Jo of Palatine
Heir Apparent
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2006
- Messages
- 3,323
- City
- Munich
- Country
- Germany
Princess Diana was a nice, sweet English Rose when she was introduced as Charles' proposed fiancee, but living at BP changed her because of the pressure and Charles' not totally commited to her.
I doubt that. She was not a beggar's daughter from Clapham but grew up in a privileged home. Her father had been in Royal service, so as a young girl she must have known a abit about the way life at the RF was conducted. The Royals invited her often enough IMHO for her to get an adult impression of this life when she was a potential bride for Charles.
IMHo she deliberately decided to charm Charles and to put all potential problems under the carpet for as long as she was wooing him. She obvioulsy knew enough of his expectations to convince him that she was the right bride.
I seriously doubt that the story about Camilla selecting the innocent Diana as a "womb". While I believe there were a lot rather down to earth considerations on all sides (including Diana's and Charles' family), I think the main focus was the question if a marriage between Charles and Diana could work out and how?
Okay, probably all parties involved wore glasses too rosy-coloured but I guess noone on the RF's side could have imagined how vindictive Diana could be if she met with resistance. But how could that be if they were so careful? How could they not realise that Diana wanted the things to work out her way- so much that she ended as a loose cannon for the monarchy?
My only explanation is that Diana pretended to be a sweet English rose and was careful to hide her thorns and claws. She pretended to try to be friends with Charles' circle and she pretended to be able to adapt to the strictures of BP. But living the life of a sweet pretender when you have quite an ego yourself is tough. Especially when you experience early on that no good behaviour and no birthing of sons is going to change the way life is led by the RF. I believe she thought she could change and influence her and Charles' life once she was the wife of the heir. She probably didn't realise before her marriage that Charles liked his life as it was and was not willing to change it for her, that his parents thought their life was okay as it was.
And why not? I doubt Charles made any promises but looked for a girl who fitted his bill. If she had shown that she didn't fit the bill he would not have married her - and I think she knew that from the beginning but thought that the circumstance of their being married would give her leverage to force him to change. Or that he loved her enough to change. Stupid girl (says the mature wife). IMHO she woke up one morning early in their marriage and realised that his love was not so deep that he would change his lifestyle.
She didn't realise IMHO that he might feel betrayed, that she was not longer trustworthy in his eyes when it turned out that she had lied about enjoying his activities and the friendship of his circle.
IMHO she could still be alive and Charles' princess if she had accepted that he was not changing his lifestyle but would allow her to live her own life as long as she held up appearances. A lot of married couples live that way - especially if they have a reason to do it. But Diana wanted it all - or nothing. In the end she lost anything.