Time for Diana to finally rest in peace

Princess Diana on her wedding day, 1981 (Image: Royal Fans)

Death is tragic. Losing someone close can be painful beyond comprehension. In an ideal situation, following the funeral and memorial, you'd expect - and hope - that the individual who has passed to rest in peace. When I say 'rest in peace', I mean the person is laid to rest, be remembered and reminisced every now and then - without any need to gossip or speculate constantly about their past. Sadly, more often than not, this isn't the case. This 31st August marks exactly 20 years since the sudden departure of Diana, Princess of Wales and it seems as if anything is being done to build her public profile.

Diana's death in 1997 shocked the world. Many adults who I talk to knew exactly where they were when they discovered her passing. Even as a six-year-old, I have some vivid memories of news broadcasts about it. Reading about how the news was reported during my time as a journalism student in my late teens, it's an understatement to describe the coverage as relentless. Millions of lives were put on hold in order to commemorate the 'People's Princess'.

Today, the world is still talking about Princess Diana. The media machine behind her legacy continue to stretch every boundary possible, and the likeliness of this calming anytime soon is very slim. These past couple of weeks alone has seen ITV exclusively interview her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry about the heartbreak they felt after losing their mother at a young age. Channel 4, in the space of five days, dedicate nearly three hours to showcasing two headline-grabbing documentaries. One being unseen secret tapes where Diana talks about the breakdown of her marriage to Prince Charles, among other things. The other about her relationship with her stepmother (to be broadcasted this Thursday (10th August)).

NotW report, 1997 (Image: heavy.com)

It isn't just broadcast media addicted to Diana. For years the Daily Mail and Daily Express have dedicated pages and pages to her. They've published anything ranging from countless photographs of her to interviewing any 'friend' of hers about her relatively short life. What do we learn about her? Reportedly, she was lonely, out of control, depressed, a rebel, a fashion goddess, sexy, a pioneer in modern celebrity, an inspiration, a good mother, a distant mother. Summarising the portrayal of Princess Diana must be exhausting for any journalist or Royal biographer.

The ultimate fact of the matter here is that Diana was a human being. Yes, she had the platform to be unique, yet her complexities resonated with many who she metaphorically touched. Many also respected her down-to-earth nature, powerfully ripping up the rule book in how wealthy people typically operate. She pushed boundaries and rattled the 'establishment', something a lot of people were seeking at the time. In reality though, she was just like anyone else.

Diana's relatable personality was her strength and it, potentially, also led to her tragic downfall. The global media always had an obsession towards her. Some argue she enjoyed the paparazzi attention and that she did anything possible to receive widespread recognition. Diana cannot respond to such claims, so sadly her current image is being painted beyond her control. My interpretation of this is that she played the narrative created by the Royal Family she was married into.

It's been widely acknowledged, even by Diana herself that her marriage to Prince Charles wasn't thought through. They had only met a handful times before agreeing to tie the knot in 1981. This nuptial was popcorn stuff for the media and they encouraged the public to be captivated by the events that followed, from the birth of their two boys to their eventual messy divorce. The former was great for the Royals, who were pictured before as dull and elitist by republicans. The divorce however put a dent to the Royals' reputation and their image was truly damaged between the couple's split rumours and Diana's death. It took a long time for them return to be favoured again by the public.

Prince William and Kate Middleton (Image: Closer)

The Royal narrative is hard to explain and confirm, yet the coverage about them since 1997 has largely been under intense control. The process of the Family doing this after Diana's death was wonderfully portrayed in the late Steve Hewlett's 2015 BBC documentary series about the matter. The media dare say anything that can be interpreted as negative towards the Queen and her children. Her grandkids are occasionally prodded by the tabloids. But these are often dismissed and focused very little in comparison to the squeaky clean relationships Princes William and Harry have today. They're protected with every inch of their lives. And, knowing Diana's undeniable popularity, the Royals are willing to put their differences with the Princess to one side and strengthen her legacy through her daughter-in-law, Kate Middleton and grandchildren, George and Charlotte.

I get that 20 years since a passing of any well-known personality is something worth reporting. But the treatment of Diana since her death has been completely different compared to other 'celebrities'. Even John F Kennedy, whose personal life was constantly up for discussion, has been resting in peace - I can argue. Nelson Mandela passed away this decade and he hasn't been spoken about in any speculative way. The media wouldn't dare talk about the Queen 20 years after her death the way they have about Diana. It's time to put our obsession of Diana to bed. Let her finally rest in peace.