Queen Helen Reopens Diana Debate
The extraordinary Golden Globe winning performance of Helen Mirren in The Queen, a film about the period following the death of Princess Diana, has reopened the controversy about the real Queen’s handling of the crisis.
HM’s decision to remain in Balmoral for five days after the car accident has been questioned by many, despite the need to look after her two grandsons and prepare them for the ordeal of the funeral.
Mirren’s brilliant performance with a script hostile to the Queen and Monarchy, has produced a different response from the public than the one at the time.
One of the Queen’s oldest friends is quoted in the Mail : “Her responses were entirely honest, but in the wrong century, I’m afraid. You have no idea how upset she was when she arrived in London and could see for herself, and feel, just how much she had misunderstood the public. But she maintained then, as she still does, that the public also misunderstood her.”
The Mail reports : “Her close friend the Rev. Michael Mann, former Dean of Windsor, believes that the Queen’s initial refusal to leave Balmoral was because she believed this was best for William and Harry.”
“With the Queen, it was primarily a case of looking after her two grandchildren and keeping them out of the spotlight when they had just lost their mother. I think the public instantly took against her for this because such an image had been built up of Diana that she was like Snow White.
“The public looked at it only from the point of view of Princess Diana, whereas grandparents of all kinds have other considerations when the family suffers such a terrible shock.
“I think the public weren’t sympathetic to the Queen’s position, which doesn’t reflect on the Queen so much as on the public.”
The Queen herself admits she made mistakes, the worst perhaps was allowing that ruthless old ham Tony Blair to hog the limelight for five days.
This reassessment is long overdue. Strange then that it comes from a movie that sets out to do a “hatchet job” on the Monarchy. What no-one expected was that a luminous performance by its leading lady would bring waves of public sympathy and warmth to the film’s main target, the People’s Queen herself.
Personally speaking I think the only mistake the Queen made was allowing Tony Blair to speak for five days!!!. I never bought into the whole HM did not care about what was happening since hearing the awful news that Diana had died. Diana was due home the next day and William and Harry no doubt were excited to see her instead they were told she had died as a Grandparent my first thought would be for the children and how best to prepare them for what lay ahead. In their case mourning would be public and the Queen probably realized that it was best to stay at Balmoral to work throught the initial shock and grief with them. Looking back at the mass hysteria and yes I was griefstricken as well I think that was created by Tony Blair and I don’t care what anyone thinks HM is human and has feelings and I’m sure that for once in her reign as monarch she should have been allowed to put the crown second and take care of her motherless Grandchildren.
By Trudie on January 21st, 2007 at 2:01 am
Well said, Trudie. As griefstricken as all of us were at the tragic death of Princess Diana, imagine how the Queen felt and what her responsibilites were as a grandmother toward Prince William and Prince Harry. The situation was not far removed from a Greek Tragedy and I believe the Queen coped as well as she could under truly horrific circumstances.
By Gigi on January 21st, 2007 at 4:08 am
Hear, hear. Spot on, Trudie.
By John on January 21st, 2007 at 11:27 am
bravo, trudie! absolutely agree!
By s.s. on January 22nd, 2007 at 6:12 am