08/30/2007
Tenth Anniversary of Diana's Death Marked by Pomp and Conspiracy
It's the 10th anniversary of Princess Diana's death tomorrow and the New York Times takes a look at the buzz and conspiracy theories that still surround the life of Diana:
"And people are still arguing, as they did in that odd, volatile time a decade ago, over Diana’s significance, in life and in death. Was she a naïve innocent or a sophisticated schemer? Was Diana an extraordinary woman whose 'lifetime of service touched the lives of millions,' as Mr. Brown wrote over the weekend, or a'devious moron' desperate for attention, as the feminist author Germaine Greer recently described her?"
ABC News is looking at Who's In and Who's Out at the Diana Memorial Service. Camilla Parker-Bowles, once labeled "the Rottweiler" by Diana, opted out earlier this week: "I'm very touched to have been invited by Prince William and Prince Harry to attend the thanksgiving service for their mother, Diana, princess of Wales. I accepted and wanted to support them. However, on reflection, I believe my attendance could divert attention from the purpose of the occasion, which is to focus on the life and service of Diana."
The hour-long private service, being held tomorrow at the Guards Chapel opposite St James' Park, near Buckingham Palace, has been criticized because it is being billed as a "family event" but is being held in the center of London to the dismay of the hordes that haven't been invited to the service itself, or even to watch it televised. Some are saying that if it was to be a private affair it should have been held at Althorp.
Australia's The Age notes: "Britain will mark the 10th anniversary of Princess Diana's death today with a low-key service that has been criticised for excluding the public and exposing the royal family to the same bad publicity that dogged it at the time of the princess' death."
The conspiracy theories are out in full force. Among them are a forthcoming interview with Diana's "love rat" James Hewitt, who reportedly refuels the Prince Harry paternity speculation: "In an exclusive interview with A Current Affair's Tracy Grimshaw, to be broadcast tomorrow night, Hewitt tells of his last conversation with Diana, his dislike of the Royal family and the delicate question of Harry's paternity. His handling of the latter question — he has stormed out of interviews or issued flat denials in the past — marks a dramatic shift, and arouses fresh speculation he is the true father of Britain's youngest prince."
I ran across this video this morning, however, and it's probably the weirdest 'psychic' theory I've come across regarding the events of August 31, 1997 — that the work of Morrissey and The Smiths somehow foreshadowed Diana's tragic death in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris.
The Queen is dead, boys. And it's so lonely on a limb.
Sphere: Related ContentPosted 12:15 PM EST by Andy in Great Britain, News, Prince Harry, Prince William, Princess Diana, Royalty | Permalink
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How could anyone believe that Harry is the son of James Hewitt? Harry's facial features echo Charles' very strongly. Isn't the father-son resemblance between Charles and Harry plain as day to most people?
Posted by: Tom | Aug 30, 2007 12:32:06 PM
Princess Diana died at the hands of a drunk driver and a thrill seeking playboy boyfriend with a thurst for speed. Doing 70 miles an hour in the middle of a large city is asking for trouble, and they were't being chased by people with guns shooting at them. They were chased by men with cameras. Not worth driving dangerously for.
And I agree with Tom. Prince Harry has too much of the Windsor look. He also looks a great deal like the Queen.
Posted by: enough already | Aug 30, 2007 12:41:29 PM
i'd venture to say that both William and Harry are waytoo good-looking to actually be sons of Prince Charles, period.
Posted by: A.J | Aug 30, 2007 12:44:48 PM
Prince William is getting quite homely, as his mother had become as she aged. They look just alike.
Harry very strongly resembles Hewitt, as the two photos side by side show. I see nothing of Charles in his face.
Posted by: Patrick | Aug 30, 2007 12:51:07 PM
The Smiths/Diana connection is about the dumbest thing I've heard in a long time.
Posted by: Marco | Aug 30, 2007 12:56:08 PM
"Princess Di is wearing a new dress..."
Posted by: David Gahan | Aug 30, 2007 1:10:22 PM
Oy. Those conspiracy theorists - they're grasping at pillars.
Posted by: seeldee | Aug 30, 2007 1:20:12 PM
re: Morrissey & Diana connections. LOVE IT. All goes to point out how the richness of celebrity, texts and media saturation all feed fan creation of even more rich media texts. This is a media studies wet dream.
Posted by: resurrect | Aug 30, 2007 1:29:31 PM
"The Queen is dead, boys. And it's so lonely on a limb"
Or:
Charles don't you ever crave
To appear on the front of The Daily Mail
Dressed in your mother's
Bridal veil?
Yes, look at the two pictures of Squdigy Hewitt and Prince Harry: same nose, same sort of mouth, plus Harry's ginger like Hewitt is. Where's the ears that look like satellite dishes? This isn't 1386, there's no pressing succession issues at stake, so what if Hewitt is Harry's father? Charles has raised him and that's that.
Posted by: Henry Holland | Aug 30, 2007 1:34:47 PM
If you google Prince Harry & Queen Elizabeth and go to images you will see photos of the Queen inspecting the troop that Harry is in. And there are photos of them looking at each other in profile. Not only does Harry look like the Queen, but in these pics you can see that he has her exact nose. Harry is Charles son!
Posted by: harry is charles kid | Aug 30, 2007 1:35:09 PM
I've heard all these rumors lately that Prince William in gay and some Brit boys are saying they've had sex with him and that Kate Middleton is his beard.
What up Wills?
Posted by: wait | Aug 30, 2007 1:40:10 PM
~that was the stupidest thing ever.
Posted by: darth geek | Aug 30, 2007 1:48:37 PM
I'm certain they would have done paternity tests when the kid was born, if not earlier. The govt. would not have liked to be taken by surprise. If he were not Charles' son, they would have insisted Diana get an abortion (and called it a miscarriage).
Posted by: anon (gmail.com) | Aug 30, 2007 1:50:45 PM
All of this speculation comes down to the fact that Harry is the only redhead among his generation of royals. Something the press routinely overlooks is that many of Diana's relatives have of had red hair including her sisters and brother and her father. It's a pretty strong trait in her family. Also, there is a wide range of lighter hair colors in the queen's family other than her former dark brown hair including her grandmother, her uncle (Edward VII) and her husband. There's plenty of genetic evidence among those people alone to account for Harry's hair color. As far as his face goes, he definitely shares many features with his grandmother.
Posted by: JC | Aug 30, 2007 1:55:06 PM
You can choose the pictures of Harry to suit your own theory. I saw one of his once and the first person I thought of was Princess Anne. Some people simply prefer the salacious theory, and there is nothing anyone can do about those people, like the person who posted that William and Hary are too good looking to be Charles' sons (he is apparently completely ignorant of the fact that William has the looks of his mother's family).
Posted by: hazh | Aug 30, 2007 1:57:15 PM
Arrest Morrissey!!
Posted by: CJ | Aug 30, 2007 1:58:07 PM
That necklace that Camilla is wearing is a drag-queen special. Totally.
Posted by: Brian | Aug 30, 2007 2:03:02 PM
The boring-est royal family on the planet if u ask me. Wait...that's not possible, we don't hear of ANY other royal families. Boring still!
Posted by: Shabaka | Aug 30, 2007 2:07:40 PM
Who believes for one second that they have do paternity tests on every royal child that is born? They are not going to leave the future rule of a country to a child that might not be of royal blood.
Secondly, genetics are a very strange thing. I look absolutely nothing like my father. My fraternal twin brother looks even less like my father. We both have very dark, olive skin while both my mother and father are very caucasian. If you look at my dads great grandfather, however, I could be a carbon copy of him.
Posted by: Chris | Aug 30, 2007 2:20:59 PM
If you look at pictures of Prince Phillip when he was young, there's an extremely strong resemblance (though better-looking) to Prince Harry.
Posted by: Harriet Vane | Aug 30, 2007 2:39:41 PM
Morrissey Schmorrisey - everybody knows Yoko is to blame.
Posted by: Giovanni | Aug 30, 2007 2:54:10 PM
Shabaka - I routinely hear about the Monaco Royal Family. Remember, Grace Kelly married into that family.
Posted by: Alexia | Aug 30, 2007 3:04:42 PM
And I was shocked into shame to discover
How I'm the 18th pale descendant
Of some old queen or other
Posted by: Snottyboy | Aug 30, 2007 4:27:27 PM
shabaka,
then there is the japanese royal family and the spanish royals and ....
Posted by: nic | Aug 30, 2007 4:57:18 PM
JC, actually, Edward VII was the Queen's great-grandfather (and Victoria's son). You might be referring to Edward VIII, which was Elizabeth II's uncle, who was more sandy-haired or blonde than red, but regardless. Red hair certainly IS a trait of the Spencer family (who interestly enough is 150 years older than the Windsor family).
It never fails to amaze how people love to gossip and sling shit, no matter at how beloved the idol. It speaks much more about the person slinging it than it's intended target.
Will people never let her rest in peace?
Posted by: Jordan | Aug 30, 2007 5:21:08 PM
After finding these two photos and comparing them, it really confirms it to me. The noses are utterly identical. They also have the same eyes and eyebrows. Even the forhead profile line is identical.
http://flickr.com/photos/violentz/1279821152/
Posted by: Patrick | Aug 30, 2007 5:44:25 PM
"I routinely hear about the Monaco Royal Family. Remember, Grace Kelly married into that family"
Speaking of which - Forget Harry and Wills, Monaco's Andrea & Pierre Casiraghi bring much more of the sexy. Wild and beautiful eurotrash beats laddish English horsey every time.
Posted by: Giovanni | Aug 30, 2007 6:25:55 PM
I love conspiracy theories! They are like the great roadside attractions that used to be along Americas freeways!
The Black Hills Vortex! Worlds Largest Rubberband Ball!
Genius. Love it. It's True. All of it.
Posted by: Br!on | Sep 1, 2007 3:37:50 PM