When did your opinion of Diana change and why?

[sirhon11234]

I never believed that Diana used her children as pawns. He should follow his mother's example of charity work though. IMO I think William will be a great king, but he has more growing up to do.

[Skydragon]

Originally Posted by Chimene

Here are some interesting questions (to me anyway)? What are the psychological ramifications for William as leader? What impact did the war of whales really have on him and his ability to be a leader one day? I'm not sure if is is the right place for these questions, but mods please remove as you wish.

We can't tell what sort of King he might become, only time can answer that. We don't even know what sort of Officer he is, because he will only 'serve' for a short time. One can only hope that he will be a fair and balanced King, although not necessarily a leader in the true sense of the word.
Unfortunately, where the parents have argued and fought in private it can damage the child in many ways. William watched his mother take the fight to the media/public, a despicable act by any parent.

[georgiea]

Sunday Express: The World's Greatest Newspaper :: News / Showbiz :: Burrell promises Diana ‘bombshell’-

I wonder if he really will talk tomorrow.

[sirhon11234]

Honestly, Burrell just loves the attention.

[Chimene]

Originally Posted by Skydragon

William watched his mother take the fight to the media/public, a despicable act by any parent.

I'm sure she loved them in her own way, but it was more nature vs. nurture. Yes, you're right, I should have said King!

[ysbel]

Originally Posted by sirhon11234

Honestly, Burrell just loves the attention.

Maybe that's why he and Diana seemed like such kindred spirits for a short time?

I don't think there is anything wrong with wanting attention but it can cause people to do some pretty silly things sometimes.

[ysbel]

Originally Posted by Chimene

Here are some interesting questions (to me anyway)! What are the psychological ramifications for William as leader? What impact did the war of whales really have on him and his ability to lead one day? I'm not sure if is is the right place for these questions, but mods please remove as you wish.

I think that would be stretching the purpose of this thread but let me talk to the other mods and see if they think another thread on your proposed topic would be worthwhile.

After all that's how this thread got started.

[TheTruth]

Originally Posted by ysbel

Maybe that's why he and Diana seemed like such kindred spirits for a short time?

I don't think there is anything wrong with wanting attention but it can cause people to do some pretty silly things sometimes.

Very true ysbel. Burrell could use his notoriety to do good things like carrying on her legacy and work for the needy but instead he uses it to get himself on stage. Diana also wanted attention and like you said wisely ysbel, it depends what she made of this attention. She could do brilliant things like denouncing the landmines atrocities and promoting AIDS research. On the other hand, she could transform it into a weapon of mass destruction for any opponent of hers.

[zhontella]

Originally Posted by ysbel

I would disagree with Christopher Anderson's assessment.

Charles and his office have never had the skill of public relations and I don't think they could have pulled off such a coup.

That's true about Charles not having much PR skill -- plus he doesn't think he should have to do PR, or in other words, he resents having to be PC -- politically correct. Charles once said he doesn't mind taking unpopular positions because what is anyone going to do? Fire Him? So good for Charles, I admire him for that.

However, Operation PB under the cunning guidance of the Camilla / Bolland team was definitely a match for the dead Diana.

[zhontella]

Originally Posted by Jo of Palatine

Before we had heared that Diana used to phone Simmons for hours at night and suddenly, new phone number, no more interest, that was it. I think Diana through a behaviour like this, very regal indeed, had made herself quite some enemies .............................

Those weren't smooth moves on Diana's part. She also dropped James Hewitt suddenly and without explanation many years after they'd been together. But Diana did have good sources and maybe she had irrefutable evidence they betrayed her first. I know she believed Simmons was leaking stories to the press.

[Jo of Palatine]

Originally Posted by zhontella

That's true about Charles not having much PR skill -- plus he doesn't think he should have to do PR, or in other words, he resents having to be PC -- politically correct. Charles once said he doesn't mind taking unpopular positions because what is anyone going to do? Fire Him? So good for Charles, I admire him for that.

Well, that's what being king once was all about: to be the one to make the hard decisions and the one to force the others to follow him. A king deserted by his own people is a dead king, that was something quite some learned. I have no doubt Chalres knows all about being deserted and he will become a very good king because of this knowledge - let's call it "Common sense for kings"...

[Jo of Palatine]

I just read that on the inquest hearing's transcripts:

Rosa Monckton about Diana:
she said to me at the time was that this always seemed
5 to happen to her, that she got rejected by people when
6 she became very close to them. She felt that that had
7 happened in her relationship with her husband and with
8 him, and she could not understand the idea that she
9 could go out into the streets and people who did not
10 know her would love her and then, when people got to
11 know her, they did not love her. So she was very --
12 deeply, deeply upset and hurt.

So maybe she was on the right way after all - to finally figure out what went wrong between her and other people. I mean, once you realise there is a pattern there, that it's not just all against you for reasons they are responsible for or even guilty of, then it's quite possible to change. I feel now really sorry for her, honestly I do.

[TheTruth]

Originally Posted by Jo of Palatine

I just read that on the inquest hearing's transcripts:

Rosa Monckton about Diana:
she said to me at the time was that this always seemed
5 to happen to her, that she got rejected by people when
6 she became very close to them. She felt that that had
7 happened in her relationship with her husband and with
8 him, and she could not understand the idea that she
9 could go out into the streets and people who did not
10 know her would love her and then, when people got to
11 know her, they did not love her. So she was very --
12 deeply, deeply upset and hurt.

So maybe she was on the right way after all - to finally figure out what went wrong between her and other people. I mean, once you realise there is a pattern there, that it's not just all against you for reasons they are responsible for or even guilty of, then it's quite possible to change. I feel now really sorry for her, honestly I do.

Yes, that sounds terrible ... I've always wondered if someone truly loved her for who she was.

[ysbel]

Originally Posted by zhontella

That's true about Charles not having much PR skill -- plus he doesn't think he should have to do PR, or in other words, he resents having to be PC -- politically correct. Charles once said he doesn't mind taking unpopular positions because what is anyone going to do? Fire Him? So good for Charles, I admire him for that.

Well they could overthrow the monarchy but I think Charles' viewpoint was that the monarchy was to represent the ages and not the latest popular trend in public opinion. I don't mean Diana was a latest trend but Charles was adverse to 'as he said' making cosmetic changes to change his brand image as if he were 'a tube of toothpaste'. I never thought of the Prince of Wales as a tube of toothpaste but there you have it. That was his view of public relations and marketing.

Originally Posted by zhontella

However, Operation PB under the cunning guidance of the Camilla / Bolland team was definitely a match for the dead Diana.

I'm curious as to what you mean by this. I think Bolland's campaign was ultimately disastrous for Charles and I wasn't aware that Camilla was a part of it.

Can you explain more?

[Skydragon]

Originally Posted by Jo of Palatine

Rosa Monckton about Diana:
she said to me at the time was that this always seemed to happen to her, that she got rejected by people when she became very close to them. She felt that that had happened in her relationship with her husband and with him, and she could not understand the idea that she could go out into the streets and people who did not know her would love her and then, when people got to know her, they did not love her. So she was very -- deeply, deeply upset and hurt.

I think it more likely to have been said in an angry, reproachful way, rather than a genuine questioning way. Again the spoilt child reproachfully shouting when it doesn't get the expected part in a school play! I can charm strangers, I know I am fantastic etc, etc, never realising that it is that very attitude that makes them less than popular with the people who do get to know them.