Should Camilla attend the memorial service for Diana?

[love_cc]

Their father who is always more concerned with himself than anyone else, requested that their step-mother be invited. She is a sensible woman. Camilla is a shrewd and calculating person. She has gotten to this position in that manner. .

I can accept your reasons for Camilla not attending the service but I don't agree with you about the judgment of Camilla's character.Not even a proper royal biography really Knows Camilla well enough to make such a judgment.All they have are the pieces of information from their sources but rarely Camilla's side sources. It's not about Camilla's camp but it is about lacking reliable evidence in hand to make such judgements.I hope that you can see my point and you can keep you opinion about Camilla.

I don't believe that Camilla is a calculating woman because the Queen and Prince William and Prince Harry accpeted Camilla's importance in Charles's life long time ago. The Queen allowed Charles to marry Camilla,gave her HRH,loaned her heirloom jellerys and I believe that the Queen chose to accept Camilla exactly because she was never a calculating woman. Charles is not that stuipid to let himself being calculated for 35 years without being doubted her motives.

 

[BeatrixFan]

I am new, so I hope I don't offend anyone, but aside from the acrimony and the sanctimony, what I read here is getting quite overboard. We have someone calling people nutters ( I assume as quaint English term for crazy), because their stance is opposite of theirs. The same person now, is scraming about the fall of the British Monarchy. Who's the "nutter"?

It's not a case of agreeing or disagreeing, it's a case of a fringe of people who never knew someone, putting permanent obstacles in the way of Charles and Camilla in the name of that person. And that to me denotes a nutter and someone who is one sandwich off of a full picnic. I'm not screaming about the fall of the British monarchy, anyone who knows me will tell you I don't scream about anything. I just know what this denotes, I see the way the wind is blowing and that leads me to deduce that the monarchy has served it's purpose.

This is the 10th anniversary of the Princes' Mother's death. I, and I could be wrong, think the princes wanted to honor their mother, in a way they couldn't at her death, because they were so young.

And don't we know it. They had a concert. What they've now done is turned this into Distock 2007 and it's getting not only very boring and irritating, but dangerous for the Royal Family. William and Harry are not children anymore and should have learned by now that you never bite the hand that feeds you, which is ultimately what they've both done. They organised this service in full knowledge that it would put the Duchess of Cornwall in an awful position. And who stood up for the Duchess? Nobody. I'm all for mourning but the British have never gone in for memorial services like this and the way the boys are carrying on, anyone would think this was Belgium (no offence, I quite like Belgium). We simply don't do annual memorial services and perhaps now we see why we shouldn't.

 

[Skydragon]

the Burrual article has not been found,it displayed. her.

It seems to be working OK, but here it is again
Burrell's furious phone calls as he is banned from Diana memorial service | the Daily Mail

You suppose you can call them that?

A lot of young men of their age lose parents and I would think the majority would think it rather strange to hear themselves described in such 'emotive' terms.

Then they should turn down their invitations to attend when they arrive if it so wholly concerns them.

As I am sure you realise, I was talking about the general public when I said, that most people are puzzled as to why they are holding a memorial at all, (some of whom will also have lost parents).

This is not Diana's legacy. Apparently I have to repeat the obvious statement that Diana is dead and had no opportunity to have an active hand in any it..

When most people talk about Diana, very few away from this forum, talk about any good works she may have done. They talk about the Morton book, the Panorama interview, the boyfriends/lovers, the holiday, the crash, the accusations she apparently made against Charles, the latest book or article with even more details. When people talk about this memorial, they will talk about the row it caused within the UK as to whether or not Camilla should attend. Whether you like/accept it or not Diana's legacy is division. A legacy is what you leave behind.

That was the reason for the concert, after all the revelations and the negative publicity in books and the media, to try to remind people what Diana was about.

 

[misselle]

Camilla has decided not to go. I was glad that the boys invited her. In my opinion,Camilla has tried very hard not to run roughshod over Diana's memory.I agree with her decision not to go,so the press will leave her alone,just for a little while.

 

[BeatrixFan]

That was the reason for the concert, after all the revelations and the negative publicity in books and the media, to try to remind people what Diana was about.

And hasn't this memorial service reminded us what she was really about? It proves you totally right Skydragon. She was someone who brought division and damage to the Royal Family.

 

[pinkie40]

Camilla is getting miles of column inches due to her sudden withdrawal of her presence at the memorial. She has become the story and knocks off most of the Diana tributes off the radar (for today at least). If we had just ignored Camilla and all the fuss, Diana would have been top billing today in royal news. What will be remembered about this memorial service long after the last prayer is said is how Camilla "almost" attended.... To usurp power of personalities is to not feed the press animal...

 

[Lady Marmalade]

BBC America will have coverage of the memorial. I checked their schedule and they have cleared 6 AM till 9 AM for the coverage and news.

Even after 10 years...there will always be a sense of "damned if you do, damned if you don't".

Camilla realized exactly what she would be taking once she married Prince Charles. It is one thing to be a mistress to, and quite another to be elevated to an HRH...everything that comes with it, you have to swallow.

Now, that said. While they have married and moved on, it will always be a sticky case of this was one person who helped to derail the marriage, just like Charles, Diana, James Gilbey, James Hewitt, Lady Tryon, Janet Jenkins, etc.

ALL these people knew what would happen once they entered the beds of Charles and Diana after they were married. So the blame is on all of them including Charles and Diana.

She is dead. These boys did NOT foolishly choose to have a memorial because they were ill-advised, etc. They wanted to honor their mother, who was taken from them at young ages for both, in their own way. There is nothing wrong with that, or how they wanted to do it.

Whether you want to admit it or not, Beatrixfan or Skydragon, (and I respect all your postings on here by the way) Diana made a tremendous impact on your Royal Family, good, bad, or indifferent, and as someone pointed out earlier, had the Royal Family not done what they did to face the challenges during 1914 through 1917, you might not have a Royal Family at all today.

The media, in all forms, is here to stay and one must adapt to that. Perception is EVERYTHING in today's world and it looks like HM is the only who has, and still is able to, retain the aura of mystery around her.

Charles, who moans about his lack of affection from his childhood, and his desire to be his own man, should learn when to listen and understand. The hardest decisions we make in life may not be the ones we want to do. It was ridiculous of him to insist she attend. Her Royal Highness should have been left alone to make her own decision and not feel "forced" by anyone to go or stay.

<Sigh>...thank goodness I am not related to this family.

I am curious if 10 year on memorials are planned for Mother Teresa and Sir George Solti, both who died in and around the same time, and made lasting contribtutions to the poor and sick and to the world of music respectively.

 

[kimebear]

Excellent post Lady Marmalade. Quite right.

 

[sirhon11234]

And hasn't this memorial service reminded us what she was really about? It proves you totally right Skydragon. She was someone who brought division and damage to the Royal Family.

Now that is a matter up for debate the Princess of Wales may have caused some damage to the monarchy but she wasn't the only one. She also did some good for the monarchy.

 

[Skydragon]

Whether you want to admit it or not, Beatrixfan or Skydragon, (and I respect all your postings on here by the way) Diana made a tremendous impact on your Royal Family, good, bad, or indifferent

On this we can agree!

Nothing planned for Sir George as far as I know.

 

[Skydragon]

She also did some good for the monarchy.

I wonder if the monarchy would agree.

 

[bbb]

all i know is i hope camilla has a lovely spa day friday, massage, facial, little bubbly because after all the mud she's been pulled through over this imo she deserves a good pampering. i hope she ignores and makes life a trial for those so called "advisors" at clarence house. they seem to be treating her like they did diana, shows how stupid they are- camilla is smart and even more important has the love and support of her husband- i hope she cuts them off at the knees and leaves them to bleed to death.

 

[COUNTESS]

I can accept your reasons for Camilla not attending the service but I don't agree with you about the judgment of Camilla's character.Not even a proper royal biography really Knows Camilla well enough to make such a judgment.All they have are the pieces of information from their sources but rarely Camilla's side sources. It's not about Camilla's camp but it is about lacking reliable evidence in hand to make such judgements.I hope that you can see my point and you can keep you opinion about Camilla.

I don't believe that Camilla is a calculating woman because the Queen and Prince William and Prince Harry accpeted Camilla's importance in Charles's life long time ago. The Queen allowed Charles to marry Camilla,gave her HRH,loaned her heirloom jellerys and I believe that the Queen chose to accept Camilla exactly because she was never a calculating woman. Charles is not that stuipid to let himself being calculated for 35 years without being doubted her motives.

Calculating people are very smart. It is not a put down. She, through 30 years, quietly had to calculate how she should deport herself, as to not lose the Charles' love. She shrewdly removed herself from sight after Diana's death. You see, shrewd and calculating people need not be evil people, just analytical. They, of course, many times are self serving. As to the queen letting Charles marry her. Remember she was non-negotiable. The queen either allowed them to marry or they would remain together, unmarried, which, IMHO, she believed to be worse. Most of the jewelry that she has been lent, has come from the Queen Mother's trove, which would enure to Charles at some point, anyway. There are several books about that quote the queen as referring to Camilla as "That wicked woman". Do I know this on a personal level, of course not. As for Charles, Camilla is the mother he never had. Her greatest feat to quote him directly "is to love him". Charles is a vain, spoiled child, who wants love and admiration. Camilla provides that. But now we are so far off topic.......

 

[sirhon11234]

I wonder if the monarchy would agree.

Yes they probably would.

 

[sesa]

This whole thing has gotten so out of control.

It seems as if "honoring the memory" of a person has turned more into "tribute".

If they really wanted to honor their mothers memory, they should have had a PRIVATE service with just family members in attendance.
and then they should have set up a PUBLIC service at another church for friends and the public. That way, whoever wanted to attend, could attend on their own accord.
This way the RF would have not been criticized and it would have not turned into a tug of war of who should go and not go. It just seems as if they have lost sight of what this is all supposed to be about and turned more into a major PR event.

 

[zhontella]

Camilla should have gone...........

William and Harry ...................... organised this service in full knowledge that it would put the Duchess of Cornwall in an awful position. And who stood up for the Duchess? Nobody.

Hmmm, I wonder if this is why they invited her?

Seriously, perhaps this memorial was designed by Charles to put a line under the whole Diana thing, and that required Camilla's presence at this memorial for Diana. Somehow this reminds me of another of life's cruel ironies -- Diana wanted Love, and instead she got Public Adulation and Publicity. I suspect Camilla wanted Public Adulation and instead she does get Love but only Public Scorn.

I can understand how inappropriate it would seem to most people to have Camilla at this memorial. On the other hand, I can also understand why Charles thought it was absolutely essential to have Camilla there -- to start the process of their moving out of Diana's shadow as a couple. If Camilla's first priority was Charles and their marriage, she would have gone to this memorial, and ignored the public's opinion. But she couldn't do that. I wonder why?

Sadly, the message Charles will get from Camilla's refusal to support him through this memorial is that the Public's Approval of her is more important than Charles is to her. Perhaps it always has been. Just another one of life's little twisted ironies.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Yes they probably would.

"Diana almost lost us our throne, our position and everything we know. Oh how we adore her". Yeah right...

 

[pinkie40]

Now that is a matter up for debate the Princess of Wales may have caused some damage to the monarchy but she wasn't the only one. She also did some good for the monarchy.

My view of this purely religious memorial service comes from the perspectives of her sons. They would never disparage their own birthright by insulting their grandmother or their dad..or their stepmother. Imvho,They are simply denoting a painful anniversary and trying to find some spiritual way to heal a very empty place in their life. A religious service is not a place to boast, hurl insults or define family divisions..but a place of quiet, dignifed remembrance of what Diana meant to her sons. I would hope the memorial service can be viewed as the end of mourning and a wellspring of spiritual strength for William and Harry. Let us focus on this alone and not loose sight of this through all the bickering debate on Camilla. William and Harry need our thoughts and prayers....they miss their mother tremendously.

 

[Elspeth]

If Camilla's first priority was Charles and their marriage, she would have gone to this memorial, and ignored the public's opinion. But she couldn't do that. I wonder why?

Since so far, her actions have all been consistent with a woman who supports her husband, I assume this latest decision was in response to a request from a source she couldn't ignore, i.e., Buckingham Palace. She's never given the impression of a person who seeks the limelight or the approval of the public.

 

[sirhon11234]

"Diana almost lost us our throne, our position and everything we know. Oh how we adore her". Yeah right...

Well thats your opinion but I don't agree with it.

 

[TheTruth]

William and Harry are not children anymore and should have learned by now that you never bite the hand that feeds you, which is ultimately what they've both done. They organised this service in full knowledge that it would put the Duchess of Cornwall in an awful position. And who stood up for the Duchess? Nobody.

And who are the first ones to say : 'They love their step mother etc.'
And Charles is the husband, he's the one who must stood up. BTW I thought the Duchess was strong enough to defend herself as her admirers would say ... But hey, that's true, we need someone to blame, so let's all blame the dead Diana and her sons ! Great !

 

[BeatrixFan]

Her sons had no need to have this service. No need at all. And because they did, we've now seen the same old division of 1997. Great!

 

[pinkie40]

all i know is i hope camilla has a lovely spa day friday, massage, facial, little bubbly because after all the mud she's been pulled through over this imo she deserves a good pampering. i hope she ignores and makes life a trial for those so called "advisors" at clarence house. they seem to be treating her like they did diana, shows how stupid they are- camilla is smart and even more important has the love and support of her husband- i hope she cuts them off at the knees and leaves them to bleed to death.

I am sure Camilla always has an alternative plan when she is cast aside because of Diana...I would suspect she goes up to her jewelry closet and counts her future crowns and daidems...checks her pulse with a smile...and then has a good,refreshing drink all the while thanking God she doesn't have to climb into a girdle and pantyhose in August.....and then measures her column inches of press.

 

[sirhon11234]

Her sons had no need to have this service. No need at all. And because they did, we've now seen the same old division of 1997. Great!

Her sons had every right to have this service they wanted to commorate the 10th anniversary of their mother's death. This division was caused by the media not them.

 

[TheTruth]

Her sons had no need to have this service. No need at all. And because they did, we've now seen the same old division of 1997. Great!

Well you can see that with them, that's not my problem. And there's no bad intentions by wanting to remember their mother. Inviting their step mother to it was their decision so you can talk about it to them if you feel it was not a good thing to do.

 

[love_cc]

I still wonder how many truths behind all these newspaper information? Why all these newspapers and royal watchers are blaming Charles for everything happened? I never get a feel that he is a popular figure among these people and they knew his style: never response and he is always one of their best used royal targets.

It is a pity that both Nigel Dempster and Ross Bension died and there is no regular journalist who can really get reliable information from his camp. Daily Telegraphy may have some kinder journalists to him and Times may have one or two. That's all I suppose. Anyway I don't believe it were Prince Charles's fault because he was that kind of person who forced Camilla or his sons to do something they truly don't want. It does not apply to his character.

 

[pinkie40]

Her sons had no need to have this service. No need at all. And because they did, we've now seen the same old division of 1997. Great!

I totally agree. I hoped they would have done something private as they did in 1998 up at Crathie Church in Scotland. They have stirred up a hornet's nest by revisiting all that bad blood. But they realize the public might want "something" so their advisors came up with this..which I think was a bit of a mistake since the people who were responsible for Diana's image and energy (Jephson and Burrell) were not even invited. I wish they had opened a children's hospital wing or unveiled a statue..but to cause bitterness, strife and discomfort does not bode well for them under their own roof.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Why the 10th? Why not the 5th? They could have simply asked that the Dean of Windsor include a few prayers for her on the 31st. Simple, effortless.

 

[kimebear]

This whole thing has gotten so out of control.

It seems as if "honoring the memory" of a person has turned more into "tribute".

If they really wanted to honor their mothers memory, they should have had a PRIVATE service with just family members in attendance.
and then they should have set up a PUBLIC service at another church for friends and the public. That way, whoever wanted to attend, could attend on their own accord.
This way the RF would have not been criticized and it would have not turned into a tug of war of who should go and not go. It just seems as if they have lost sight of what this is all supposed to be about and turned more into a major PR event.

That would have been a lovely idea.

 

[Empress]

Bugger.... What nonsense!

icSouthlondon - Camilla walks on eggshells ten years on

Was Camilla right to pull out of Diana memorial? - Reuters Blogs REUTERS!!!!

BBC NEWS | UK | Camilla's event decision pondered

Guardian Unlimited | Comment is free | Camilla has done the right thing, but how is one to know who to invite to a memorial service?

All the while they are shoving money into their bank accounts whilst making fools and idiots out of innocent people.