William and Harry's TV Interviews about Diana: June 2007

[kjrn]

I didn't pay too much attention to the commentary, but the pictures and video clips in the video of william were great!

 

[Duchess]

although it's annoying when someone constantly "umm's" and "you know's" during an interview, i think it just shows lack of experience at being interviewed. while they may know what the questions are going to be, doing it in front of a camera tends to make people very nervous.

 

[Skydragon]

The exerpts do sound a bit insincere and the answers given even rehearsed. I don't doubt for a moment that they adored their mother and really do have strong feelings on this. But I believe its been rehashed so many times and the boys have had to answer these questions repeadetly for so many years that they might have become a bit desensitized with the answers by now, which is why it comes across as being insincere.

Very true, but (there is always a but with me. ) they both seem so thick.

 

[Skydragon]

I'm afraid here in the UK Duchess, it is the sort of language you see the chavs using, the Catherine Tate take offs or those from very bad inner city schools. It really isn't what you expect from Prince Charles' son's, with an Eton and RMAS education.

 

[kpusa1981]

thick in what way?
It is partly that they are both emotional about due to he untimely death. Prince William may tend to have trouble speaking about his mum or any other things in his personal life. I do not think that either one of them enjoy speaking due the divorce and her being ripped away from them when she was killed in the only a year after the divorce.

 

[sassie]

I'm afraid here in the UK Duchess, it is the sort of language you see the chavs using, the Catherine Tate take offs or those from very bad inner city schools. It really isn't what you expect from Prince Charles' son's, with an Eton and RMAS education.

What is RMAS? I take it that's a reference to his college education, but just curious about what the letters stand for.

He may have just been nervous, but the "you knows", for me, were unexpected, given his background. His father speaks very well, and, even in her early interviews, Diana wasn't one for the "ums" either.

 

[milla Ca]

I cann´t understand why this interview was so miserable. The Princes are adults, both have education and military positions. Qualifications enough to speake some correct sentences.
And they have a private secretary and other aids to prepare a talk like that.
I just read that Clarence House now tried to correct some of their statements.
Really bad!

 

[Skydragon]

What is RMAS? I take it that's a reference to his college education, but just curious about what the letters stand for.

Royal Military Academy Sandhurst - it is the army officer training school in the UK.

 

[sirhon11234]

Yes Both Charles Diana were well spoken what happen to their kids.
It really was unexpected to here ums and you knows from Princess Diana's boys whos has had the best education money can buy.

 

[Skydragon]

thick in what way?
It is partly that they are both emotional about due to he untimely death. Prince William may tend to have trouble speaking about his mum or any other things in his personal life. I do not think that either one of them enjoy speaking due the divorce and her being ripped away from them when she was killed in the only a year after the divorce.

This is an excerpt kindly posted by sassie -
"PRINCE WILLIAM: Yeah I mean-- again just for my personal opinion, when you knew somebody or someone that important to you -- you always think about you know. I mean -- so after it happened we were always you know always thinking about it. And there's not a day goes by I don't think you know that I don't think about it once in the day. And so for us is a very slow and it's a lot-- it has been a long time".

Does that sound like an articulate person, with intelligence. to you? What their parents getting divorced has to do with being able to speak properly, escapes me.

 

[selrahc4]

Yes Both Charles Diana were well spoken what happen to their kids.
It really was unexpected to here ums and you knows from Princess Diana's boys whos has had the best education money can buy.

Well, their mother wanted them to be "normal", there you go. I'm almost ready to believe they have consciously gotten into the habit of sloppy speech in order to keep themselves from seeming "royal". What a shame.

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

I've decided to withhold judgement until I see the interview and see them, rather than reading the "uh... uh... yeah well's" on the paper (rather, on the screen). It all looks very bad, I will grant you, online, but maybe seeing them speak these things will have a different effect.

 

[sirhon11234]

Not all normal people talk like that I don't always use the words umm or you know.

 

[sassie]

Well, their mother wanted them to be "normal", there you go. I'm almost ready to believe they have consciously gotten into the habit of sloppy speech in order to keep themselves from seeming "royal". What a shame.

I don't think Diana intended them to take it this far.

 

[ysbel]

Actually I don't think its all too surprising. Neither Diana nor Charles were very good speakers. They had other talents but public speaking wasn't one of them.

That's really no excuse for William and Harry however. They had other adult rolemodels other than their parents.

I wonder if the lack of public speaking ability comes from a lack of self-confidence. Both Charles and Diana, I beleive, were plagued by low self-esteem and I think it affected the way they spoke out in public.

Now Charles is getting somewhat better at public speaking but he is by no means a good public speaker and Diana was only barely articulate at her best.

 

[sirhon11234]

In her early days Diana's public speaking was quite boring but in the 90s i thought as a public speaker she was good. Especially in 1993 when she gave a speech on her temporary withdrawl from charitable and public duties.

 

[Kat]

Hmm, just a thought, maybe the snippets of the interview sound so bland because, just about every interview they've ever done since Princess Di's death, has been focussed so much on her.

I can understand this interview tending to focus on her as a subject simply because it was done as part of the ten year memorial activities of her death, and, maybe because there's still a public out there who want to know more about how the Princes feel about it, etc.

However, for me personally, I think if the media is going to interview the princes in the future, maybe they should focus their subjects on either what the Princes are up to now or what the Princes will be up to in the near future, with less focus on Diana.

I mean questions like what kind of King does Prince William see himself as (in comparison to ruling styles of some of his predecessors)? Does he think he'll want to change any of the traditions of the Royal Family, and if so, what traditions? I saw a photo once of him on a motorbike, they could ask about his hobbies like that and like how did his father react when he decided to get his motorcycle license, etc. If he had to choose between living in England, Scotland or Wales (as the main country he'd live in), where would he live? and why.

Those are just some of the questions I came up with off the top of my head.

 

[ysbel]

Well I didn't hear too many speeches from Diana's early days but I do remember the speech you were talking about.

It sounded planitive and pleading - not really strong and assertive. Charles has had the same problem of seeming to want to plead with the audience and its not a very strong way of talking.

At least William and Harry didn't pick up that trait, although I was disappointed in the umms and you knows. It made them sound hesitant and unsure of themselves.

 

[BeatrixFan]

I look at it this way - Princess Alice lost her son and her husband within a few years of each other. When asked how she felt? "Misfortunes happen to other people, one just get's on with it" - William and Harry need to get on with it, as does the world press. It's over, it's done and the future awaits.

 

[sirhon11234]

I don't think one could really compare these tragedies.

William and Harry need to get on with it, as does the world press. It's over, it's done and the future awaits.

Saying it is the easy part but actually doing it is hard.

 

[sassie]

Now Charles is getting somewhat better at public speaking but he is by no means a good public speaker and Diana was only barely articulate at her best.

I've always found Charles to be a much stronger speaker when it is a subject he is passionate about. That's just my opinion.

Diana's speaking style was hesitant and forced, but, at least, she never "um'ed" or "you know'ed" her way through. When she made the effort, she could get a point across, even when she was boring. She did better, I think, with casual remarks in informal situations.

In any case, both Charles and Diana did know how to form a complete sentence. That response of William's that I quoted earlier, aside from the "you know's", was rather confusing. But, of course, I haven't heard the entire interview, so I won't judge him further until I do.

 

[Vanesa]

Nowadays, I'd rather like Prince Charles speech better than Lady Diana's one...But some time ago, the Prince of Wales was not too good speaking in public. Now, he is more relaxed, and seems happy, so this could help him a lot when it comes his turn to speak!

And Lady Diana would sounds lovely when she would speak, but she was unsure too.

Vanesa.

 

[Panther2000]

I don't think one could really compare these tragedies.

Saying it is the easy part but actually doing it is hard.

Hello, Can I get a witness. Really, a Death like that & being very young at the time doesn't not heal quickly. I lost my Mother at 14, My only living grandparent at 16& my Father at 17. & to this day some 20 years later I still miss them & think of them everyday. It made me grow up fast & look at reality for what it is. But, getting on with it or forgetaboutit or move on alredy is much easier said than done. & I find it very easy for people to suggest that being that they haven't been through it. Young children or kids loosing a parent to a death is very hard to get over. It does become easier with time But no one every gets over it.

But, then again the boys were probably talked into coming up with the idea of the concert to CELEBRATE their Mothers live.

But, I do agree with you. Try walking in those shoes for a while & See how hard it is to QUOTE Get On Withit Already.

But, I can't wait for the Interview. But, I must say that I bet that Larry King is kicking himself now for interview That Butler( won't even mention his name).

I just wonder how Matt got the interview. He is not that Real Big time when it comes to International Mega Interviews. That is really Larry King or Barbara Walters & Oprah( somewhat)

 

[kpusa1981]

CNN.com - Transcripts
scroll down to after the commerial break
This is an interveiw with Matt Lauer about the interveiw that Lauer did with Princes William and Harry that will air on Monday.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Of course one can compare the tragedies. Princess Alice got on with it, there's no reason the two Princes shouldn't follow her example.

 

[ysbel]

I don't think the death of their mother is causing William and Harry to sound like this.

They sound like normal ordinary kids these days so they're probably just trying to sound like one of the guys and trying too hard not to sound too pompous and stuck up. Young men do really stupid things to sound like one of the boys.

The unfortunate result is that they sound rather stupid. They're probably not that stupid, thank God.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Yes but to keep harking on about the death to cover up a lack of interests is pretty desperate media handling isn't it? If they were actually doing something, taking on some REAL patronages and carrying out PROPER engagements then a) they'd have something to talk about and b) they'd have alot more respect.

 

[Skydragon]

I agree with ysbel, it is not their mothers death that made them sound like idiots, it was their 'wannabe' seen as one of the boys, unless of course they are idiots. If they want to be one of the boys, give up all rights to the British throne and get on with being 'normal', which with their trust funds will be less normal than most folk!

Many people lose loved ones at an early age, most realise that they have got to get used to the idea and get on with life, there will always be those who wallow and blame everything that goes wrong in their life on their loss.

I do feel for Harry & William in that respect, they were not even allowed to grieve in the aftermath of her death, the 'public' demanded their return to London and they have not been allowed to just hold it in the back of their minds for one day since. They can thank the media and the 'public' for that.

As Kat said, a golden oportunity seems to have been missed for 'ordinary' people to discover a little about these young men.

 

[Roslyn]

I do feel for Harry & William in that respect, they were not even allowed to grieve in the aftermath of her death, the 'public' demanded their return to London and they have not been allowed to just hold it in the back of their minds for one day since. They can thank the media and the 'public' for that.

I feel for them too. They have not been allowed to grieve for their mother and move on. She is being talked about in the press constantly, her photo greets them everywhere, her love-life is still being discussed, people are still writing books about her, and the ongoing saga of the inquest is drawing out the painful experience of the circumstances of her death. Her sons can't move on.

I see the concert and memorial service on the 10th anniversary of Diana's death as an excellent opportunity - a sort of ritual marker - to say it's now time for her to be allowed to pass quietly and gracefully into history, but that probably won't be able to happen till the inquest is concluded. I hope that's soon. I believe it's not doing anyone any good for it to be prolonged as it has.

 

[Skydragon]

Apparently they are giving an interview on tonights BBC News at Six.