Chimene and Selrahc4--That's an interesting point--that Diana was caring towards people beneath her, but didn't always show the same concern for her friends and family. I think that's actually one of the main reasons I don't have a high opinion of her. I do think she cared for those who were suffering, but I also have the feeling that she did so because she saw these people as extensions of herself. She was quick to see people as victims because she saw herself as a victim to some extent; and her attempts to help people seemed, to me, to be a way of helping herself feel good, like "I'm going to empower these other victims so we can band together against the cruel world." I just feel like there was a lot of "self" mixed in with Diana's compassion. The compassion was real, but it wasn't selfless.
I'd have to vote "Other" for the poll because, like most people here it seems, I was young when Diana died. I was 11 actually, but I'd been interested in the BRF for a couple of years. I knew about Diana before that too, but I just saw her as this beautiful princess and devoted mother. Then I started seeing more recent news stories about her, including the divorce, and her lavish lifestyle. Everything I heard seemed at odds with my original belief that she was just a sweet, caring princess and mother who had no interest in fame and attention. I was sad when she died, but I clearly remember that I'd already lost a lot of respect for her by that point.
Over the years I've read more about Diana and it's only solidified my original belief that she was more self-interested than she appeared. The Panorama interview, like a lot of people have said, gave me a particularly unfavourable impression of her. She came across as extremely manipulative--the heavy make-up, the mournful expressions in her eyes--it all seemed very staged, and I was totally unimpressed by the comments she made: "there were three of us in the marriage" and "I want to be the Queen of Hearts." Perhaps it was more the delivery of the comments, than the comments themselves. Diana came across as both vindictive, and scheming for attention and compassion, so my opinion of her dropped even further.
All that being said, I don't think Diana was "evil" or that she schemed from the beginning to steal Charles' spotlight and hurt him. I think, even at nineteen (20 when she married) she must have purposely chosen to ignore some of the warning signs popping up everywhere, so I do think she was responsible for what she got herself into, but I also think she couldn't have imagined just how difficult royal life would be. I do believe she had a difficult childhood, suffered a lot, wasn't always mentally stable, and that the royal family, especially Charles, weren't always sympathetic or helpful. And I think Charles' affair was inexcusable no matter how difficult Diana was. Again, though, Diana could have taken the high road; she didn't need to become vengeful. In the end I guess I don't respect Diana, but I do feel sorry for her. She had one of those intense personalities that seem destined to suffer. I think as much as Charles and the royals may have hurt her, mostly her problems were within herself.