I think that the late Duke and Duchess of Kent would perhaps fit the "celebrity" mold as well. They were a very glamorous couple, even though not much was known in public about their private lives. When I look at pictures of them, I'm struck by how much they both look like movie stars from the 30s.
National Portrait Gallery - Large Image NPG P870(10); Prince George, Duke of Kent and Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent
So Royal glamour and celebrity didn't start with Diana; but it certainly exploded with her because people found her fascinating. The press encouraged that fascination as well because she made money for them, and then she learned to use the press to her own advantage.
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Originally Posted by Grace Angel
I agree with you about Princess Margaret. Some members of the RF have over the years had qualities that lend themselves more to being regarded as a celebrity than others. So Diana did indeed follow in Princess Margaret's foot steps a bit in the sense she was regarded as a celebrity, although of course her being regarded as a celebrity became a much bigger thing than Princess Margaret's celebrity ever was. The Queen is much too traditional to ever be regarded as a celebrity, whereas Princess Margaret was more modern.
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