Reasons for disliking Diana?

[regardez]

I hope this thread is allowed. I didn't see anything specifically against it.

I was just wondering what some people's reasons for disliking Diana are (including courtiers, HM the Queen, and the general public).

Before I came to these boards I hadn't heard anything negative about her (besides her emotional problems) so I was curious about what specifically the reasons are.

I mean this stricly in an analytical and intellectual way (i.e. keeping the no name calling rule, etc.) I understand that sometimes people simply don't like a person, but if somebody has reasons (or knows what's been reported by the press about other people disliking her) I would be very interested in hearing it.

 

[Claire]

I think the first thing you have to realise is that Diana was human like all of us and was just as fallible as we all are. It is pointless to make her into a perfect human being, because noone is and Diana certainly wasn't.

I met Diana and worked with a number of people that me her and worked with her. She was very demanding and needed things to be done her way. Diana certainly had her bad days and I probably saw one. She was visiting a hospital in South Africa, she arrived late, and the press that had gathered wasn't big enough for her, which was was quite unhappy about. Then she turned at the gathered children and asked if there were sicker children available for her to have her photo taken with. I was not the only one who thought that this request was low. Well, then again which works better in PR a beautiful princess with a child that looks near death or ones that are terminally ill and look healthy.
I can certainly understand the press irratation with Diana. She would phone them - some young journalists that don't even cover royal isssues and have long talks over the phone. She would tell them about where is was and what she was doing. But when they arrived to take photos of the event or published the information - she would cry to the Queen and the Press Complaints Commission that they were invading her privacy. It always surprises me that people don't remember that she lied to the Queen and the PCC about her co-operation in the Andrew Morton book and even almost had her own brother-in-law fired, as she had accused him of been the leak from the palace.

Then there is the malevalent and vengful Diana who obviously felt that she had been done wrong by anybody that dared cross her path. She had members of staff fired from Buckingham Palace. Walking up to Tiggy, a friend of Prince Charles, William and Harry and assusing her of having an affair with Charles and apologising 'terrible sarcastically' about a supposed miscarraige, during a well attended royal function. I can understand why the staff thought she might be mentally unstable, the prank phone calls she made to the Queen Mother, for apparently ruining her life, to Camilla Parker Bowles. Even to Sophie Rhys-Jones because Diana believed that as the Queen liked Sophie more, she could became more popular with the British people. The sad thing is as royal telephones are monitored to find stalkers and such. Diana was easily found and the police could only shake their heads.
Diana did not like threats, anyone who threatened her popularity, status. She would find a way of ditching in the press: Sarah, Camilla, Sophie, Helen - even celebrities like Catherine Zeta Jones and Jill Dando.

Sad, actually that Diana was capable of such great things and than could also do this. So I really can't blame people who knew her and worked with her was saying that she had her faults. She was a complicated personality, that I believe was fianlly sorting things out.
But these are not reason to dislike Diana. We are too close to the events of her life and death to possibly make value judgements. In about fifty years from now when the whole truth of Diana is known, I would love to know what the world's historians make of her.

 

[regardez]

Thank you for your reply! That was very interesting. I had never heard any of that. The American press paints a perfect picture of Diana. Sometimes they would report that the royal family didn't like her but they wouldn't really say why. It is also interesting to hear what the every-day person thinks. It was interesting to hear those things I never knew about the prank calls

 

[Margrethe II]

Not doubting that you did infact meet Diana and others associated with/ working alongside her, but I find your comment about Diana turning to sick children and asking if there were any sicker ones she could have her photo taken with quite hard to believe (of course not saying it did'nt happen).

"MII"

 

[Skydragon]

She was visiting a hospital in South Africa, she arrived late, and the press that had gathered wasn't big enough for her, which was was quite unhappy about. Then she turned at the gathered children and asked if there were sicker children available for her to have her photo taken with. I was not the only one who thought that this request was low. Well, then again which works better in PR a beautiful princess with a child that looks near death or ones that are terminally ill and look healthy.
.

I can believe and relate to everything you say. I too have experience of this woman but, I think you are very brave to put your story on here!

 

[ysbel]

It's interesting to hear of your own meeting with Diana. Although we don't know how they are all the time and the comment about sicker children is hard to excuse, I think a lot of celebrities have 'off' days.

One very famous entertainer and a known lover of children visited a primary school in my hometown. I don't know the details of what happened but several teachers and parents were apparently upset at the way he treated the children and every time his name is brought up they still talk about it. This was 40 years ago. It made me think that being a much loved celebrity can be a tricky situation - every one has off days but unfortunately for a celebrity, people remember yours.

I still would hope that people wouldn't hate Diana or any other celebrity just because of meeting them one time or what they see in the news. Its still hard to know a person just from that.

skydragon, are you saying that you actually met Diana?

 

[betina]

I am not the biggest fan of Diana but I think it is bad to make a thread of why we not like her. She is dead and cant defend herself, so leave her alone in peace.

 

[dakodas]

I am not the biggest fan of Diana but I think it is bad to make a thread of why we not like her. She is dead and cant defend herself, so leave her alone in peace.

By that argument history books should only report the good things that happened!

 

[Smilla]

I am not the biggest fan of Diana but I think it is bad to make a thread of why we not like her. She is dead and cant defend herself, so leave her alone in peace.

If she had been an entirely "private" person I might agree, but since she was a person who lived her life in the limelight and was a public figure, I think her role can be analyzed and reassessed even if she is dead. Why not? That's what we do when we read biographies or historical books.

 

[Britters]

I don't actually dislike Diana-but I thought I'd comment on here to explain my position, as in some posts it may come off as disliking the Princess.

I believe Diana was a woman with GREAT potential to do unbelievable things, however I also believe the reports that she was severly emotionally troubled for whatever reason...therefore my problem comes in when Diana supporters make her into this saint that she wasn't. She was a human, who used the press to portray her in a good light...and while people go on and on about how great she was and how people should let her rest in peace, they can't seem to let her rest... (does that even make sense?)

At any rate, I think she did some amazing things for little known causes and should be recognized and commended for those efforts. However, she was also a young woman who had a lot more growing up to do before her death, and was by no means perfect.

 

[ysbel]

At any rate, I think she did some amazing things for little known causes and should be recognized and commended for those efforts. However, she was also a young woman who had a lot more growing up to do before her death, and was by no means perfect.

That makes sense Britters. At the same time, I would hope that nobody blames Diana or anyone else for the actions of other people that they don't directly control.

 

[Elspeth]

Well, I'm not sure how relevant it is that she's dead and can't defend herself because even if she was alive she'd be very unlikely to show up here and respond to critics. She also put her side of things out in the public domain for several years before her death, so it isn't as though we were unfamiliar with her side of things.

Having said that, I hope the posters here will restrict themselves to talking about their own opinions, as requested in the original post, and not let this thread descend into Diana bashing, Charles bashing, Camilla bashing, or fights with other members. Once that starts, the moderators will be editing or deleting offending posts. It seems as though Diana was a person who elicited strong reactions, both positive and negative, and an exploration of the latter is an appropriate topic of conversation as long as it stays calm and as objective as possible.

While we're well aware that this topic has been covered in previous threads, I don't think it serves any useful purpose to bring those threads up as examples of how not to conduct a conversation about a difficult topic. I'd very much rather see this thread turn into a good-faith attempt at discussing a difficult topic in the right way. I'm sure the members are up to the challenge if they stop and think before posting and don't just rush in with their raw emotions on their sleeves.

Skydragon, if you have any anecdotes about meeting Diana to report, please go ahead; that would be exactly the sort of post regardez was hoping for. Negative comments about other posters, however, are not what we're looking for. You'll probably notice that Claire is still alive and well after having made her post. I have every confidence that that state of affairs will continue.

Elspeth

British Royals moderator

 

[corazon]

diana not was saint or perfect, nobody is, she was human like all of us. we never said ''diana was perfect'' not is this way, but we defend her when the people said lies about her. We not talk for talk, we investigated ( i have 8 years and a little more investigating with different sources) and when I read some is lie I reply refend diana because in some case i know about i talking about, I not know diana from 1 year or one month.

 

[Skydragon]

Well, I'm not sure how relevant it is that she's dead and can't defend herself because even if she was alive she'd be very unlikely to show up here and respond to critics. She also put her side of things out in the public domain for several years before her death, so it isn't as though we were unfamiliar with her side of things.

Skydragon, if you have any anecdotes about meeting Diana to report, please go ahead; that would be exactly the sort of post regardez was hoping for. Negative comments about other posters, however, are not what we're looking for. You'll probably notice that Claire is still alive and well after having made her post. I have every confidence that that state of affairs will continue.

Elspeth

British Royals moderator

Apologies Elspeth and everyone else, I have duly edited my post.

 

[corazon]

may be the claire's story in africa is true, every of us have bads days, but I need say that was the another diana that visited hospital in the night when the press not was here. She have a very complicatred personality, she was very difficult to understand.

 

[Elspeth]

Apologies Elspeth and everyone else, I have duly edited my post.

Well, you haven't edited it to share your experiences, though. Surely they can't have been that bad!

 

[Elspeth]

Corazon, post 13 had better not be accusing anybody on this thread of lying.

This thread is not for defenders of Diana to square off against everybody else. It's for people who didn't like her (and/or who still don't like her) to explain why and to share experiences. You might remember that in Tiaraprin's Diana memorial thread we didn't allow detractors to show up and turn the thread into a fight. In the same way, we're not going to allow the Diana fans to turn this thread into a fight. We're all well aware that there are strong supporters of Diana out there. That isn't what this thread is about. Be warned.

Elspeth

British Royals moderator

 

[corazon]

Corazon, post 13 had better not be accusing anybody on this thread of lying.

This thread is not for defenders of Diana to square off against everybody else. It's for people who didn't like her (and/or who still don't like her) to explain why and to share experiences. You might remember that in Tiaraprin's Diana memorial thread we didn't allow detractors to show up and turn the thread into a fight. In the same way, we're not going to allow the Diana fans to turn this thread into a fight. We're all well aware that there are strong supporters of Diana out there. That isn't what this thread is about. Be warned.

Elspeth

British Royals moderator

I not said that HERE, i said in general, when in some place somebody said a lie (not only in forums, in papers too, in tv or radio) the diana fans will defend her. this not is a war, every can feel abiut diana diferent things, Many diana's fans see in diana MNAY diferent things. Many people don's like diana and this is ok.

 

[Elspeth]

Thank you for the clarification.

Now perhaps we can get back on topic?

 

[corazon]

you're welcome. Not all i said is personal. diana is a concept in general.
of course, we need back the topic.

 

[auntie]

I think that deep down there was this little frightened child who was craving for acceptance and love and would go to any means to get what she wanted, a shame really, but it doesn't excuse any negative behaviour. I remember reading years ago, before Diana died about a lady in a wheelchair wheeling up to her in the opera and not having any greeting back, and she realized that there were no press around... The truth is that we will never know the whole truth!

 

[Duchess]

for me it was more "frustration" with Diana. she could have help for her emotional problems but didn't get it. speaking from personal experience...depression is something that she needn't have lived with but instead she chose to and sought out sympathy in any way she could.

 

[Zonk]

Congrats Ysbel!

Okay..I am going to go out on a limb here...but this is the first that I have heard that Diana would only hug, talk to a person if the press was around. If that was the case....why didn't the Press knew every time that she went to visits hospitals, homeless shelters, etc after hours. Again, its sounds like something that cannot be verified.

Now I am not saying that she didn't speak to everyone who spoke to her..but I am not sure everyone who is in the public eye speaks to EVERYONE who ever talks to them. Sometimes, even if you walk down the street..you need a moment to yourself.

Now if you dislike her (cause everyone is entitled to their opinion) cause they way she handled her marriage break up...well thats totally up to you. And I totally agree with you...as much as I admired Diana, I believe she could have handled that better. But I am not her, nor can I imagine what she was feeling..depression or not. Walk a mile in her shoes, and I am sure we all would have had a different reaction to the break up of the marriage.

As I have stated in the past...only two people know what happened in that marriage (one is dead and the other is not speaking).

 

[Elspeth]

Well, she did think she had healing abilities, so there may have been a good motive for wanting to see the sickest of the children. However, it was certainly going to come across that she was most interested in her image in the press.

 

[Saragli]

I thought she was manipulative and vindictive. A bit of a brat. She needed attention and knew how to work the people. She did do a lot of help even if there were alterior motives though. She was a bit of a nut job. She did think she could heal people and that God talked to her. I think she lived in her own imaginary world sometimes. Anyway, if she wastn so keen on getting back at people who "hurt" her and didnt try tactics to get the people on her side I would like her a lot more. She still did a lot of good work though and I admire her for that.

 

[Elspeth]

Princejonnhy, assuming you never met here, where and when did you get that impression? Was it from watching news footage and reading articles while she was alive, or from the books written since she died?

 

[Saragli]

The Bashir interview made me feel like she was trying to manipulate the public. It was obvious that all of it was planned. The make up, eye liner, tilted head. She always tried to portray herself as a miserable women. She is vindictive in that she just couldnt go through a divorce gracefully. She had to make sure to hurt Charles and Camilla. She was always calling the press to make sure they would get a pic of her crying or something. I think she was stuck in a imagenary world since marring. I think she was stuck in the fairytale and when that ended she wanted her and William to take over the monarchy and be these great and glorious leaders. I think the divorce shocked her back to reality. I liked her a lot after the divorce. She was much more stylish and was free to do a lot more work and the press war ended. If she was stronger mentally I think a lot of the drama would have been avoided.

 

[Elspeth]

I think that, in the longer term, the Bashir interview didn't do her any favours. It generated a lot of sympathy at the time, but it seems as though people increasingly felt they were being manipulated by it. It's a shame things got to the point where she felt the need to do that interview. The very fact that she kept it so secret from even her closest friends meant that she must have had reservations.

 

[Sammy]

You know, it's really not appropiate to have this thread. I don't see one for disliking any other member of Royalty.
Yes, supposedly, we are welcome to "voice" our opinions in this forum. But to have a thread devoted to bashing, particularly one found under the persons heading is in poor taste.

 

[Smilla]

You know, it's really not appropiate to have this thread. I don't see one for disliking any other member of Royalty.
Yes, supposedly, we are welcome to "voice" our opinions in this forum. But to have a thread devoted to bashing, particularly one found under the persons heading is in poor taste.

I don't know that voicing one's reasons for disliking a person can be equalled to "bashing". It's not true that people don't discuss their dislike for any other royal here. If you read some of the CP Mary threads, you might be surprised.