Diana's Legacy: What is left or what will be left?

[Dman]

I didn't degrade it to "practically nothing" but I am also not going to exaggerate it. If she had such a passion for helping others, why did she drastically cut back her appearances for charities in the last few years of her life?

The fact is that she lived a very comfortable existence and she gave very little of her own money to charity. She spent more time and money on vacations and shopping than she spent helping others. My husband and I have probably given a higher percentage of our income to charity than Diana ever did.

She brought a lot of publicity to great causes, and she enjoyed the experience of helping others as well as the adoration she received for doing so. There is nothing wrong with being a little selfish when doing charity work. Mother Teresa's motives weren't entirely unselfish: She did it with the expectation that she would be rewarded in heaven (and I think she is).

It is ridiculous to claim that Diana was completely unselfish and put herself at risk to help others. Her charitable work helped others while giving her the good publicity she craves and she was able to perform it without being truly inconvenienced.

One of the reasons that Diana is so fascinating is because she was living the fantasy for most people: she lived a comfortable life and helped others at the same time. I'd rather be Diana than Mother Teresa.

Of course she loved the praise, but she didn't live for it. People and her charities appreciated the attention she brought to many causes. Also, they adored her because she was a very popular senior royal. The royals and palace officials enjoy their popularity. Popularity have it's ups and downs, but it's one of the things that help the Monarchy stick around.

Members of the royal family give an undisclosed amount of money to many charities and other organizations. No one can say they give "very little" or "a great deal" because no one really knows. That's their private business.

Diana loved supporting her many patronages, but she couldn't be as active as she wanted to be with all of them. She cut back and focused on a select few that she could be hands on with. The organizations understood her position, but she just didn't turn a cold shoulder to them.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Yes, I believe this is true. There's no way of knowing.

Members of the royal family give an undisclosed amount of money to many charities and other organizations. No one can say they give "very little" or "a great deal" because no one really knows. That's their private business.

 

[royal rob]

I agree with what you say Dman nice to see your posts ?


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[anbrida]

But she led a very comfortable life and her charitable work required little sacrifice on her part and it gave her the publicity and public adoration she craved

If the reasons she did charity was merely to crave good publicity, she would not get on the boat with Dodi Fayed and asked paparazzo Jason Fraser to take intimate photoes of them at such an unfavorable moment -- when Kelly Fisher, Dodi's alleged girl friend, just came out to say she was Dodi's fiancee. Diana was committing a reputation suicide to get attention. For what? I really hope that she would have the chance to attend the Oslo Landmine conference, which commenced merely several days after her death, so that her degraders can shut up their mouths.

But you know what. I really have to thank the late Earl Spencer who had instilled such a strict discipline in her daughter -- writing thank you letters within 24 hours. She would write thank-you letters for even the smallest good deeds she received, e.g., she wrote one to the chauffeur who drove her around New York City. It turns out writing thank you notes is not only a good old art, but also a very piratical one. Basically, she didn't tell anyone why she did all she did in that summer. But from her last three thank-you letters on 11 Aug 1997, we can see what was the focus of her mind at that stage. They can defend her now when she is unable to. In some sense, this is a really inspirational story about thank-you letters.

...stiffened my resolve to ensure their (mine victims) needs for care and support are not overlooked in the search for an agreement to outlaw landmines

... ensure that they are not forgotten in the framework of negotiations for a ban on anti-personnel landmines

... hardened my resolve to ensure that the world does not forget that those who have been so needlessly maimed by these terrible weapons will need care and support for many years to come

Look at the time-line, when she wrote these letters, it was only 20 days before the Oslo landmine conference commenced, in which the final draft of the Mine Ban Treaty was negotiated. When she got on the boat with Dodi Fayed for the second time, it was only 10 days before the meeting. Then why she tried so hard to get attention at that moment? Even her enemies acknowledged the reason, on Aug 27 they demanded her to "keep quiet and don't seek so much publicity". I believe history would acknowledge the true reason also.

How much she had sacrificed to help the poor. For 18 years, people always say had she not died, her popularity would wind down quickly. That is the evidence of how much she had sacrificed.

 

[US Royal Watcher]

Yes, I believe this is true. There's no way of knowing.

I agree that we don't know for sure, but most estimates put her divorce settlement was between $23 and $28 million. A year after her divorce, her estate was valued at around $30 million. I believe that there was some inheritance from grandmother and father, and she had living expenses that last year.

My father's had an estate that didn't come close to the value of Diana's estate, yet he designated that some money go to his university. It wasn't much but his alma mater was very important to him.

So although we don't know for sure, no one can say that she did donate a large amount of money to charity.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Yes, exactly. It goes both ways.

So although we don't know for sure, no one can say that she did donate a large amount of money to charity.

 

[Mirabel]

Of course she loved the praise, but she didn't live for it.

I'm not so sure.

I really think that Diana bought into her own publicity, to an extent.

(I don't mean this in a negative way; it would be weird if she didn't, considering the adulation she received. But that is what I think happened.
That said, I do think Diana had good intentions, at least to begin with).

 

[Dman]

I agree that we don't know for sure, but most estimates put her divorce settlement was between $23 and $28 million. A year after her divorce, her estate was valued at around $30 million. I believe that there was some inheritance from grandmother and father, and she had living expenses that last year.

My father's had an estate that didn't come close to the value of Diana's estate, yet he designated that some money go to his university. It wasn't much but his alma mater was very important to him.

So although we don't know for sure, no one can say that she did donate a large amount of money to charity.

Anyone can donate money to charities, because it's good to support them in anyway you can. Getting involved, becoming the figurehead of the causes and help raise money and awareness for the charities is even more important. Diana and other royals have done just that.

The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry is now in charge of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund: "a grant-giving foundation established in September 1997 after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, to continue her humanitarian work in the United Kingdom and overseas."
Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I think it would be great if they re-established the Foundation and get involved with the grants. Recreated it a long the lines of the Princess Grace Foundation.

About the Fund | The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund

I'm not so sure.

I really think that Diana bought into her own publicity, to an extent.

(I don't mean this in a negative way; it would be weird if she didn't, considering the adulation she received. But that is what I think happened.
That said, I do think Diana had good intentions, at least to begin with).

Diana admitted that she was confused by all the attention that was focused on her, her wardrobe, hair and lifestyle early on. It was something she had to get used to. She then tried to use that enormous attention and media interest for her charities benefits. She traveled to Nepal, Washington, New York, Chicago, Bosnia, Africa, Angola, Calcutta and other places to help raise awareness for countless issues. Where she went, the media followed.

 

[anbrida]

Diana admitted that she was confused by all the attention that was focused on her, her wardrobe, hair and lifestyle early on. It was something she had to get used to. She then tried to use that enormous attention and media interest for her charities benefits. She traveled to Nepal, Washington, New York, Chicago, Bosnia, Africa, Angola, Calcutta and other places to help raise awareness for countless issues. Where she went, the media followed.

Yes, that was the way she saw where her contribution could be. She defined her role as messenger, and she knew the media would followed her every move. Of course, everyone likes praise. That is quite inhuman if one doesn't. But in some situation, we have to made choice between the benefit of ourselves and other people. A lot of people, for example those deminers who risk their lives to this dangerous job, would choose the later. Diana was just one of these million of people. Some of her choices in that last summer manifest, at least to me, reputation and fame were not her main goasl when she did those charity work. What was her goal? Paul Burrel's book said she treated life as a journey to develop the growth of one's soul. I agree with him at this point.

 

[Queen Camilla]

Diana was obsessed with her image.

She spent hours and hours each day going over the newspapers. Reviewing each and every pictures. If there was image that she didn't like or anything remotely negative she was petulant through out the day and rude to her staff.

Royals hand out photos of themselves, normally only having a photo taken once a year. Diana, however, would have her photo taken several times a year and it would entail a full photo session lasting all day.

Source her private secretary Jephson.

 

[Curryong]

Yes, and as a result, although she may no longer be here, we have many beautiful photographs of her, for which I for one am grateful!

 

[royal rob]

Yes, and as a result, although she may no longer be here, we have many beautiful photographs of her, for which I for one am grateful!

Yes so I'm I and she was truly loved by the people


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[anbrida]

Diana was obsessed with her image.

She spent hours and hours each day going over the newspapers. Reviewing each and every pictures. If there was image that she didn't like or anything remotely negative she was petulant through out the day and rude to her staff.

Royals hand out photos of themselves, normally only having a photo taken once a year. Diana, however, would have her photo taken several times a year and it would entail a full photo session lasting all day.

Source her private secretary Jephson.

If it is true, that is another manifestation of people's soul can grow so fast. I think the divorce had really free her from those silly PR competitions with Charles, namely "war of wales". It gave a chance for her to find her own path. I am quite sure in 1997, she was not burdened with her image too much any more.

FYI, her secretary Jephson left before the end of 1995.

 

[Queen Camilla]

Jepshon was there when she did most of her charity work.
Diana was obsessed with her image.

The incident he relays about her wanting to spend Christmas in India with Mother Theresa but Mother Theresa's American assistant did fall for Diana's scheme. She told Diana she could help the charity out by visiting its branch in the U.K.

Diana never bothered to contact the U.K. branch of Mother Theresa's charity because she was only interested in publicity for herself. She would have received greater publicity for herself, if she was photographed with Mother Theresa in India.

 

[Queen Camilla]

I agree that we don't know for sure, but most estimates put her divorce settlement was between $23 and $28 million. A year after her divorce, her estate was valued at around $30 million. I believe that there was some inheritance from grandmother and father, and she had living expenses that last year.

I read the opposite. Her estate was losing money.

Diana's will was dated June 2, 1993
She was worth less than £1,000,000.
This probably included anything she may have inherited from her father.

I believe her divorce settlement was around £17,000,000. The year she died the estate was worth £14,000,000.

She had lost £3,000,000 in one year.

She was hemorrhaging money which is why her executors changed the age in which William and Harry received the money from age 25 to 30.

 

[Dman]

Jepshon was there when she did most of her charity work.
Diana was obsessed with her image.

The incident he relays about her wanting to spend Christmas in India with Mother Theresa but Mother Theresa's American assistant did fall for Diana's scheme. She told Diana she could help the charity out by visiting its branch in the U.K.

Diana never bothered to contact the U.K. branch of Mother Theresa's charity because she was only interested in publicity for herself. She would have received greater publicity for herself, if she was photographed with Mother Theresa in India.

Diana wasn't obsessed with her own publicity. She had the publicity at her gate every single day. She understood the media wasn't going anywhere, HRH or not. She used them to her advantage to do shine some light on the charities she cared for. Homeless, cancer, aids, leprosy, ballet, landmines, etc.

Yes, good publicity is better than bad publicity, and it's what many people in public life want and to keep.

 

[anbrida]

Diana wasn't obsessed with her own publicity. She had the publicity at her gate every single day. She understood the media wasn't going anywhere, HRH or not. She used them to her advantage to do shine some light on the charities she cared for. Homeless, cancer, aids, leprosy, ballet, landmines, etc.

Yes, good publicity is better than bad publicity, and it's what many people in public life want and to keep.

When we exam that part of history (1992-1995), we have to kept in mind that, Diana was from a family where her mother lost all her children's custody to her aristocrat husband. When Diana herself was on the verge of a divorce, of course she would be very wary (maybe even scared), because her husband was the most powerful aristocrat of the country. And public support was her own weapon to protect herself from her husband's family. I won't criticize her for craving public support. Who won't. That was the main reason of the "war of wales", I think.

However, after the divorce, without the HRH title, without the worry of custody thing, she actually became more devoted to the charity work. Even though she was losing her wealth quickly, as claimed by Queen Camilla, she still used her own money to pay several children from poor countries to do heart transplant surgery in England.

 

[Queen Camilla]

Frances did not lose custody of her children. She had visitation rights. John Spencer was awarded primary custody because Frances cheated.

It is a myth that Diana was concerned about losing her children. Even before the separation, she was complaining that W&H preferred being with Charles.

 

[royal rob]

Frances did not lose custody of her children. She had visitation rights. John Spencer was awarded primary custody because Frances cheated.

It is a myth that Diana was concerned about losing her children. Even before the separation, she was complaining that W&H preferred being with Charles.

How could you know what Diana was concerned or not concerned about or how she felt its your opinion only


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[JerseyLily]

Regardless of what the late Princess's estate is now worth and whether or not she was image obsessed, her sons will be well looked after. Both financially and emotionally I think. Prince Charles really came into his own as a father after his ex-wife's untimely death. Both princes strike me as decent young men and more of their upbringing has occurred after Diana's death. The media circus around the family was curbed considerably after she died, and that could only have been a good thing.

 

[anbrida]

Regardless of what the late Princess's estate is now worth and whether or not she was image obsessed, her sons will be well looked after. Both financially and emotionally I think. Prince Charles really came into his own as a father after his ex-wife's untimely death. Both princes strike me as decent young men and more of their upbringing has occurred after Diana's death. The media circus around the family was curbed considerably after she died, and that could only have been a good thing.

Sure Charles should be apprciated for his good job. I am sure Diana would be very grateful to him too. Although it seems to me there are still some emontional issues, especially prince william, overall they are a healthy family, not worse than an ordinary one.

 

[anbrida]

But you allege that her two photo ops on the landmine ban campaign is proof that Diana should be considered an example for all of us.

First of all, I think we need to get the history correct before starting a debate. Her anti-landmine campaign was definitely more than two photo ops.

During her trip to Angola from Jan 12-17 1997, she once said "you have to talk to the people at the top to help the people at the other end". This is not an empty words, it had specific meaning. On Jan 6, Diana asks Maggie Rae to fix a meeting between her and Tony blair (source the hearing), and once she came back from Angola, on Jan 21, Diana had a secret meeting iwth Tony Blair and his team. In the hearing, Simone Simmons testified that the purpose Diana wanted this meeting was to talk about landmine. And Maggie Rae who was also presented confirmed there was talk about mine. After the dinner meeting, Diana and Tony Blair kept in touch and meet from time to time.

On May 2, Labor wins a landslide General Election Victory. Tony Blair Became the Prime Minister. Then immediately on May 21, Tony Blair said to the Parliament:

I can tell my honorable friend that the government will announce later today that we will ban the import, export, transfer and manufacture of anti-personnel mines. We shall also phase out the United Kingdom stocks of anti-personnel landmines and ban the trade through the United Kingdom of such landmines. They have caused enormous carnage, often to wholly innocent civilians including children. The sooner that Britain gives a lead in this, the better. It is the right and civilised thing to do

On June 24-27, A conference is held in Brussels, Belgium to review an early draft of the Mine Ban Treaty. There was not one word on victim assistance in the first draft of the treaty. It was time to line up who would support which issues for inclusion in the final treaty.

July 6, Diana met Tony Blair at Chequers. Diana also sents him several letters over the summer. In his 2010 memoirs, "A Journey: My Political Life", Tony Blair dedicates a chapter to Diana. However no single word of "landmine" is mentioned there. But in 1998, on the first anniversary of Diana's death, Blair said:

"Her visit (Angola and Bosnia) did an enormous amount to focus international attention on the issue of anti-personnel landmines. I am sure everyone admired enormously her achievements and her compassion for the victims"

In 1997, Tony Blair was Diana's ally on the landmine issue. And Diana was an enthusiastic supporter to put language of rehanlibitating victims in the Mine Ban Treaty. It was hard to imagine she would not lobby Tony Blair to support her appeal. Based on the timeline, I think that was the main purpose of the meeting on July 6, and the following letters she sent him. I hope one day, Tony Blair would disclose the content of the letters to the public.

June 12, she gave a speech on Landmine.

June 17-18, she went to USA to help to raise 1 million dollars for mine victims, and also give two speeches on landmine there.

In Aug, she was planning to help to make a movie about protecting elephant from culling and poking. But Diana wanted to make the minefield as the major filming scene.

"Maybe it could be a whole minefield. That would be a perfect way to draw attention to the terrible evil of those awful weapons. After what I have seen there is nothing more wicked than land mines" -- Diana to Gordon Brown, the script writer of the movie.

Not to mention on the last day, Aug 30, the charity for mine victims which Mr Al Fayed Senior had agreed to finance. I don't think people would simply believed Mr Al Fayed Senior would be so angel to finance such a charity for free. Actually he was not, otherwise, after Diana died, if he was such an angel he would continue to set up this charity himself. If Mr Al Fayed Senior had "agreed to" finance this charity, what Diana had "agreed to" in return. Look at the things happened on that day -- the telephone talk with Paul Burrell, Dodi's conversation with other people, tour in the Windsor Villa, the "tell-me-yes" ring -- I don't think I need to be too explicit about what she had "agreed to" in return.


So you see, Diana's involvement was much deeper than two photo "ops".

 

[US Royal Watcher]

I can't agree with very much in your post. First of all, regardless of your perceptions, Diana was a latecomer to the anti-landmine campaign. By January 1997, when Diana got involved, the anti-landmine campaign was mature. Belgium passed anti-landmine legislation in 1995 and Canada scheduled talks for the Ottawa Treaty in 1996. The UK Labor Party, headed by Tony Blair, supported the ban on landmines in September 1996--well before Diana's involvement in January of 1997. (BBC News | Landmines | What is Britain's landmine policy? The UK signed an EU Joint Action supporting a comprehensive global ban on antipersonnel mines in October of 1996.


The concept of including victim assistance language wasn't particularly controversial. Common sense would tell you that no one involved in drafting the anti-landmine treaty was opposed to assisting victims--the drafters were involved because they against the use of landmines because landmines hurt people.


The problem is that drafting international treaties is very complicated because each country has its own laws and customs. Drafters of an agreement like this will try and avoid provisions that would violate an individual country's constitution or other laws and regulations. For example, it may be illegal for a particular country to sign a treaty that imposes financial obligations.


It was also a matter of not wanting to distract from the main issue. The best way to help people is to prevent them from being injured in the first place. The purpose of the treaty was to ban the use of landmines. There were (and are) all sorts of relief agencies that are helping victims of landmines and other catastrophic events. Nothing in the original draft would have prevented anyone from providing assistance to landmine victims.


Personally, I wasn't opposed to including the language, but I didn't think that it would make any difference one way or another. Perhaps you can explain exactly what changed as the result of including the victims' assistance clause?

 

[COUNTESS]

Diana was obsessed with her image.

She spent hours and hours each day going over the newspapers. Reviewing each and every pictures. If there was image that she didn't like or anything remotely negative she was petulant through out the day and rude to her staff.

Royals hand out photos of themselves, normally only having a photo taken once a year. Diana, however, would have her photo taken several times a year and it would entail a full photo session lasting all day.

Source her private secretary Jephson.

She never had to be obsessed with her image, as the world was. There are literally thousands of pictures of her and most were quite sought after. And how do you know that after all those pictures, she cared about each and everyone of them. I doubt that. But as you, obviously, don't like who she was, which is your right, she is still popular here in the States and in other places in Europe and England, too. Most royals hand out photos and no one cares. Magazines are not overwhelmed by getting a photo of Charles or Camilla. But Kate on the other hand......She is long dead and yet you have found it important to write something trivial and negative.

 

[Iluvbertie]

It was reported while Diana was alive that she would check the photos in the press of her daily and would get upset if one was less than flattering. Not trivial or negative but true and shows a side of her that is narcissistic.

 

[AfricanAUSSIE]

It was reported while Diana was alive that she would check the photos in the press of her daily and would get upset if one was less than flattering. Not trivial or negative but true and shows a side of her that is narcissistic.

Oh, no wonder she threw herself down a set of stairs!!

Sorry, I don't really mean that.

 

[Dman]

It was reported while Diana was alive that she would check the photos in the press of her daily and would get upset if one was less than flattering. Not trivial or negative but true and shows a side of her that is narcissistic.

No one like unflattering pictures of themselves. It's one of the reasons why many royals that's in her same position today, dress to impress when out and about on official engagements. Diana wasn't obsessed with her looks, but always tried to put her best face forward. It didn't always work though.

 

[Queen Camilla]

She never had to be obsessed with her image, as the world was. There are literally thousands of pictures of her and most were quite sought after. And how do you know that after all those pictures, she cared about each and everyone of them. I doubt that. But as you, obviously, don't like who she was, which is your right, she is still popular here in the States and in other places in Europe and England, too. Most royals hand out photos and no one cares. Magazines are not overwhelmed by getting a photo of Charles or Camilla. But Kate on the other hand......She is long dead and yet you have found it important to write something trivial and negative.

I was responding to a post.
Just because Diana is dead does not excuse her bad behavior toward her staff.

Diana's private secretary made the observation of of Diana's behavior.
She spent hours and hours each day going over the newspapers. Reviewing each and every picture.
If there was image that she didn't like or anything remotely negative she was petulant through out the day and rude to her staff.

The newspapers did not publish thousands of photos each day of Diana.

 

[anbrida]

I was responding to a post.
Just because Diana is dead does not excuse her bad behavior toward her staff.

Diana's private secretary made the observation of of Diana's behavior.
She spent hours and hours each day going over the newspapers. Reviewing each and every picture.
If there was image that she didn't like or anything remotely negative she was petulant through out the day and rude to her staff.

The newspapers did not publish thousands of photos each day of Diana.

So the newspapers did not publish thousands of photos of Diana each day, then how come she had to spend hours and hours each day to go over her photos. Such a blunt lie, and you can not tell.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

No, not thousands but the meaning was clear: apparently the late Diana was obsessed with how she was portrayed in media (articles and pictures) and a negative comment or a poor picture could destroy her good feeling for the day. That sounds plausible and very recognizable. How often do we not hear from an actor, a sportsman, an author, a politician that out of the dozens of positive reviews, only the negative one sticks in their mind?



I can imagine that the late Diana, despite reading many positive reviews, "completely went from her à propos" (as we say in France) when she was confronted with negative comments or unflattering photos. This easily can result in an obsession.