Diana’s Legacy

As the 12th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death approached, some of us were convinced that we would never again see such an outpouring of grief around the world. Well this past June we were proven wrong; when Pop Icon Michael Jackson died the world once again joined forces to mourn another of their beloved figures.

The time once again approaches where I tend to stop and think about what we have learned from all this. Twelve years on, what’s left of Diana’s legacy? When doing this, I like to work backwards from her death. After three investigations and an inquest we’re still left with a number of people doubting that her death was an accident. Personally I feel those conspiracy theories will forever remain. It doesn’t seem to matter how much evidence the police release, there will always be those who will say it’s merely a coverup. The main source of the conspiracy theories, Mohamed Fayed, Dodi Fayed’s father, decided after the inquest to end his decade-long quest for his version of justice. For many fans including myself it was a relief. After his humiliating performance at the inquest I too agreed that it was time for Mr. Fayed to end his charade.

As for what’s left of Diana’s legacy, I find there are many people who don’t seem to give her any credit for much of the great work she did. Although she was around for just a short time, she did a great deal to help many of her charities. Those things include helping take away some of the stigma towards AIDS victims, helping out those with leprosy and disabilities, the terminally ill and the elderly. Of course one of her greatest achievements has to be when she pressured the United Kingdom as well as other nations to move forward and sign the Ottawa treaty, which helped ban dangerous land mines. Who could forget her infamous walk across the minefield in Angola in January 1997 and her visit to Bosnia in August 1997, just weeks before her untimely death?

Of course we can’t forget that Diana was no saint, for we’ve learned over the years that although she was very naive and shy she was also a very manipulative person. She liked to play games with the press and at the same time play the victim card. As hard as it may seem, no one can forget her 1995 Panorama interview and her admission of adultery with her riding instructor James Hewitt. Just 3 years earlier in the Morton tapes, as well as in the Settelen tapes, she had failed to mention this relationship. It is rumored that Diana had numerous lovers over the years including Oliver Hoare, Barry Mannakee, Will Carling, and of course the most famous one of all, Hasnat Khan.

Twelve years on I’ve come to the conclusion that Diana was like all of us…merely human. She had her good side and her bad side. And although it’s been said many times before, I truly believe that her greatest legacy is her two sons, William and Harry. They are the ones who will help carry the Monarchy into the future.

Filed under Historical Royals, The United Kingdom
Tagged Anniversary, Death, Diana Princess of Wales.

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