When did your opinion of Diana change and why?

[georgiea]

Originally Posted by jcbcode99

I think Skydragon makes a very excellent, valid point that suggests to me that Diana was not mentally ill/unstable. If it were the case that Diana was taking sleeping pills for five years, then I think it is highly likely, especially with the amount of public engagements she had, that would have taken stimulants as well. Sometimes, those things can make you a bit loopy and a little foggy--also, taking medications daily for years does have side effects.

I read that Princess Diana for the first ten years of her life did not sleep through the night, so I don't think she took sleeping pills or stimulants. She did not drink and would not take medications the the shrinks were going to prescribe, so I really don't think she took a sleeping aid.

Originally Posted by jcbcode99

I know that we're all suggesting that perhaps Diana had a mental illness or was mentally unstable--but I just don't buy it. The only problem we know of was her eating disorder and we can look at her family and see some problems--but not her immediate family. Her sisters seem quite normal and her brother seems a lot like Diana, in my opinioin.

Princess Diana's mother in her later life was an alcoholic and her oldest sister Sarah had anorexia when she was dating Prince Charles. Plus her uncle commiting suicide, so as you can see her family had a history of mental illness. Alcoholics are very depressed individuals that can sometimes be manic depressive and eating disorders are mental illness that need a lot of counseling and I believe medication.

Because of the inquest I have been thinking a lot about Princess Diana lately. I truly believe she was never loved by Prince Charles, mentally ill, spoil and very Spencer/Femory in temperment that brought about a very unhappy life. I don't think Princess Diana was just a vindictive and spoil individual as some people think of her.

[sirhon11234]

georgia

I don't think Princess Diana was just a vindictive and spoil individual as some people think of her

I also don't believe that the Princess was just a vindictive and spoiled individual. She was a kind, caring and giving woman.

[ysbel]

Post partum depression makes three conditions Diana had.

She used the blue eyeliner when she first got engaged because she was still used to doing her own makeup and all the girls in the early 80s wore blue eyeliner.

[TheTruth]

Originally Posted by georgiea

I read that Princess Diana for the first ten years of her life did not sleep through the night, so I don't think she took sleeping pills or stimulants. She did not drink and would not take medications the the shrinks were going to prescribe, so I really don't think she took a sleeping aid...

Well "spoil" is too much for me. She was a quick-tempered child and she still kept this attitude in her married life and that wasn't a good thing but "spoil", I don't think so either. Her parents accepted everything for her but because they just wanted peace. If she was spoiled, then it's not her to blame. I'm not saying they were not good parents but it seems that they cared more about themselves than their kids education ; just look how they fought to have the childminder !

[TheTruth]

Originally Posted by ysbel

Post partum depression makes three conditions Diana had.

She used the blue eyeliner when she first got engaged because she was still used to doing her own makeup and all the girls in the early 80s wore blue eyeliner.

Thanks ysbel . I agree that makeup can be significant of her mental state. Her way of dressing was rarely designed without a message or an idea to show.

[ysbel]

Originally Posted by georgiea

If Princess Diana sounded cold and calculating, could it be because she rehearsed her lines? I read in various books on Diana that the questions were given to her before hand. Being all over the place in speech is not cold and calculating, but very confused individual.

I don't think she was all over the place; she seemed very calmed and very composed. The reason she seemed calculating were the lines she decided to rehearse. In response to her marriage she said coolly, Well there were three in this marriage so it was a bit crowded when she knew that wasn't the total truth but it would be memorable enough that people would forget that it wasn't the truth.

I also don't agree with the other member who said Diana was undisciplined. When she wanted something she could be incredibly disciplined. Collaborating with Bashir on the interview, writing and rehearsing and keeping it a secret from all of her closest friends over several weeks and the ability to perform her rehearsed lines all on cue speaks of an incredible discipline and determination to follow through with the interview's purpose. It is too bad that all Diana's charisma, intelligence, and self-determination were bent towards damaging the 'enemy' as she called them (the royal family) and Diana succeeded marvelously in damaging the enemy as I knew she could do if she put her mind to it. The tragedy again was what she chose to put her mind to.

That action and some others are the reason that people call Diana vindictive. She may not have been vindictive to everybody every single time but she was vindictive to enough people often enough that vindictive is a fair and just adjective to use to describe Diana.

[ysbel]

Originally Posted by TheTruth

Well "spoil" is too much for me. She was a quick-tempered child and she still kept this attitude in her married life and that wasn't a good thing but "spoil", I don't think so either. Her parents accepted everything for her but because they just wanted peace. If she was spoiled, then it's not her to blame. I'm not saying they were not good parents but it seems that they cared more about themselves than their kids education ; just look how they fought to have the childminder !

I think when Diana was a child then being spoiled would be her parents fault. But once she became an adult the she bore the responsibility of whether she wanted to continue the spoiled behavior. That goes for Charles too.

[ysbel]

Originally Posted by TheTruth

Thanks ysbel . I agree that makeup can be significant of her mental state. Her way of dressing was rarely designed without a message or an idea to show.

Well I think the message of the blue eyeliner was that Diana wanted to look like all the other 80s girls. But what I think she meant was the black eyeliner that Diana used for the Panorama interview. It looked very dramatic and made her look sadder. I think that was on purpose.

[zhontella]

Originally Posted by georgiea

Plus her uncle commiting suicide, so as you can see her family had a history of mental illness.

Which uncle is this? Her mother's or dad's brother? I know Diana had a step-brother that committed suicide supposedly, but I never heard about any uncle.

[diamondBrg]

WHY do people everywhere think that they had a RIGHT to EXPECT the marriage of Charles and Diana to work out? WHY did they expect the ROMANCE OF A CENTURY out of it?

Even during the courtship phase, Charles was openly IN LOVE with Camilla and Diana was IN LOVE with being the Princess of Wales and someday QUEEN. Is there really any dispute about this?

I will never be convinced that there were not private understandings that Charles would continue to see and sleep with Camilla, that Diana would get the Royal life and status she so craved and everyone would SHUT UP and not cause a stink about it. Problem is, those agreements were not kept.

Diana produced the heir and the spare, that was her function. She was paid in excess of 17 MILLION GBP for her job performance, in the divorce and she kept the Princess of Wales title.

People's dream bubble got busted, WAHHH, time to get over it.

[TheTruth]

Originally Posted by zhontella

Which uncle is this? Her mother's or dad's brother? I know Diana had a step-brother that committed suicide supposedly, but I never heard about any uncle.

Yes, but this step-brother, Adam Shand Kydd, died in 2004. So it couldn't be put as a factor of mental illness and so on. Adam Shand Kydd - Telegraph

I don't know the name of that uncle ... Maybe someone can help us there ?

[TheTruth]

Originally Posted by diamondBrg

WHY do people everywhere think that they had a RIGHT to EXPECT the marriage of Charles and Diana to work out? WHY did they expect the ROMANCE OF A CENTURY out of it?
Even during the courtship phase, Charles was openly IN LOVE with Camilla and Diana was IN LOVE with being the Princess of Wales and someday QUEEN. Is there really any dispute about this?t.

(my bolding)

As I admire your frankness, aren't you a little simplistic here ? Diana had thought about being Queen one day of course but are you saying that she only married Charles for that ?! Honestly, who would at 20 years old marry only for position. I don't believe it, sorry.

[diamondBrg]

Originally Posted by TheTruth

(my bolding)

As I admire your frankness, aren't you a little simplistic here ? Diana had thought about being Queen one day of course but are you saying that she only married Charles for that ?! Honestly, who would at 20 years old marry only for position. I don't believe it, sorry.

The night before the wedding, at the Queen Mother's residence, it has been written repeatedly that she rode around all over the house on a tricycle reciting "I am going to be Queen" repeatedly. I think the thought had crossed her mind.

[Elspeth]

Originally Posted by zhontella

Which uncle is this? Her mother's or dad's brother? I know Diana had a step-brother that committed suicide supposedly, but I never heard about any uncle.

It was her mother's brother, Lord Fermoy. The same chap who, during Diana and Charles's courtship, took it upon himself to inform the press that Diana had never had a lover.