Thursday, August 31, 2006

Oh blah blah blah

So it's the whatever anniversary of Princess Diana's death, and we're all supposed to be weeping and gnashing our teeth in misery because the world lost such a wonderful, sweet, kind, person.

Fie! I'm not glad she's dead, but I thought she was a dumb bitch. A woman who went on national television to talk shit about the father of her children. A mentally unstable woman who tried to manipulate and change a thousand years of tradition to suit her own ends. A woman who used people, made bad judgements, expected everyone else to feel sorry for her, and generally created her own hell.

It's a shame. I do feel bad for anyone who makes their life such a misery. But a saint? Come on! The best thing that woman ever did for herself was die before people could realize what a vacuous fame-whore she really was. The cult that's built up around her (and c'mon, she wasn't that pretty or stylish. Catherine Zeta-Jones has more flair and flatters herself better in clothing. The only reason people think Diana was so stylish is that British women in general look like overly fussy schlubs all the time. Even Diana's famous wedding dress was frumpy and unflattering, I thought) makes me ill. Dodi Fayed was a dumb ass rich kid playboy bent on star-fucking his way into the National Enquirer, and Diana wasn't much better. Am I the only one who looks at that famous interview done back in '80,'81, the one where Prince Charles said something like "Yes, I love her, whatever love means"? And everyone says what a horrible thing that was for him to say...but if you look at Diana standing next to him, she looks smug. Like she's about to go phone all those kids who were mean to her in school and shout "Nyah nyah nyah!" It's not the face of a woman in love, that's all I'm saying. If you can find the video (and with all the Diana-madness we have to endure every year at this time I'm sure you can) have a look at it again with that in mind. You'll see what I mean. (Update--I found the interview online here. It's a bit grainy, so I don't know if you'll get the full effect.)

People who knew her as a child say how she always insisted she was going to marry a Duke at least. People who knew her when she was dating Charles say she totally changed her personality in order to nab him, making him think she was a different person, one who actually liked him and shared his interests. After they married, she went out of her way to upstage him and make him look stupid whenever possible. And we're supposed to think she's a wonderful person?

Does a good mother expose her children to the kind of scrutiny and negative public attention she subjected hers to, in her media war with their father? Does a good mother fire their beloved nanny because she feels threatened by their affection for her? And then publicly accuse said nanny of aborting a pregnancy caused by the children's father? Not last time I checked. I always thought that was the type of action only a selfish, manipulative egomaniac would perform. Oh guess what, I was right.

Don't even get me started on that fucking Elton John song. I remember when she died, and for the next couple of weeks at work, the soft-rock station we were forced to listen to played that goddamn thing like twice an hour. Every hour. All day. And we had to hear celebrity-worshipping morons call in to the station too, sobbing about what a "special person" she was. Just like they thought if they ever met her, she wouldn't look right through them because they couldn't throw her expensive parties or write songs about her.

Sure, she did some good. She touched AIDS patients when nobody would. She deserves credit for that, although I've never heard of any other member of the Royal Family who refused to do the same. But her later causes were a bit facile, weren't they? As Hilary Mantel said in her novel Beyond Black (and this is from memory because I'm too lazy to go upstairs and get the book) "Campaigning against land mines isn't exactly controversial, is it? Everybody is against land mines. It's not like she took a big stand and came out against dolphins or something." Prince Charles created the Prince's Trust as a young man, an incredible charity that helps teach young people valuable skills, get starts in business (including financial aid), earn school qualifications, all kinds of things--practical things--that Diana never went near because it wasn't high profile enough. He also championed organic goods and farming methods long before they were fashionable (Diana laughed at his environmental interests). His Duchy Originals line of organic foods donates all profits to charities (including rural housing projects and international Red Cross appeals) and champions organic, earth-sustaining methods both of growing produce and raising livestock.

It won't surprise you, I'm sure, to know I'm a fan of his, and of Camilla, who I adore. C'mon, the woman introduced herself to him in the 70s with the line, "My great-grandmother was the mistress of your great-grandfather. So how about it, then?" That takes balls, my friend, a streak of banditry we would all do well to emulate. That's a woman with real style, no matter how cruel people might claim she's "not pretty enough". (I've heard she's very pretty in person, and as someone who generally looks like a moonfaced ogre in pictures but am actually okay in person, I believe it.) I'm also a monarchist and so dislike her attempts to "liven it up" or whatever. I also really like the Queen. I even have a soft spot for poor Prince Phillip, a man destined to shove his foot right into his mouth any time he gets the chance to speak.

But Diana...bleh. I didn't want her to die, but I didn't like her one little bit, either.


*I should hopefully be getting some good news very soon, and I'll post it when I do!*


13 comments:

Sam said...

I have to say I agree with most of your rant, lol. I could never understand the media frenzy about her - but I have to admit being sad she died in such a tragic accident. I felt so sorry for her children. (still do, lol. What a horrible life - inside a fishbowl with no chance to grow and develop normally - what kind of a person would actively seek that kind of life?)

Bernita said...

Once more, I agree entirely with you, December.
You've expressed my sentiments exactly.
I 've always liked Camilla - she knew how to keep her mouth shut.
I met Diana once.

Anonymous said...

Charles and Diana are a classic example of wealth and power get the girl for the ugly guy. Donald Trump and his women come to mind. There is no way someone that ugly gets that attractive of a woman without wealth and power (rarely, anyway). Camilla is a much better match for Charles. If they were in love in the first place they should have just went with it and saved all the bs. -JTC

Stacia said...

Oh, yes, Sam, it was horrible that she died the way she did, and I think it's awful that her sons have to grow up without their mother. As for what kind of person would actively seek that life--good question.

Ah, Bernita, once again you stress the most important thing that I left out. That's one of the huge reasons why I adore Camilla. She does indeed know how to keep her mouth shut. I like that in a person. :-)


Can't agrue there, JTC--I don't remember why C&C didn't marry when they were younger. I seem to recall he went away into the military and they thought their relationship was over because of it?

cindy said...

i was a huge diana fan! december, we were the same age when she got married. i remember staying up until 2am or some such watching the wedding with my grandfather. how could i have forgotten that memory of us together until now?! i've always been a fan of the royals, ever since doing a book report on the queen when i was 12. now, i find the first elizabeth and her mother ann boleyn the most interesting. women put in positions of power fascinate me. as for diana, one can't help but feel both her and charles were put into some sort of mock fairy tale. it's sad, really. for everyone involved. prince william looks so much like his mother, too. we all watch the queen's speech after crimbo dinner each year. =)

Robyn said...

Famewhore...

I have to say I agree with you there. The one member of the royal family who is rarely interviewed, rarely photographed, yet is reportedly the hardest working woman in Windsor is Princess Anne. Looking at how headlines- freaking full page headlines- were made if Di had a new upswept hairdo yet seeing Anne pretty much forgotten by the celebrity press proves to me that Di must have courted at least some of that attention.

Anonymous said...

I've been watching the UK Biography channel and the specials on Diana. I have to say she looked a bit odd in the early film footage. She had a strange sort of eye contact and always looked a bit cheshire-ish.

But *yeeps* December!! I don't think she was the antichrist.. ;)

She's my JFK, though. And by that I mean the way my parents know where they were when he was shot, is the same way I know exactly where I was and what I was doing when CNN flashed that news.

s.w. vaughn said...

You GO! Agree with Robyn -- famewhore is a great term.

Can't wait to hear the good news!!!

(I hope it's what I think it is!)

*goes back to drumming fingers on desk waiting for the Crapometer to open*

Lynne Simpson said...

I mostly felt sorry for Diana, and I never got the near-deification, either. I like Camilla's tomboyish, practical image and am glad she and Charles are finally together.

I agree about Charles, December. His activism is of much longer standing and isn't always of the headlines-grabbing variety.

Stacia said...

Couldn't agree more, Mrs. Brain Bomb! Let's have some old-school monarchy again!

I do remember being awakened to watch the wedding, Cyn. I barely kept my eyes open but I wanted to see a real prince & princess, and I wanted to live in England so bad because they had them here...:-)


Exactly, Robyn! Where's the Princess Royal's applause and fuss? Even her webpage isn't that great.

Stacia said...

Oh, I'll never forget the night she died, Isabella. That was quite a shock.

Thanks, SW, you were right! My number missed the COM too--I was 119.

Yep, Lynne, but nobody gives him credit. Well, they do more now than they used to, just like he gets more credit for being a good father now that he's given the chance to be.

Stacia said...

Thanks, Jenn, me either. Even when they were first married I thought she looked like a bitch and couldn't figure out why everyone liked her so much. Of course, my Mom really hated her, which may be in part where I picked it up...

Sha'el, Princess of Pixies said...

Old school monarchy? I'm willing to assume my duties as Queen of Scotland. Dump that upstart German family!

Scotland needs a Pixie as Queen, especially one who descends from a flock of Bruces, Stewarts, and William the Lion. Can't forget William.

Today's "royals" are clueless, and we should be grateful that they don't really rule. Except for that very nice princess who joined the royal marines. She's got a head on her shoulders.

I sent the entire mss of Too Soon Good B'ye through your web site email. Thanks for your comments on Miss Snark's blog.