When did your opinion of Diana change and why?

[jcbcode99]

Originally Posted by Jo of Palatine

The wine glass is not true, is it?

Jo, I hate to have be the one to tell you, but yes, the wine glass tribute is for real. Apparently, the wine glass is still smudged with lipstick from the mouth of Diana herself and there is a ring--HIDEOUS--there as well.

http://www.carmay.com/images/00_00015.jpg
closeup of the ring itself: July, 2001 Visit to Diana and Dodi Memorial at Harrod's

We had fun discussing it in the Worst Royal Jewels thread--the first one -- around page 27.

[ToytownZara]

Originally Posted by jcbcode99

Welcome ToytownZara--I enjoyed your post; it made me both laugh and think. I look forward to more from you!

Just saw your pics, and had to edit my post---
Dodi as the man's son is one thing, but honestly, does anyone, regardless of what "camp" you're in, believe this is how Diana wanted to be remembered? I mean, really, has anyone from her family even been to see these "tributes"?? I would be so offended if she had been my sister or mother after seeing something like this. What Al-Fayed is doing is trying to immortilize her and Dodi being together forever--poor Williams and Harry. I can only imagine how this makes them feel.

Oh, heck no! I guess I didn't make myself too clear. No - I agree with you. TAT of the highest order - overdone - completely bad taste - and as I said, if he wanted to memorialize his son, great - but leave Diana out of it where Dodi's concerned.

I was thinking about that while I posted the pics - I mean, wouldn't she really rather have a statue of her with her boys, or something? THAT would have been a nice touch, I think - and I wouldn't find it as ICK and in-your-face as the whole Diana-Dodi thing. Even if it were in the lobby of Harrods.

As it is, it's creepy, and must've given Charles and the boys fits at first. I hope they don't think about it. Maybe if they'd really been engaged it would be different - but even then, there's something bizarre about it. (I don't think Diana had any intention of marrying Dodi - but then again, would we really have been surprised?)

Al-Fayed has just done what he's been doing - engineering the truth.

[ToytownZara]

Originally Posted by jcbcode99

Jo, I hate to have be the one to tell you, but yes, the wine glass tribute is for real. Apparently, the wine glass is still smudged with lipstick from the mouth of Diana herself and there is a ring--HIDEOUS--there as well.

http://www.carmay.com/images/00_00015.jpg
closeup of the ring itself: July, 2001 Visit to Diana and Dodi Memorial at Harrod's

We had fun discussing it in the Worst Royal Jewels thread--the first one -- around page 27.

I thought there were lipstick smudges on the glass, but I couldn't quite remember. And as for the ring, isn't there something about the nouveau riche (which I would definitely say the Fayeds are a part of - they can hardly be called 'old money') and taste? Because that thing is tacky. When I saw it, I immediately thought of the massive CZ rings you see at the jewelry counter at someplace like JC Penney in the US or at John Lewis in the UK!

[jcbcode99]

Originally Posted by ToytownZara

Oh, heck no! I guess I didn't make myself too clear. No - I agree with you. TAT of the highest order - overdone - completely bad taste - and as I said, if he wanted to memorialize his son, great - but leave Diana out of it where Dodi's concerned.

I was thinking about that while I posted the pics - I mean, wouldn't she really rather have a statue of her with her boys, or something? THAT would have been a nice touch, I think - and I wouldn't find it as ICK and in-your-face as the whole Diana-Dodi thing. Even if it were in the lobby of Harrods.

As it is, it's creepy, and must've given Charles and the boys fits at first. I hope they don't think about it. Maybe if they'd really been engaged it would be different - but even then, there's something bizarre about it. (I don't think Diana had any intention of marrying Dodi - but then again, would we really have been surprised?)

Al-Fayed has just done what he's been doing - engineering the truth.

Oh no, I knew you thought it was tacky! I was just rambling....its something I tend to do from time to time there
I have to agree with you about the ring--it is hideous--one member in the Worst Royal Jewels thread likened it to a Superbowl Ring--and I agree with the comparison---it is ugly. I also agree with you--it looks cheap and nothing at all like what Diana would have worn. I remember shortly before she died she was wearing that whole Swan Lake necklace--very elegant, very attractive, very classic--and I can't see how in the world Dodi would have thought she would like that ring. It is just ugly.

ToyTownZara--you really need to go hop on the Worst Royal Jewels thread--there are a lot of pages, but I promise you will enjoy each and every post. We have a hoot on there . Check it out!

[Roslyn]

Originally Posted by jcbcode99

What Al-Fayed is doing is trying to immortilize her and Dodi being together forever--poor Williams and Harry. I can only imagine how this makes them feel.

Well I'll certainly bet it keeps them out of Harrods.

Thank you for posting those pics, ToytownZara, and welcome.

[tinkerbell1948]

Originally Posted by jcbcode99

Oh no, I knew you thought it was tacky! I was just rambling....its something I tend to do from time to time there
I have to agree with you about the ring--it is hideous--one member in the Worst Royal Jewels thread likened it to a Superbowl Ring--and I agree with the comparison---it is ugly. I also agree with you--it looks cheap and nothing at all like what Diana would have worn. I remember shortly before she died she was wearing that whole Swan Lake necklace--very elegant, very attractive, very classic--and I can't see how in the world Dodi would have thought she would like that ring. It is just ugly.

ToyTownZara--you really need to go hop on the Worst Royal Jewels thread--there are a lot of pages, but I promise you will enjoy each and every post. We have a hoot on there . Check it out!

Do you have a link for the Worst Jewels thread? Have been searching for it with no luck

[normalil]

Yes it is all so tacky, sad too, because Mohammed lost his son. Two boys lost their mother.
Saint Diana immortalised at Harrods! IMO she would have loved it. She thrived on glamour and publicity.
I bet Charles and their sons are outraged. If Diana got a memorial like this, she asked for it. She lived and died in the fast lane.

[sirhon11234]

If Diana got a memorial like this, she asked for it.

Thats kind of outlandish but it is your opinion.

[COUNTESS]

So, whatever some nut does after you die, is what you asked for. It always amazes me, that God forgives, but mere mortals stand in judgement. That is the real tacky thing.

[jcbcode99]

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f20/
this link will take you to the Royal Jewels forum--there's a lot of great stuff in here.

This will take you to the Royal Jewels Chit Chat thread
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f132/
and here you will find such topics as "Favorite Tiaras" "Worst Jewels" "How much is too much"

The jewels threads are what hooked me on this site! Enjoy--

[tinkerbell1948]

Originally Posted by jcbcode99

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f20/
this link will take you to the Royal Jewels forum--there's a lot of great stuff in here.

This will take you to the Royal Jewels Chit Chat thread
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f132/
and here you will find such topics as "Favorite Tiaras" "Worst Jewels" "How much is too much"

The jewels threads are what hooked me on this site! Enjoy--

Thankee

[jcbcode99]

No problem, Tinkerbell--I'll see you there!

This whole "If Diana got a memorial like this she deserved it" comment is a little harsh. Even I, no big fan of Diana, have not said anything quite like that. Whether or not she deserved it (and frankly, there is no one who has done something bad enough to deserve these tributes) is not the point I was making--the point I was making was that the memorials are SOOOO tacky and not befitting the mother of the future King and his brother (Duke of whatever he's going to be Duke of). I think that regardless of what we individually think about Diana (and I have a lot to say on THAT topic) I think we can all agree that she was an elegant figure. Even when Charles went to pick up her body he ws upset because she only had one earring on, and she always wore earrings wherever she went. A lady who wanted to be elegant and who spent as much time as she did on how she presented herself should not memorialized with something soooo tacky. She would be p--ssed off.

[anbrida]

To be very honest, the memorial made me depressed when I first saw it. Although the original link was posted by me, some self-defending system prevent me from seeing it.

[ToytownZara]

Originally Posted by jcbcode99

No problem, Tinkerbell--I'll see you there!

This whole "If Diana got a memorial like this she deserved it" comment is a little harsh. Even I, no big fan of Diana, have not said anything quite like that. Whether or not she deserved it (and frankly, there is no one who has done something bad enough to deserve these tributes) is not the point I was making--the point I was making was that the memorials are SOOOO tacky and not befitting the mother of the future King and his brother (Duke of whatever he's going to be Duke of). I think that regardless of what we individually think about Diana (and I have a lot to say on THAT topic) I think we can all agree that she was an elegant figure. Even when Charles went to pick up her body he ws upset because she only had one earring on, and she always wore earrings wherever she went. A lady who wanted to be elegant and who spent as much time as she did on how she presented herself should not memorialized with something soooo tacky. She would be p--ssed off.

I remember reading about what happened when Charles went to Paris to bring her back. I really felt sorry for him. Certain things just don't matter anymore when someone dies - surely he remembered when things were good. And that he was concerned about her appearance - what a "husband" sort of thing. I remember when a friend of my mum's passed away suddenly - her husband, who was completely devoted to her, was very concerned about being sure her hair was done right, because she'd been very meticulous about that sort of thing. When I read about the earrings and the fact that she was, obviously, in a bit of disarray, and how worried he was about that, I remembered Linda's husband.

Charles must have been horrified by the whole Harrods fiasco. And to be honest, I don't know that Dodi would have thought much of it either (although that's REALLY speculation on my part) - he seemed like the type who would be, like, ENOUGH ALREADY.

I think Diana would be touched by the people who go there in her memory, but a bit appalled by the whole spectacle overall.

[Skydragon]

Originally Posted by Jo of Palatine

I think that there is a difference with the official tartan designs that are recognized as symbols of the clans of Scotland and those who were created for commercial purposes.
......So what Al-Fayed did was to order the creation of a tartan design for use at Harrod's and he named it after his Sottish estate. But that has nothing to do with the way tartans have depicted the belonging of a person to a certain clan from historic times till today, it's just a commercial design like any other which tries to appear as if it was the "genuine" thing which esists till today in Scotland and has to do with following ancient traditions.

It is not considered a 'genuine tartan', the same way that the blended whisky he sells is not from a Balnagown distillery. It may fool the tourists, but he is rarely invited to events/parties, we always turn his invites down, he really is a ghastly little man, IMO!

In Scotland those that invent, buy the right, or wear a tartan they are not entitled to are called 'plastic scots'!

I see Roslyn has posted a link to the one of him in his tartan, but it is a lot worse in real life size mode. Next time I have to take someone to the Salmon Leap (which he does not own), I will take my camera and embarrass myself and friends by taking a picture!

[ysbel]

Tartans are like coat of arms, I believe there is a society that confers them and dictates their use.

One simply can't make up a tartan in the same way that one cannot make up a coat of arms but doubtlessly people try to.

[ghost_night554]

Originally Posted by ysbel

I apologize if I appeared to single you out ghost night. Actually you're not the only person that has dared to admit it; a lot of people in this thread have, your post was just the one that reminded me of all the others which gave me pause.

Diana was a bit too vengeful in too many things and a little bit too much out of control for me to like her or to want to be her friend if I had ever been given the opportunity. I'm sure at some point in my life I've been vengeful too but in general when I see a lesser form of vengefulness in public people I admire, this vengeful nature is not what I relate to. But the truth is that the public people I admire if they have been vengeful in the past don't generally show it to the public which I think is more natural and healthier. That is not to say that they have never been vengeful but they don't give the appearance of encouraging their own vengefulness which I get from Diana herself and the public fascination with her.

I understand I'm very sorry for the mis-understanding

[Skydragon]

Originally Posted by ysbel

Tartans are like coat of arms, I believe there is a society that confers them and dictates their use.

One simply can't make up a tartan in the same way that one cannot make up a coat of arms but doubtlessly people try to.

Sadly that is not the case -

Tartan Recording Service
We must emphasise that there is no legal requirement to Record a tartan but we strongly advise the designers of new tartans to go through the process so that a dated record of their tartan is inserted into the internationally recognised and publicly accessible ITI.

BBC NEWS | Scotland | Spring launch for tartan register

[Mermaid1962]

I was during the Panorama interview. There was more of her personality coming through during that interview than perhaps even she was aware. Besides the general attitude of victimhood, something that really got to me was her statement that "Someone's got to get out there and love people and show it." It seemed to me that she was discounting the work done by doctors and nurses and social workers and volunteers and pastors and concerned neighbours, etc. It was like she thought that she was the ONLY person who could smile and love and hug and care for people. If she were referring to the Royal Family and not society as a whole--perhaps they're not the most touchy-feely lot in the world, but they've given a great deal of support to endeavors of all sorts of people who help others--from the Armed Forces to the people who volunteer in second-hand shops or help out with children's playgroups.

I thought at times that she seemed to think very highly of herself indeed, inspite of her problems with self-hatred. Overcompensation perhaps? I don't know. But I do know that I felt differently about her after watching that interview. I got a glimpse of things that had previously been hinted at about her emotional problems.

[Mermaid1962]

Should have been "It was during..."