while she was alive? Not on your nelly! She made her life uncomfortable, sad and miserable, and she can stay away from any future memorials, IMO. William and Harry can do without her 'support'.

But my point would be if they ask her to attend you think she shouldn't? You think you know better than William and Harry??!? Maybe they would quite like Camilla to be there to put to rest any more drama about the whole Charles-Camilla-Diana thing. This is my point, why should what you want trump what Diana's sons' want?!?!

 

[Dman]

The more I've thought about it, the more I'm inclined to think it would be best all the way around is that if there is to be a 20th anniversary memorial service, make it private for just family and friends of Diana. No media and nothing released to the public. That way, those that do attend can remember Diana in peace and not have the tabloids or the internet saturated with varying opinions.

I think the public would want to be part of it.

 

[Countessmeout]

Honestly no matter how lovely she was, it is time to move on. She will have been gone for twenty years. No need for some public spectacle to celebrate. If her family and friends feel the need to have an event to celebrate her, let it be a private event for those who knew her.