!5 years ago today a Princess died...

[mikey3000]

And I remember it like yesterday. What a shock! The first words out of my mouth were, "OMG! They finally did it. They got her."

[johaninsc]

I remember it well..it's still hard to believe that she's gone

[PreTTy PeTe]

And I remember it like yesterday. What a shock! The first words out of my mouth were, "OMG! They finally did it. They got her."

The Queen did it. I knew it.

Bitch.

[BENDERBOY]

How spooky, i just watched her tonight in To Catch A Thief.

[PreTTy PeTe]

How spooky, i just watched her tonight in To Catch A Thief.

different princess me thinks.

[mikey3000]

The Queen did it. I knew it.

Bitch.

(Shhh... They can hear you. Besides I don't think it was the Queen. Phillip maybe.)

[Hard-up1]

It is challenging to contemplate how the late Princess of Wales would have changed in the ongoing wake of the royal divorce. Equally curious is the effect a lingering Diana would have impacted the popularity of HRH Queen Elizabeth.

The clash of generations and expectations is still reverberating. The difference in how each woman tolerated her husband's infidelities is striking.

Both legacies are rolling forward in parallel but very different tracks.

[Spiff]

15 years. And she has yet to rest in peace.

[PreTTy PeTe]

(Shhh... They can hear you. Besides I don't think it was the Queen. Phillip maybe.)

They can hear me lol..........I'll scream it in the cunts ear if I ever see her

and Philip ......meh he's lucky to be there the twat he is

[mydrew1]

My Dad cried when we watched the funeral on TV

[PreTTy PeTe]

ok I will be nice........she was cool and I liked her

[Benvolio]

There is no evidence that any of the royal family was involved. Part of the responsibility falls on whichever government constructed the tunnel with unguarded columns down the center. If a car moves left or is nudged left, it is a head on collusion. A row of concrete barriers would have caused her car to bounce off, probably without injury.

[mikey3000]

So the French did it?

[counterspade]

I was only six years old, but I remember the massive media coverage regarding her death. It wasn't until I studied about her in high school that I realized how great she was.

The Queen kill the Princess? Nah. I think William pulled a Stewie Griffin and actually killed his mother Lois.

[M10000]

I was at the computer and my sister called me.

[pat grimshaw]

…Equally curious is the effect a lingering Diana would have impacted the popularity of HRH Queen Elizabeth.…The difference in how each woman tolerated her husband's infidelities is striking.…

Are you saying HRH Queen Elizabeth's husband committed infidelities?

[JP.]

5 years? I thought it was frm 1997? I remember there wasn't flat ironing hair yet that time.

I remember when me& my fam about to go out...news from tv showed us the tragic accident. I was like.. dead-princess!! This is bad omen!

[Hard-up1]

Are you saying HRH Queen Elizabeth's husband committed infidelities?

And then some.

Elizabeth is from the generation that was expected to put up with it, even as Queen. Phillip was (is?) notoriously unfaithful. As typical of her steadfastness, Elizabeth remained in the marriage. I wouldn't be so quick to see it as misguided duty or even idealism, as she has repeatedly demonstrated actual wisdom. She may simply have understood life and relationships enough to see the need for forgiveness, and flexibility.

Elizabeth has seen may such eruptions in the marriages of her peers before she was crowned, and since, and likely grown from seeing them handled badly. Her patience in waiting to allow the marriage of the Prince of Wales is a good example.

And, I may have erred in HRH use. Is it HM? We Americans don't get much practice in using terms of address for royals. I meant no disrespect in any case.

[pat grimshaw]

^
I'm sorry, I'm not a royalist but that sounds like undocumented scuttlebutt to me.

[Hard-up1]

Her patience in waiting to allow the marriage divorce of the Prince of Wales is a good example.

I corrected my typo. Excuse the confusion.

Oh, and to the scuttlebutt comment, I don't have any reason to argue to any convincing degree. But, you know people, and I know people, and infidelity is very common.

The suggestion that it is not more likely among the wealthy and powerful who indulge every other whim is not credible.

With Prince Phillip's looks, his early life womanizing, and his frustrations with his marriage, I find it nearly impossible to believe he did not step out.

That it is not documented is hardly surprising. There was nothing to tell the world that President Kennedy was a cad, but no one believes otherwise. The power of the Crown was and is incredible in controlling breakouts surrounding the monarchy itself -- the periphery (Princess Margaret, the children, etc., -- no so much.)

I can no more believe in Phillip's fidelity than in the myth of the Virgin Queen.

On the other hand, I would find Her Majesty's fidelity to be very likely, and keeping with her character, just as I have friends whose marriages seem to be very devoted.

As it is the Crown, I doubt we'll ever read about any facts, just speculation.

[freefall]

I remembered my classmates started making conspiracy theories about her, about how the Middle East countries didn't want her to go with it.

[Essex Boy]

Believe it or not Diana is largely forgotten now in the UK, like Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair. There is a 'fountain' (actually a sort of drain) dedicated to her memory in Hyde Park. Behold:
Princess Diana Memorial Fountain | Crap Days Out

[HoodedRat]

Believe it or not Diana is largely forgotten now in the UK, like Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair.

True. Most Brits appear uninterested in those sort of people ... but the foreigners still seem to love them.

[bankside]

I've seen Diana's Ditch after it had opened but while it was closed for repairs. Did they ever get it up and running?

I think "largely forgotten" is not quite right. I know nobody in London thinks of Buckingham Palace either, but if it suddenly disappeared, it would draw stares. She's kind of a fixture that people don't need to think about, but that's more or less the opposite of being forgotten.

[Axxess]

I'm curious, is she really "largely forgotten", or have people simply moved on?

[Hard-up1]

It is wishful thinking to refer to the trappings of the monarchy as "largely forgotten." Not even Victoria is forgotten.

Brits can more easily take it all for granted, whereas the rest of us are sometimes captured by the novelty.

[RaKroma]

On the bright side, we have a new princess who is just as pretty and was an underwear model. Ok, I'm just trying to cheer you up.

[mikey3000]

^ Camilla? Cool.

[pat grimshaw]

I corrected my typo. Excuse the confusion.

Oh, and to the scuttlebutt comment, I don't have any reason to argue to any convincing degree. But, you know people, and I know people, and infidelity is very common.

The suggestion that it is not more likely among the wealthy and powerful who indulge every other whim is not credible.

With Prince Phillip's looks, his early life womanizing, and his frustrations with his marriage, I find it nearly impossible to believe he did not step out.

That it is not documented is hardly surprising. There was nothing to tell the world that President Kennedy was a cad, but no one believes otherwise. The power of the Crown was and is incredible in controlling breakouts surrounding the monarchy itself -- the periphery (Princess Margaret, the children, etc., -- no so much.)

I can no more believe in Phillip's fidelity than in the myth of the Virgin Queen.

On the other hand, I would find Her Majesty's fidelity to be very likely, and keeping with her character, just as I have friends whose marriages seem to be very devoted.

As it is the Crown, I doubt we'll ever read about any facts, just speculation.

Hmmm, I'm guessing you have been enjoying a splendid dinner with Beaujolais as an entrée, followed by some Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc to accompany the first course. I imagine the main course was Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Grenache followed by Muscat or Brandy as dessert.

[Efrackalecki]

I'm not sure, but I think the first words out of my mouth were probably something like "Who's princess Diana, mommy?"


...Cuz I was 7.

[Ninja108]

Hard to believe it's been that long..time flies by.

[Redsox]

It is challenging to contemplate how the late Princess of Wales would have changed in the ongoing wake of the royal divorce. Equally curious is the effect a lingering Diana would have impacted the popularity of HRH Queen Elizabeth.

The clash of generations and expectations is still reverberating. The difference in how each woman tolerated her husband's infidelities is striking.

Both legacies are rolling forward in parallel but very different tracks.

I sometimes think about that myself. How would it have panned out had Diana survived?

I was a huge fan of Diana. It still makes me sad.

[pat grimshaw]

... How would it have panned out had Diana survived?....

it would have panned out just like it did for the late duchess of Windsor— living in limbo while being loved and hated by the mob.

BTW: where is Unloadonme in this thread?

[M10000]

What if we were 'duped'? What if Diana never walked through the landmine. What if it was a publicity stunt? I have never thought about it before but maybe it was a photo op

It had to be tough growing up without a mother and a wacky father (I know about the wacky father)

How useless does Charles feel? The job he was meant to do . . . he has yet to do . . . to be King

[jmadaf]

She's not forgotten, the Britts just look to the future, not live in the past. America I love her but we are so hung up on conspiracy, there are still people not letting JFK rest in peace.

[chillyboi]

1 of thee saddest days of my life

[mikey3000]

Hmmm, I'm guessing you have been enjoying a splendid dinner with Beaujolais as an entrée, followed by some Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc to accompany the first course. I imagine the main course was Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Grenache followed by Muscat or Brandy as dessert.

Hmmm... You know an awful lot about wine...

[pat grimshaw]

^
I spent five minutes googling to write that post. I wanted to say in a tactful way that my friend Hard-Up's post was just silly gossip.

[mikey3000]

Funny, but I would believe it. Infidelity in aristocratic circles is very common. Nove of that would surprise me in the slightest.

[pat grimshaw]

^ maybe so but we're taking about HRH Elizabeth and HRH Phillip.

[mikey3000]

^ Do you think a HRH has never had an affair before? Really? Oh man, you know that's not true. There are many rumors and innuendoes about Phillips infidelity, but no, you won't find proof. "Proof" is almost impossible to get, especially from yesteryear when the press would NEVER print anything like that. It is rumored that bisexuality is rampant throughout the Royal family, but of course you'd never hear that in the press, yet. Just think of your family, or my family, or anyone's family, are all of our bedsheets clean? No! Why would theirs?

[Hard-up1]

I'll readily admit that Prince Phillip's alleged infidelities go no further than gossip; such is the luxury the very wealthy and powerful enjoy. The House of Windsor wields enough power to squelch any real news.

Considering the service of Queen Elizabeth, I can't say I'm chagrined. She deserves better than any infamy her husband's misconduct would bring.

No one sings the praises of the Prince Consort; were he to be a great man, it would show.

Whether he was faithful in marriage is a mystery; that he has been an ass in public events with his wife present, is not.

[pat grimshaw]

…Just think of your family, or my family, or anyone's family, are all of our bedsheets clean? No! Why would theirs?

^
My bedsheets are quite clean, thank you very much!

My parents were chaste until the wedding night. That may seem quaint to sex-mad Americans or to the gossip-loving, fault-finding Bog-Irish but my family came from English stock who knew the value of discipline over sensation.

There was infidelity in the homes of the queen's sister and children which may be credible but they had different values to the queen, her father and her consort.

I will wait for a credible biography before indulging in prurience.

[pat grimshaw]

Is Mrs Obama fornicating in the back rooms? is there scuttlebutt on Laura Bush?

[johaninsc]

just had to post this...

[cgymike]

Ah but Mrs. Simpson is still remembered ...

[Hard-up1]

Is Mrs Obama fornicating in the back rooms? is there scuttlebutt on Laura Bush?

Actually, the opposition did promote the theory that Hillary Clinton had an affair with Vince Foster, and that his suicide was either related or not a suicide.

More to the point, President Clinton was from Arkansas, and his affairs were no scuttlebutt. Why would the Windsors not have their own bad actors in the family? If Prince Phillip were of the character of the Queen, one would be more ready to dismiss the accounts as outrageous attacks, but they don't really seem to be alien to his nature or circumstances.

[pat grimshaw]

^
there are too many presumptuous assumptions here

[Hard-up1]

Agreed, both for and against Prince Phillip's integrity.

[pat grimshaw]

the slandered prince