by Camille Paglia
Published in New Republic 1992
[Diana born July 1961, married 29 July 1981, divorced in 1996, Diana died 31 August 1997.]
Diana is a popular figure and become more than a character in a children's story.
Motion's book Diana Her True Story created a lot of interest in the media - even in this age of celebrity
The sales of the Sunday Times in the UK and People magazine in the US - sold over 20% more copies the day the first extract was published.
The US publisher of the biography had to double its print run after 20,000 copies were sold
The book was the number 1 top seller in NY despite competition from other similar books.
The book's publication was kept secret but interesting facts emerged in the weeks preceding the Sunday Times serialization.
Such as Diana's marriage was over. She suffered from bulimia, had tried to kill herself on several occasions, there would be a public divorce, a constitutional crisis and the destruction of the monarchy.
The book was criticized for not being true but was defended by high ranking, reliable witnesses and interviewees and perhaps Diana herself - who went on public record.
Some have suggested even Diana supported and contributed to the publication.
Diana has been elevated to international fame. People that did not take an interest in her before should re-consider their position on her now.
She triggers deep and powerful emotions in the public in the UK and elsewhere.
Cinderella
Behind the fairy tale Cinderella appearance of her relationship to Prince Charles there are some genuine similarities between the story and Diana's life.
For example her poor finishing school education, she earned money doing unskilled jobs like cleaning.
She was bullied and manipulated by her and her husband's family.
The betrayed wife
The book confirms that the speculation around her husbands long term affair was in fact true.
Diana seems to have been treated as an object or a commodity to be used and exploited to benefit the royal family.
Diana is compared to the film Rosemary's Baby where a wife is tricked into having the Devil's child.
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Charles mistress appears to have conspired in Diana's engagement.
There is plenty of evidence in the public domain to show that Diana was a victim of powerful social institutions and personalities.
Diana's story reminds us of the Victorian era not the feminist times of the late 20th century.
After her marriage she became increasingly and suddenly isolated.
The princess in the tower
She is compared to many Victorian heroines presented in art and literature.
Diana is presented as trapped and imprisoned. And at the same time exposed to the public.
She is surrounded by wealth and luxury but isolated and a victim.
The mater dolorsa
Her role as mother to William and Harry gave her status
Without her sons her concerns about her marriage would have been seen as immature and spoilt.
Despite Charles's status, weath and position in society he has become desperate in the eyes of the public
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His behaviour with Camilla has elevated Diana to the status of a modern Mary - the mother of God - pure and virginal and yet very modern
She became a modern day icon in her suffering. She even is attributed with the power of prophesy - her father's stroke
She has a similar status to that of Jackie Kennedy after the murder of her husband JFK. There are some comparisons between the two women for example they both shared difficulties in integrating into their in laws families.
Both women photographed isolated with just their two children beside them
The pagan goddess
Despite her dislike of hunting and blood sports - all strongly associated with the royal family. And specifically associated with Camilla - Charles's mistress. However she has been depicted browsing a hunting magazine and therefore associated with Diana the goddess of the hunt
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The Hollywood queen
Diana is presented as melodramatic.
This is supported by her behaviour that includes falling down a staircase when she was pregnant, her attempted suicides including stabbing herself with a penknife and slashing her wrists with a razor. She is controlled in public but erratic and extreme in private. This is similar to Hollywood stars. Where she is compared with famous Hollywood heroines including Larna Turner and Susan Hayward.
The house of Windsor - the royal institution of the royal family used and exploited Diana. Treating her harshly and adopting difficult and impossible expectations on her that exposed her vulnerability and weaknesses in public
When she married she was transformed by the world media - she changed from being Di to the formal titles of her new status - Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales.
Diana's glamour comes from her own public persona and the actual duties she performed as a royal. It is the combination of the discipline and restraint she showed plus her personality and physical beauty and the actual duties.
It's not Diana's words that have helped her public persona but her actions - she is compared with the pop star Madonna.
Diana's private ballet training when she was young has given her a grace of movement
Her physical presence defines her for the public
The beautiful boy
The photographs in Motion's book reveal her boy like looks
Her androgyny gives her charisma, makes her very photogenic and attracts both male and female sexual attention
Photographs of Diana emphasize her sexual attractiveness
Sometimes photographed as if she was a Roman goddess
An early photograph of her at the nursery she worked at reveal her wearing a see through skirt
Her first public photograph with Charles shows her with a low cut dress
Diana was brought up with formality and restraint - like many upper class families.
Close access and contact with parents was not a feature of Diana's or Charles's upbringing
although this was a feature of most working class families at the time
Nannies - sometimes erratic and damaged - were the substitute for parents for Diana. She was even beaten by one
Diana reacted against the usual convention of children being sent to boarding school by keeping them at home, encouraged a close and intimate relationship with them. Even sharing beds with them.
The photographs on the book jacket show Diana in two different personas - formal and dutiful on the back and sensuous and informal on the front
The public were shocked by the reality of her marriage - the image of her was shaken
The different persona's of Diana - summarized in the book are all contradictory and destroying her
No one least of all Diana - a young, innocent, vulnerable woman could cope with the world's great expectations of her
She has become a victim of the public's pity and fear. No other royal in history has experienced the enormous media and public scrutiny she has undergone.
