it was 20 years ago today :( [Princess Diana]

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It is nuts that Harry wore that Nazi uniform.

I can forgive the uniform (if I must), but slaughtering the animals had a more direct effect on my opinion about today's "Princes in the Tower."

I don't particularly worship William and Harry, make no mistake. I too am appalled that they hunt like the world just went into famine, and even that they joined the military -- Diana didn't seem to be the type who would want them to kill man nor beast.

I always thought Diana would be sh*****g herself to see some of the things those boys have turned out to be and do.

So don't tell me about it, I'm not holding those guys up as any beacon of light.

But Charles is even worse. If a gun is put to my head I'd rather have William than Charles be king.

The only thing I do approve of is that at least William and Harry talk openly about mental health, enough that there has been more of a dialog about it in stiff upper lip Britain.

And the old horse is pissed off at them for it.

I figured you would describe them that way. I agree. But, I haven't heard about the princes talking about mental health. Have they mentioned Prince John ( http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 18671.html )?

Just when I thought I disliked them "... they pull me back in."

It's been all this year, around British TV and media -- they have done more candid interviews this year, being the 20th anniversary of Diana's death. There have been items about it on news programs, online articles, and several documentaries on Diana in which both sons have broken silence. They have also specifically spoken about the importance of concern about mental health needing to be more actively addressed in Britain.

It's probably all findable on Google -- it's basically been a high profile press "thing" of William and Harry talking openly and publicly for the first time, about the effect Diana's death had on them, on their own experiences of depression and denial, and from this it's been more talked about of how they are bringing that stuff into more of a public light than previous royals, therefore it's quite the contrast.

There has also been word in the same articles of how apparently the Queen is "not amused."

I kind of love that because it's almost like Diana is still causing her grief, lol.

Wow----how'd you miss THAT (them talking-about mental health)? It's been all over American T.V., as well. The three of them (Wm, Harry, and Catherine [William's wife]) have teamed-up, and started a campaign to heighten awareness, about the struggles with mental health issues. Prince William also enlisted Lady GaGa, because she has ALSO been so public about her mental health problems (Depression, I think). It's been in several national news programs----and, they've had at least one Special, about it.....

Who's Prince John? I read your article, but I didn't see anything about him (maybe I missed it).

The things that I found interesting, in that article, was that they said that Diana suffered a heart-attack, at the scene of the crash----and, I don't think I've ever heard that, before. I'm thinking they mean that her heart stopped----and, that it was not, like, a "regular" heart-attack; cuz, the first thing I thought-of, was why would someone so young, have a heart-attack.

Another thing that I found interesting, was that your linked article said that Diana said, that she AND Camilla had been used as "decoys", cuz who Prince Charles wanted to marry, for-some-time, was the boys' nanny, Tiggy. I don't think I remember hearing THAT one, either. I mean, it seemed the story, all-along, was that PC wanted to marry Camilla (supposedly, the love of his life), but couldn't, cuz she was married----and that, when Princess Diana said "There were three of us, in this marriage----so, it was a bit crowded" (or something like that), that she was saying the third one, was Camilla.

Also, I think it's kinda silly, or naïve, or whatever, for her butler (or, whoever he was - Mr Burrell) to say that he thought it was "impossible" that she was murdered----and, that, "knowing them so well", "the father of her children", and "members of the Royal Family", COULDN'T have had anything to do with it. I'm NOT saying that they DID, cuz I don't believe they did, either (if, for no other reason, than because PD and Dodi's plans, changed, at the last minute, and, it seems unlikely that anyone would've had time, to get-into place, if it had been arranged, to murder PD)----BUT, it's not like it's unheard-of, no.1; and, no.2, IMO, absolutely NO ONE knows the "snapped mind" of someone who plans to kill (or, have someone killed).

In response to the OP: I remember, VIVIDLY, where I was, and what I was doing.....

I was at home, watching TV, and a "Special Report" cut-in to whatever program, was on, to say that she had been in a car accident----the first report said that it was believed that she had minor injuries and had a broken arm; then, by-the-time the 11 o'clock (PM) local news, came-on, they announced her death.

I thought someone had reached into my chest, and ripped-out my heart, with their bare hand----I had always loved her; STILL do.....

It added to the sadness I was already feeling over the murder of Gianni Versace, around 3 weeks, before (and, it was so WILD, later, when I remembered them showing her, at his funeral)----and, I was GLUED to the TV, ALL week, watching every report about her death (I still have a VHS tape of reports and programs of her death, that I recorded that week, and a newspaper); and, then, of course, at the end of the same week, came the report of Mother Teresa's death----MAN, what a MONTH!!

I have been in that tunnel, in Paris (as well as, pretty much, anyone who's ever been to Paris, I can imagine [TOURIST, anyway] cuz, IIRC, that's how one gets to the Champs-Élysées), in which the accident was said to have happened----and, I've never been able to believe that they were going at the rate-of-speed, they said said they were going, cuz there's a drain at the entrance to that tunnel (like there is at the entrance to most tunnels, IME), and the ground DIPS, right there; so, if they were going that rate-of-speed, ENTERING the tunnel, that would've been, IMO, the end to the occupants of the car, right there (or, been seriously hurt, at-the-very-least, IMO), cuz they would've hit the inside of the roof of the car (Diana, especially, was tall, and wasn't wearing a seatbelt).

Also, supposedly, they found that drug in Henri Paul's system (I can't remember what it's called - but, people who are alcoholics take it, so they won't drink), after they said he was drunk. Now, I guess it's possible that it could still be in his system, from however many days, before----BUT, if he took it, that day, as I understand it, there's NO WAY he could've drunk, any alcohol, cuz he would've been pukin'-up his GUTS (that's the whole PURPOSE of the drug); PLUS, that drug makes it so that one registers positive for alcohol, being in their system.

I guess we'll never TRULY know what happened.....

Was drunk in a local pub, left to go home and saw it on TV. Shrugged my shoulders and went to bed.

The whole 'people's princess' thing is history rewritten. She was attention crazy and loved all the media interest her position brought her, when it was not on her terms she threw tantrums and was known to be difficult.

Most people my age here in the UK seem to have a memory of waking up hungover to find our usual 'hangover tv' had been cancelled. Annoying.

I never understood this screaming need to run from the paparazzi.

Well, my number-one reason for missing celebrity news is that I loathe all media. I avoid it intentionally. On the rare occasion that I witness say, Entertainment Tonight, I have no clue who they are highlighting and describing. If celebrity mongering is what this world has become, I am glad to know little about it.

Prince John of the United Kingdom (1905-1919) ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Jo ... ed_Kingdom ) was an uncle of Queen Elizabeth II. Described as having an "acknowledged learning disability and a possible intellectual disability [...] linked to his severe epilepsy; recent speculation finds some behaviors consistent with autism." As such, at the time, John was often hidden away from public view and royal description.

That's because you've never been stalked by them, practically, 24/7.

Also, for someone like an Aspie, who loves to be alone (as most of us do), to say they don't understand someone wanting to be alone, just blows-my-mind.

Oh, okay----COOL----I didn't know that.....

The paparazzi are way, way too persistent. You wonder whether they actually value their own lives.

I would run far from them.

Yep. While I am far from being a celebrity, I became friends with several celebrities who explained to me the problems of public attention 24/7/365. At first, it can be fun, but then it becomes tedious and annoying, even hostile. My own small taste of being a "public figure" when I was an LGBT activist in a state with few such activists at the time wasn't the experience I had expected. The media were constantly calling me to ask about my next political move and future plans. To them, I was just entertainment. Though I got a lot accomplished, it still upsets me to think about the ways the public and media criticized me or relied on me for their next news report. And yes, several law-enforcement agencies volunteered their advice over the years about protecting myself and my privacy. All in all, weird and heady stuff to this activist.

How can all that lead to any kind of normal life? Diana learned early and well to keep the paparazzi at a distance. Even then, she was still pursued relentlessly.

And from what I gather, the paparazzi had generally taken to actually calling out abuse to her just to get a reaction. It was no longer just a case of running after her calling "Ma'am? Ma'am?" and snapping away.

Apparently it had started to be this:

"William says: 'If you are the Princess of Wales and you're a mother, I don't believe being chased by 30 guys on motorbikes who block your path, who spit at you to get a reaction from you… and make a woman cry in public to get a photograph, I don't believe that is appropriate."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4721336/They-spat-Prince-William-Diana-s-paparazzi.html#ixzz4rXDrGqbQ

The paps had started to say abusive things to get a reaction, spit at her to get a reaction, etc.

Who wants to go about their day with that in their face 24/7?

I think, too, the reason the car was driven in such a "screaming need" to get away from them was that perhaps they didn't want to lead them home. I'm not sure if where they were staying was also known to the paps, but perhaps they were going to somewhere different and didn't want to bring 50 guys on motorcycles back with them.

Having said that, I don't know why they didn't just opt to stay put in the Ritz that night, which had been an option, particularly when made aware all those guys were waiting outside.

I can't imagine how it must feel to have entered public life not really understanding these other aspects of the life, and then to find that never again will you be able to put the 24 hour spotlight on you back in the box, ever. To never be able to do anything personal unnoticed again, even go out to dinner and go home.

I honestly never saw her appeal. I don't know why she sold so many papers.

It's sad that she died so young.

But can we not just let it go now?

Remember to wear your seatbelts people.