Diana - 20 Years.

I was around at the time, and frankly the blanket coverage of the anniversary is a bit ridiculous!

I agree that the manner of her death has had an impact on William and Harry's relationship with the press, but I wouldn't say they've been 'allowed' to have private lives - it's more that as soon as the press try to revert back to their old tricks they manage to leverage lingering public sympathy to shame them for doing so. It's only the British press operating under that restraint - the international press are as intrusive as ever, albeit they don't have the budgets to stalk them properly anymore, so it's only when they are on tours or holidays that the international paps get hold of something. Remember Kate sunbathing topless in France? Those pictures were published internationally, the only reason we didn't see them in British tabloids was because the public was firmly on her side.

William and Harry - unlike Diana - have never attempted to use the tabloids, doing their best to bypass them entirely. This has infuriated the press who absolutely do their best to punish them for not playing ball with negative coverage, but also means that they have retained the moral high ground. On occasions when they have lost that moral high ground - high jinks in Vegas, for example - the press have absolutely pounced on it.

Lived through it "live" so have no appetite to see the repeats. Clearly she still sells newspapers and gets TV viewers otherwise why the "anniversary"? It should be an entirely private matter.

It was upsetting seeing a bereaved family handling this tragedy at the time. That situation will always be upsetting regardless of who the dead person is, but in this case it was as public as it can get. I was surprised at how emotional her brother's funeral speech still made me feel when I saw a snippet of one of the recent programmes. In the same programme, Prince William said he felt baffled by all the emotion and mourning by people who never knew his mother.

Having seen a bit of that show I have no desire to see any more of the seemingly obligatory 20-year raking-over. Did we get similar at the 10-year mark as well? I can't remember.

Yes she is still used as a circulation-booster. The already-repulsive Express, with its track record of total obsession with Diana, has set the bar high (low?) with its "Diana speaks from beyond the grave to back Brexit".

Clearly a large number of people were positively affected by her and that impact has endured. Beyond that positive, however, her use of the press to play private matters out in public and to boost her empathetic image has been taken as a template by others. creating a media monster that has just grown and grown resulting in a negative affect on many lives. Whether it be the 'star' or the the ordinary person caught up in a media storm, the demand to show what the public (or rather the tabloid press' imagined version of them) deem an acceptable level of emotion and openness is appalling.

It has also stoked the conspiracy mongers, who, unable to accept the randomness of fate, see all authority and experts as just an elite who keep the truth from the 'ordinary person' (as in anyone with a slim grasp of facts and realities). She may not have created Trump but there's definitely a line to be seen connecting her death and his election.

My friend still resents her for dying on his birthday and taking the attention away. 

Yeah but whilever she was alive Charles couldn't remarry because the country would have HATED whoever he chose and she'd have made their lives a misery taking the limelight running around with different blokes (which Charles hated). Nah, she was done in good and proper. As sure as eggs are eggs!

Are you cooking at the moment Burly?

Except she wasn't, and wouldn't have got close. In fact her death was to be a far, far greater lightning rod than if she had lived (cue theories about anti Royalist forces bumping her off, that are equally as lacking in reality).

I just remember feeling so sorry for Prince William and Prince Harry.... It was heartbreaking

"Not other Royal Family in History has killed more members of their own family than the British Royal Family, including Diana" this is what an historian I once had the pleasure to have a brief conversation with, told me.

How many members of her own family was it Diana killed? I forget.

My friend had got married on the day before, which was a Saturday. I got up on Sunday morning to join my parents at breakfast (still living at home at the time)  and my father oh so casually mentioned "The English princess Diana is dead"  and I was like oh yea, not believing a word until my Mom confirmed it. So for me her death is forever tied to my friend's wedding.

I agree, i think we as a nation were incredibly selfish back then and i dont think that would happen today, we would expect her to look after her family. I think what she should have done is do the televised address earlier but from balmoral. Conplete silence didnt help.

It was a fascinating week, only 9/11 came close in the shock waves created around the country and the wall to wall news.

Ive never quite understood the Diana obsession, she did good but she also was no angel and i never found her to be exceptionally attractive (i think kate is more attractive personally)

I know we've been a bit jokey on this thread, including me, but I think those who try to diminish the impact of Diana's life and death are misguided.

Saying that its all in the past and we should move on is ridiculous. This was a princess, a future Queen, who died in circumstances that are unusual to say the least. It's history. You can't just wipe it out because you don't like it.