Yalei Wang

I often go through phases with celebrities which results in me making enquiries whichever way i can into finding out more about them as people. My latest venture, is into Princess Diana. I remember seeing my mum cry when she found out that she had died in that infamous car crash in Paris of '97. I was seven and didn't understand why she was so affected by it. Afterall, we didn't know her personally. All I knew was that she was someone who was loved a lot by the whole world, who exuded a power that went beyond the expectations of her as a royal. She did not act like a royal and that was why people felt so connected with her. They dubbed her ' The People's Princess ' because she was down to earth. She wasn't high and mighty above the everyday person.

I've been watching interviews with her and just yesterday, a two hour long documentary about her life. I learnt facts about her which harked my thoughts back to other famous women in history. Famous women, whether they be actors, politicians, authors or singers have all had battles against the public in regards to their 'credibility'. The more self assured  about how right she is, the more likely the outside world will attempt to dismantle her strength and to project it as ' instability ' or even worse, ' insanity '. They said that Princess Diana had Borderline Personality Disorder. Often, I feel like BPD is a label slapped against the forehead of women who pose as threats to some sort of establishment. Workplaces, social circles and in her case, the Royal family. A woman who goes against the grain with confidence in herself, must have some sort of mental incongruity.

She may have been unstable or emotionally fragile, but in my eyes she was simply in a great conflict of interest. Being under such high profile scrutiny would not of made the situation any easier. Such intense pressure is put upon her to be graceful and poised all the time. There was absolutely no way she could be honest without having to think about the consequences first. As the audience, we understand soundly the situation she is in. How she had to tip toe carefully in answering interviews and how discretion was to be in place at all times. And yet, despite her obedience to the rules laid out before her, you knew that she was hurting inside, that it was unjust, that she really just needed someone to be there for her and left, right and center she was completely isolated. Her life story reads like a foreboding tale leading up to both something great and disastrous. I think most celebrities lives have this sort of vibe. To me, her appeal lies in her ability to relate to people, her affinity with equity. To be 'real' about things. It's almost like she understood that under all titles, occupations, wealth and Socio-economic statuses, we were all simply human beings that had a right to be loved, supported and acknowledged. It's precisely the fact that she felt a lack of it in her life which made her so generous in giving it out.