When did your opinion of Diana change and why?

[diamondBrg]

Originally Posted by sirhon11234

But if she really wanted to be Queen, why would she jepordize her future title by doing an interview and having an author write a book about her life?

There is purely speculation on my part, but I think by that point she KNEW that there would be a divorce, I think she wanted one as badly as Charles at that point. I also think that her anger, resentment and rage at Prince Charles for loving and being in love with someone else overshadowed her common sense. I think she forgot the institution she was dealing with. I think she overestimated her own power and pull at that point. She appeared to be under the illusion that she could take the Monarchy on and WIN?????? Incredibly stupid, in my opinion.

I also think she was positioning herself for the best possible divorce settlement as well.

[diamondBrg]

Originally Posted by Liz

I'm sorry but that tricycle story sounds ridiculous. I'm not sure I believe that's true.

That was my first response as well, but Diana DID act like a child throughout her marriage and make very childish and irresponsible choices, even after she had sons to consider.

[TheTruth]

Originally Posted by Skydragon

Even some psychiatrists believe that Bulimia is an attention seeking illness and apart from Diana telling us she was Bulimic, is there a medical report that confirms this? Again with the self mutilation, I don't recall Diana ever being seen with plasters or bandages on.

Okay for the self-destruction but for the bulimia or anorexia there are many pictures that can confirm it as well as many people close to her. For the self mutilation, I agee that there are not hard proof.

It seems that some of you believe that she was all bad and evil. She didn't kill anyone, did she ?

[Liz]

Originally Posted by TheTruth

It seems that some of you believe that she was all bad and evil.

Indeed, this is my impression as well. I'm getting the impression that some on this forum think the woman was downright evil and a horrible person.

[diamondBrg]

Originally Posted by Liz

Indeed, this is my impression as well. I'm getting the impression that some on this forum think the woman was downright evil and a horrible person.

I don't think she was evil and a horrible person at all. I think she was one of the most damaged human beings I have ever encountered in my entire life. I don't think the woman stood a chance from the day she was born. I think life conspired against her every step of the way.

With that being said, I don't think she was emotionally and mentally stable enough for any kind of adult romantic relationships, much less a marriage, much less a Royal marriage and all that entails.

She was significantly mentally ill and remained so throughout her life. I just hope that didn't get passed down to William and Harry.

[georgiea]

Originally Posted by TheTruth

Okay for the self-destruction but for the bulimia or anorexia there are many pictures that can confirm it as well as many people close to her. For the self mutilation, I agee that there are not hard proof.

TheTruth I totally agree with your above statement. I do believe the self mutilation was done on one of the long royal vacation, so we really would never have seen Princess Diana in bandages.

Originally Posted by TheTruth

It seems that some of you believe that she was all bad and evil. She didn't kill anyone, did she ?

I agree with TheTruth that some on this thread think she was all bad and evil.

Princess Diana's tragic, short life was mostly hell because of real and imagined situations. I really admired the her humanitarian abilities and the love she gave her children. My opinion of Princess Diana has just grown in the last few weeks from being on this TRF and I think all the troubles in her life shows that she was human and did the best that she could with the sorry situation and with all the problems that she had.

[georgiea]

Originally Posted by diamondBrg

I don't think she was evil and a horrible person at all. I think she was one of the most damaged human beings I have ever encountered in my entire life. I don't think the woman stood a chance from the day she was born. I think life conspired against her every step of the way.

With that being said, I don't think she was emotionally and mentally stable enough for any kind of adult romantic relationships, much less a marriage, much less a Royal marriage and all that entails.

She was significantly mentally ill and remained so throughout her life. I just hope that didn't get passed down to William and Harry.

Totally agree with the above statements of diamondBrg.

[Liz]

Hi Diamond:

I agree with your analysis of Diana. She was a very emotionally messed up person and not very nice at times. Despite all her faults, I guess I will always have a soft spot for her. It is sad to read all the tales of her pettiness and irrational behavior. I don't like to think of her as mentally ill, just someone with a lot of emotional problems. Maybe there really isn't a difference, I don't know. Her marriage with Charles did not stand a chance because of her problems. The whole thing is sad to me.

[Alison20]

Many people have written on this thread that they were 'pleased' to find that Diana was 'human' with failings like the rest of us.

This would pre-suppose that they thought she did not have any human failings - a myth put about by the media.

She was a young girl, not very bright - or at least not very academic - who came from a broken home. Rightly or wrongly, she had been chosen by 'the Establishment' as a suitable bride for the Prince of Wales, based on the old-fashioned principles that she had no romantic or sexual history, came from a noble family and was pretty. The fact that she was much younger than Prince Charles, was very naive, and did not share many of his views and ideals did not seem to matter. She was to look lovely, provide heirs, and support Prince Charles. She did the first two but not the third. The power she found she wielded because of the media-exploited Diana-mania went to her head and unfortunately she began to be manipulative.

I think neither Charles or Diana went into the marriage with anything other than the best intentions and hopes. But Charles did not love her - he married her for reasons of duty. If he had been less conscientious in his duties as heir to the throne, he might have said no to the Establishment. Perhaps he might have if Camilla had not married, knowing that she would never be acceptable to the Court. Perhaps he might have done what Harald of Norway did with Sonia. But he bowed to pressure.

I am sure Diana went into the marriage on a cloud of bliss - thinking of 'happy ever afterwards'. I don't think that anyone had explained the situation to her, that it was an arranged marriage. If they had, she might have decided it was not for her - or at least she would have been prepared. As it was, it all ended in disaster for both of them. He was not evil and unfeeling, but she felt betrayed and hit back like a manipulative child.

Times have changed now - many other Royal Families have come to realise that a good loving relationship that stands the test of time and royal pressures is what is important. I think that the fact that Prince William has been going out for so long with Kate Middleton, a middle class girl with no aristocratic connections, shows that the Court has learnt a lesson from his parents' disastrous marriage.

[Roslyn]

Would all those who think Diana was "all bad and evil" please identify yourselves, for I am unable to identify you from what you've said here.

I don't think Diana was all bad or evil.

[jcbcode99]

Originally Posted by jcbcode99

I think that Diana's problems all stem from a lack of discipline in her childhood that deluded her into thinking she should always get her way. .......

look at that ghastly blue eyeliner she always wore--insecure people make some bad choices

Well, several posters have alluded to a comment I made about Diana being undisciplined, but did not read the entire comment. I was remarking on Diana's undisciplined childhood and how it helped to shape the person she would become--and I do not think that Diana was evil and horrible; I do think she had a bad childhood and that a lack of discipline regarding temper tantrums and bad behavior turned her into a spoiled child, and then before she had a real chance to grow up and be on her own she married the Prince of Wales, and naturally she would get her way the vast majority of the time. And yes, I blame the parents. I have worked in the public school systems instructing teachers on how to use behavior management with children to help produce disciplined, well behaved children who understand that good or bad behavior is a choice, and that begins at home. Often, a child's behavior will get worse before it gets better and often, parents just give in.

Diana's work for charities and organizations was tireless in many ways, and I do not doubt that her office was undisciplined; I also do not doubt that she turned into a disciplined person regarding her work--but I think that her behavior up until the divorce speaks for itself.

Regarding the eyeliner, I can remember in the early 90's seeing photos of her and wishing she would stop wearing that blue eyeliner--but on one of those Diana shows that they air sometimes where they interview people who knew her, one lady spoke about how she often tried to get Diana to not wear the blue eyeliner, but Diana always went back to it. It was her signature look for years--

[jcbcode99]

Originally Posted by Alison20

She was a young girl, not very bright - or at least not very academic

Well, it is true she did not have a lot of "O" levels and did not go on in any type of advanced studies after finishing school, but I do think she was a bright girl; naive, yes--but she did manage to marry the Prince of Wales--not an easy accomplishment to make! SHe also loved ballet and swimming sports, but some people are just not academic. That was one of the problems in the marriage--Charles was very well educated and she was not--I'm sure that it caused a little bit of distance between the two of them.

[diamondBrg]

Well I do have something VERY POSITIVE to say about Diana and that is her FINANCIAL SKILLS.

She received 17 1/2 Million GBP in a divorce settlement. She left both William and Harry a little over 13 Million GBP in her will. That means in just a couple of years, she increased her holds by approximately 9 Million GBP and that is not including what she actually spent herself.

Not bad at all.

[jcbcode99]

That is true--she left them each the same amount of money, and a lot of bequests to god-children and a large amount of money to Burrell (we see how he turned out)--her estate was valued at around 35 million GBP before taxes. She did manage her money quite well--

[Incas]

Originally Posted by jcbcode99

That is true--she left them each the same amount of money, and a lot of bequests to god-children and a large amount of money to Burrell (we see how he turned out)--her estate was valued at around 35 million GBP before taxes. She did manage her money quite well--

Actually, her bequests to god-children was not in the official will but a codicile. Those bequests were later completely ignored by the executors of the estate, her sister Sarah and her mother. Instead of one quarter of her estate to be split between the god-children, each were given one piece of home furnishing, such as china tea cups or paintings. It lead to a lot of resentment by the parents of the god-children. Burrell was never mentioned in her will either. It was Sarah's decision to give him about 50,000 GBP from the estate.

But this is completely sidetracking from the thread.

[jcbcode99]

You mean to say that Diana's codicial to her will, written by her, was ignored by her family? That is just wrong and it really surprises me, to be quite honest. I looked it up and apparently there was some bitterness, but like you said, this is completely sidetracking from this thread--
but how awful! I would hate to think I took all that time and trouble to create a will and then my wishes were ignored. Goodness.....even in death, her family made her wishesout to be unimportant--thjat kind of harkens back to the discussion about her family--