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Diana’s absence still leaves a void
Published 12:00pm Thursday, September 6, 2007I marked the 10th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death last week.
Well, actually, I noted the anniversary long before that, when her sons, Princes William and Harry, were interviewed on prime time television.
Then I listened to and watched much of the concert they hosted in her memory in early July.
Watching all this coverage of this awful anniversary brought back many of the feelings I experienced at the time of her death: I still find it difficult to believe she is dead.
I looked up the column I wrote two weeks after her death and found my feelings haven’t changed much.
“Since then I have been walking around in a state of disbelief regarding Princess Di’s death, trying to accept it, asking questions which may never be answered to my satisfaction, and watching everything I can to understand why this death has had such an impact on me.”
Watching coverage of the 10th anniversary, I learned some people think there was a conspiracy (no surprise there) to kill her, and everyone from the driver of the car, who also died that fateful night, to the royal family, and Prince Charles, and his new wife, Camilla, were to blame.
I think it was just a horribly tragic accident.
Just as I was then, I continue to be touched by her:
“I didn’t know her personally. Still I feel some connection to her. We are about the same age; I attended her wedding to Prince Charles via television; we had our children about the same time; we aged (matured) together.
I concluded she was my generation’s Jackie Kennedy.
“She epitomized the grace and class we wish we had, and she lived the life of, well … a princess. She was glamorous and beautiful, yet she came across as very down-to-earth.”
I think the world remains connected to her — no, I’m not alone in my continued adoration of this woman — because she seemed to have no “wicked queen” attitudes toward us commoners.
She was kind to underdogs and championed important causes. And while doing all this for her country and the world, she was first a mother. Her boys, all grown up now, called her the best mother a kid could have.
That’s admirable considering she could have had nannies raise her children, being a mother for the cameras only.
I think Diana made us all better people, even Prince Charles seemed a better person when she was near.
I’m no less sad today about her death than I was 10 years ago.
I still think the world lost some magic the day she died, but at the same time, I wonder, perhaps a bit cynically, if the reason she has remained dear to us is because she died before she fell from the pedestal we unfairly put her on.
I like to think not and I still think her fairy tale life was something we all wouldn’t mind trying on for size occasionally.
* * *
Our house continues its slow progress toward completion. As the taping and mud work continues, other small advances can be seen.
As I whined about the slow pace of the inside work, our contractor tried to reassure me that the work was progressing on schedule. Indeed, he stopped by on Saturday to clarify the work we wanted done and to give our spirits a boost. What a guy.
Debbie Irmen’s columns run Thursdays.
