Historic figure?? Maybe, but only if you consider People magazine as a reference document. Diana will IMO be a footnote in the actual history books, ultimately no more important than the wife of George IV.
Tell that to the AIDS Community. Back when there was so much fear and terror over the AIDS Epidemic and so much misinformation out there, pictures of Diana shaking the hands of AIDS victims w/out wearing any gloves? That did more for AIDS Awareness than any Awareness Campaign or Educational Effort had ever done to that point. The same w/Leprosy during some of their East Asian Tours where she was once again seen shaking hands w/Leprosy victims w/out gloves on and once again, did more for Awareness and Education than anything to that point.
Tell that to the Disabled Community. Diana was the first major Royal to take on the "supposedly" unpopular causes, such as the Mentally Disabled to name just one. She also fought for integration both in and outside the Schools between Disabled and Able bodied Children w/the various Patronages she took on that were and still are fighting that battle and brought badly needed exposure to the issue like never before.
And try telling that to me!! I met her back in 1991 during her final visit to Canada. When she and Charles arrived on the level of Science North that I was on, I had been placed beside two people in Wheelchairs in order to hope we'd at the very least have a good view of TRHs coming onto the exhibit level we were all on. When she and Charles walked off the spiral ramp that's the access way to the various exhibit floors, we literally had a crowd right in front of us and blocking whatever view we did have.
Diana saw what had happened too. She headed straight for us and instead of meeting those that had rudely blocked our clear view, said in a pleasant tone to them "Excuse me please?" and w/the crowd performing a Human version of the Parting of the Red Sea, she headed straight for us to chat w/before anyone else on that part of Science North that day.
At the time I was still dealing w/all I went through during my years of Hell School as the first Legally Blind/Visually Impaired Student while in my final year there and little did I know it then, but five months later I would be starting two years on Kidney Dialysis and two Transplants as well. One of the few things that helped me on some of the worst days I used to say I would never wish on anyone, were the memories of that very special day when Princess Diana met *me*!!
So if all you think Diana's place in History is, is as a Tabloid Diva and nothing more, that's your opinion. The truth OTOH is not even close!!
BTW, the reason why I now say I used to say I would never wish what I have gone through in my life on anyone, is due to this. W/the direction this World of ours is headed down, where Compassion seems to be dying and rudeness more and more the Order of the Day and Things, perhaps if more people walked a few miles in mine or some of my friends' shoes and went through what I have to deal w/just shopping for Groceries for example, then maybe that would turn things around.
Perhaps it would, perhaps it wouldn't. I do know Diana made a difference not just w/me, not just the various Charities she worked w/, but she made a difference in this World of ours. I for one will be doing my best to keep her Memory and Legacy alive always.
