So, a little late but, 31st August; the anniversary of Princess Di's death in an automobile accident. Who cares? Seemingly, the media think that many do. Why?
One reason is the outpouring of collective grief over her death; the reasons for which I am still trying to fathom. What was so special about her because she as sure as hell was not special. Bred, raised, by a 'socially-climbing' family to be a consort to the royals, whatever the level, she was as ignorant as a sink-estate adolescent; barely qualified at 'O' level and about as vacuous. (No disrespect to the sink-estate adolescent, who often rise above their socially-imposed limitations.) A consort to a pseudo-intellectual Prince of Wales? No, you are having me on! She didn't even have big bazongas!
No, she was just a socially acceptable womb for an heir to the throne, after Charles. The Royal family despised her but she was a convenient, and willing, progenitor to the line of inheritance. She was all sweet and innocent, although was not, and so the media portrayed her. Butter would not melt in her mouth, although, in truth, aluminium might have.
She was all that a 'fairy-tale' princess might be; according to the media. However, she was not. She became, or already was, the same conniving, duplicitous, finagling, lying and deceitful individual that the royals, like most in the political arena or most people, have ever been, despite the 'Purdy' haircut. Can someone be so corrupted by those around her? Perhaps, perhaps not. I happen to believe, disagree with me if you will, that she was already the bitch that she became before she ever entered the royal, or political, arena. She was a conniving, manipulative individual before she ever laid eyes on Charles; because that was she was brought up to believe was to her advantage!
She always played to the advantages that were inherent in those initial photographs and impressions of her; the innocent 'girl', the gauchely naive, the 'Purdey' haircut. Even in later photographs, the face was always slanted, in a coy-like, demure way, in innocence, as though butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. And it was all a lie! Simple advertising. Di washes whiter than white; kills 99.9% of household, and third world, and minefield, germs! And it was always a complete and utter lie! I doubt that she was innocent, although I accept that she might have been forced into it; what 80's chick, and she was seriously hot, at 19 was a virgin?
Her death was a tragedy but no more than a death in similar circumstance might be deemed a tragedy. She courted publicity wherever she went, whether she was the Princess of Wales or not, and can scarcely complain about the paparazzi's attention wherever she chose to go just because at that particular instant, she didn't want it. Those who court publicity must be prepared for it throughout one's waking life and to endure it with good grace; it is the nature of the beast.
I am well reminded of one of the most influential guitarists of the twentieth century; J J Cale. Not heard of him? Not surprising. He eschewed fame, and the trappings, to pursue his own musical 'vision'. But he inspired countless guitarists with his 'laid-back', minimalist style and is surely the most sublime and rewarding instrumaiists outside the classical genre that you should ever encounter. ('After midnight' people on YouTube, or 'Live at Leon Russel's studio' if you want the full monty!) He renounced fame and all that comes with it for a 'normal' life. Di did not not and she paid the price. Not in the same way as Janis or Jimi or Jim via drugs but nonetheless still in pursuit of that fickle fate; fame.
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