Princess Diana-Her Troubled Life-Conclusion

What haunted Diana throughout her life was the knowledge that at one time she did stand a chance of winning the heart of her husband. Though Diana gained a Title it was Camilla who kept the Prince's heart and Diana became an inconvenient woman at the centre of this royal ménage a trios! An arrangement which unsettled the young Princess as she tried using all the wrong weapons to win the heart of her husband who in the end had come to resent her.

As Princess Diana gained the love and adulation of the world, she lost the love that mattered most to her, her errant and unfaithful husband.

As we have learnt Princess Diana was no angel, but neither was she a monster, she made her own mistakes within her empty marriage. But though these mistakes harmed her deeply she was not as has been reported, mentally unstable. There are no records of mental disturbance in her youth or her work as a nanny before she married into the Royal family.

The life of Princess Diana proved that though the institution of the Monarchy has lasted hundreds of years, the lifestyle of what was acceptable to the Edwardians, would not be acceptable in the twenty first century. In that modern women including Princesses wanted more than an empty title. They need a fulfilling role in life and a supportive partner. Princess Diana also forgot what the role of the Princess of Wales entailed and that was 'To Serve' the nation and support the Monarchy. Not as the 'star of the show' but as a working member of the Royal family.

None can truly lay all the blame at the Prince's door for the failure in their marriage. He could not guess that Lady Diana was emotionally needy, and highly strung. Or that she would suffer from bulimia/nervosa, both became victims of this insidious illness. Prince Charles had been spoilt by the accruements of Royalty where his every wish was guaranteed to be granted. A wife is not an extension of a coterie of staff, therefore compromise should have been reached between both husband and wife.

Though Charles and Diana entered the marriage with high ideals and expectations of each other, both would find themselves disappointed. For from the beginning of their relationship Lady Diana had led Charles to believe that she loved country pursuits and all that goes with it, hunting, fishing and shooting. And Prince Charles from the beginning had no intention of giving up the real love of his life, which was Camilla Parker Bowles.

So in truth both couples entered the marriage with a lie. Which would then be followed by deceit, betrayal and infidelities on both sides. This would have devastating consequences for their marriage and also the Monarchy.

Princess Diana was a very young 19 when she married her Prince. While Charles was a sophisticated and worldly man of the world who had always kept Camilla as his mistress. This would have brought untold humiliation to the young Princess in that all her inner circle knew about the affair including members of the Royal family who not only encouraged it they openly supported Charles dalliance with Camilla.

It is reasonable to say that Princess Diana felt and was indeed betrayed by many members of the Royal family. And even her own family failed to give her the support she needed, as her brother refused to house Diana on his estate at Althorp, which she would have used as a sanctuary against the ever prying press. A fact that Earl Spencer conveniently forgot as he gave his eulogy at her funeral.

The marriage may have stood a chance if Princess Diana had made some concessions to Prince Charles love of the outdoors and the country scene rather than try and bully him into becoming a 'city slicker'. But Prince Charles also should have made his own sacrifices that of letting go of his long-term relationship with Camilla. But as it is neither side would compromise, this led to their downfall, as their marriage disintegrated into press fodder.

Neither Charles or Diana had the capacity to look beyond the confines of their own internal warfare and recognise the consequences of their behaviour to their boys and to the Nation. Both failed in their duty. A closer look at recent history may have helped them both. When during the darkest pages of English history, King George VI and his wife Queen Elizabeth with steeliness of heart and soul, strengthened the people of Britain to face their foe, Nazi Germany with fierce courage. The late King and Queen put duty above their own personal needs including their safety. Charles and Diana were unable to follow the lead of the Princes's Grandparents.

After her divorce from Prince Charles, Diana felt that she would be free, but was she? Princess Diana had learnt to manipulate the press without understanding that she was holding the tail of a tiger which would eventually turn and devour her.

Much has been said about Princess Diana and her love life and there has been speculation that Diana had finally met a man who loved her in Dodi Fayed, but did he?

It is a known fact that Dodi Fayed was already engaged when he met Diana at the contrivance of his father Mohammed al Fayed. Dodi very quickly dumped his fiance as he trailed after the Princess at his fathers insistance. During this time Princess Diana was hurting badly over yet another failed romance this time with the heart surgeon Hasnat Khan.

There has been much speculation over the romance between Dodi and Diana is their some validity to the rumours of an engagement?

If Princess Diana truly loved Dodi then surely she would have wanted it to remain quiet and private. How many photo's exist of Diana with Hasnat Khan? None!

Princess Diana was not a stupid woman and she would have been well aware of the machinations of Mohammed al Fayed. A man who had been involved in political intrigues in the very seat of British Power The Tory Government. It was the scandal involving various Tory politicians in the 'cash for favours' which opened the door for Tony Blair's, Labour victory. If Henri Paul was a spy for MI6 it was to spy on his boss and not the Princess. Was Dodi the love of Diana's life? By all accounts, no. The man that captured her heart was always her ex-husband The Prince of Wales.

The mercurial, sensitive, loving, volatile, compassionate, contrary and yet luminous woman that was Diana who longed to be loved. Sadly she was not to find this love that she so desperately sought, as her life ended so tragically in the city of love, Paris.

Diana a woman who lived to love and be loved was to die literally of a broken heart.

Princess Diana-Her Troubled Life-Part 1

What was it about Princess Diana that touched so many hearts and led to a well pool of grief when she died so tragically at only 36 years of age?

Was it that she lived her life so publicly giving the illusion of being able to see within her soul? Yet her friends say she could be secretive.

Some say it was her air of innocence and vulnerability which made both men and women wish to protect her from life’s hurts. Yet her friends and family say she could be manipulative to a high degree.

From the beginning of the romance between Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer the question needs to be asked, did Diana love Charles the man? A man who was haunted by his childhood, who had been severely bullied at school and was still full of insecurities about himself and his role in life? Or did she love the Title and the fact that it would put the Spencer dynasty in the history books.

Princess Diana upon marrying Prince Charles found herself plunged into a very sophisticated world of which she had no means of coping. For unlike Prince Charles or his then mistress Mrs. Camilla Parker Bowles, both of whom were in their 30's and had lived life to the full. Princess Diana was a very young and naive 19 years old when she became engaged to the Prince.

Princess Diana described herself many times as 'a lamb being led to the slaughter' but was she entirely unkowing of the hold Camilla Parker Bowles still held over Charles? Before her engagement was announced the newspapers ran a headline which screamed ' A Blonde on the Train with Prince Charles'. This was in November 1980 before she became engaged to the Prince. Tina Brown in her book speculates that the blonde was Diana herself, hence Diana never mentions this incident in any books or interviews. This is difficult to believe in that Prince Charles was not wildly in love with the then Lady Diana why would he take the risk? Why the silence from Diana? If Princess Diana had acknowledged that she knew the 'blonde' was not herself then would she not lose her 'victim status'?

Was Lady Diana as trapped by her circumstance as the Prince himself? Neither being able to stop the train wreck which their marriage would become. Lady Diana Spencer belonged to a Noble Aristocratic family, which had served the Monarchy for many generations. Her own maternal Grandmother was Lady Ruth Fermoy who was Lady in Waiting to the Queen Mother. If Lady Diana had dumped Prince Charles a scandal would have ensued, something the Spencer family would do anything to avoid.

So the young Lady Diana Spencer married her Prince. Though the world wanted this marriage of Prince Charles to his young bride to be a modern romance that could have set the world on fire. Instead it blazed as an inferno within the marriage itself which would consume and destroy it.

The first salvo was fired by the Prince Charles 'set' when in a popular magazine Princess Diana was described as a 'bully' as 'hysterical' and was 'controlling and manipulative'. The story made the claim that it was Diana and not Charles who was destroying their marriage by her volatile and unpredictable behavior towards her beleaguered and confused husband. Many papers also ran with this story and described Princess Diana as a 'mad woman bent on destroying her marriage', and as 'the mouse that roared'. So was it unpredictable that Princess Diana would be smart enough to know where the leaks of her private life were coming from?

So began the 'War of the Wales' which played out in every tabloid newspaper, magazines and television documentaries. What was left untold were the casualities of this 'war'. The children of Prince Charles and Diana and the Parker Bowles children.

Princess Diana to her credit refused to be 'managed' by the Palace machinery. Unlike other members of the Royal family who stood back from the crowds and proffered their gloved hands for a handshake. Diana launched herself into the crowds, she hugged the children and disabled, shook hands with AID's sufferers and visited people who were on the outskirts of acceptable society. Diana was about to become 'The People's Princess'.

Part two will be concluded tomorrow

The Day I Met Princess Diana

This photo was taken on the same day that I met the Princess, though she is wearing a different outfit.

I knew that Princess Diana would be going to the Adelaide Festival Theatre during the tour of the Princes and Princess of Wales in 1988.

Even though I had met Queen Elizabeth II with Prince Philip, it was unintentional though still exciting. With Princess Diana I was determined to see this Princess for myself, I wanted to see if all the words written about her were true.

I arrived early at the Festival Theatre, we were lucky in that it was a very sunny and pleasant day, so waiting wasn't too taxing. As I waited I began chatting to a young woman near to me, she had an accent so I asked if she were American? She very quickly snapped back that no! She was Canadian, I never made THAT mistake again(lol).

After waiting for over an hour suddenly we all heard the drone of several cars and strained our heads forward to see if it were indeed Princess Diana. We were not disappointed, in front of Diana's car were police cars then the Princesses car drove up and pulled to a stop in front of the entrance to the Theatre.

The Princess got out of the car turned to the crowds and waved at all the people who had waited to see her, on this sunny day in Adelaide.The Princess was wearing a pink dress with a pink flowered blouse and pearls. She then went into the Festival Theatre itself, to meet the officials.

It was while she was in the Theatre that I realised I was in the wrong spot, I very quickly ran accross the footpath so I could be in front of the Theatre. I turned as I ran and motioned for the Canadian lady to follow my lead, she did so. We found ourselves in the right spot, just in front of the theatre, I was standing beside a large tree as we waited patiently for the Princess to come out.

We didnt have to wait long. The Princess came out and began shaking hands with a few Senators and other officials. Princess Diana then turned left of where I was standing and went towards the crowds, a loud chorus of approval was heard with many yelling 'Diana over here, over here', the Princess turned and smiled as she continued to greet the people waiting for her.

Princess Diana was moving closer and closer to where I was waiting, as you can imagine I was thrilled and was busily snapping away with my camera. Suddenly I heard an elderly lady yell at the Princess, 'Diana are you looking after Charles?' The Princess stopped, she looked a little hurt and turned gently to the elderly lady and replied, 'yes, I always do'. The Princess continued to walk closer to where I was standing and once again stopped as a dog stood on it's hind legs and offered her a rose which it was holding in it's mouth. Princess Diana smiled and said to the owner of the dog, 'is this rose for me?'

Suddenly there she was, this beautiful Princess standing right in front of me. I was immediately struck by her blue eyes, they were incredible. A colour distinctive only to the Princess herself a cobalt blue with a touch of Iris. I was also surprised at how small her face was, a heart shape which made her eyes seem even larger. I also noticed her skin which was incredibly perfect not a blemish to be seen.

As I held out my hand to her the Princess graciously took it and as she was shaking my hand I said to her, "dont take any note of that old bat. Is Charles looking after you?" This seemed to tickle the Princess and she began giggling as she replied, 'yes he does.'

Princess Diana then moved on and began shaking the hand of the Canadian lady. It was then, a thought struck me, and I decided to go for it. I put my hand out on the other side of the tree. Princess Diana reached forward to shake my hand and just as she reached me I quickly turned my head around the tree. Princess Diana immediately recognised me and realised that she had already shaken my hand, she paused a bit then once again she giggled and shook my hand again. The expression on her face was one of, 'I Know what you're up to but I'll shake your hand anyway, cheeky!'

As the Princess moved towards her car, I also thanked her Lady in Waiting Anne Beckwith Smith, who seemed surprised that anyone would take note of her presense. Miss Beckwith Smith smiled and said a gracious 'thankyou'.

The Princess turned for a final wave, and I can remember thinking how incredibly thin she was for a woman who was so tall. Princess Diana looked to be an Australian size 8, which is too thin for her height.

I will never forget meeting this beautiful Princess and the impression she left which was one of vulnerability, humour, generosity and a love for people which was palpable... One sunny day in Adelaide.

This is Princess Diana at the Festival Theatre in Adelaide

Remembering Princess Diana

A tribute in pictures and songs. RIP Princess Diana.

Princess Diana-Dying for Ratings

I am totally appalled at a British TV channel which is going to show a program of the late Princess Diana, which shows her dying in the back seat of her car.

How is this going to help anyone? If it is being done to try and excuse the abysmal behaviour of the Paparazzi they can save their breath there is NO saving those who pursue celebrities sometimes to their death.

We well know that not only was Diana the 'Peoples Princess' she was also the 'Press Princess' and many in that medium made a lot of money from the late Princess. But to now try and prophet from her death is disgusting.

If the program airs on Australia TV I will personally boycott the program as well as notifying the particular channel of my displeasure and disgust. I just hope that the British public will do the same.

Princess Diana may have lived her life on the front pages of many papers but please at least let her death have some form of dignity....I do not need to see this tragic woman dying in the back seat of her car. Enough is enough!