It was a surprising, perhaps reckless, statement, reminiscent of John Lennon’s famous declaration that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus.
Speaking on The Reaction, the Mail’s current affairs talk show, presenter and columnist Sarah Vine dared to utter the sacrilegiously unspeakable:
“I think the Princess of Wales is quickly becoming as popular, if not more popular, than the other Princess of Wales.”
Oh!
As a long-time Diana devotee, I was immediately outraged.
I had always loved and admired Diana because she seemed, however perversely, humble: one of us despite her aristocratic birthright.
The way she would deadpan on camera or nervously stroke her hair before a big, boring formal dinner.
I had always loved and admired Diana because she seemed, however perversely, humble: one of us despite her aristocratic birthright, writes Liz Jones.
Catherine has the quiet dignity of those who, like the late Queen Elizabeth, were dismissed in the furnace of war, a steely stoicism that seemed to skip a couple of generations.
Diana made mistakes (we all do) and not just with her sheer skirts, but also wearing black when she wasn’t at a funeral (not made for a royal) or showing too much cleavage in another voluminous Emanuel dress.
Diana’s Emanuel wedding dress was hopelessly wrinkled and her choice of husband was downright disastrous. What woman wouldn’t sympathize with her?
While speaking openly about her struggles, Diana helped usher in an era of MeToo, soul-baring, tell-all memoirs, and the unstoppable trend toward wellness.
She was a blessing to some of us.
Having an eating disorder wasn’t something to be ashamed of or keep secrets, thanks to Diana.
Being honest about her suicidal thoughts, depression and self-harm helped many teenage girls sitting shaking in a bedroom not feel alone.
A turbulent and far from perfect private life sold newspapers and magazines, of course, and throughout Diana’s reign as Queen of Chaos, I wrote about her too.
My first Shy Di assignment for Company magazine was to locate other 19-year-old brides who were due to get married that same day, July 29, 1981.
This progressed to writing about my own depression, my eating disorder, and the collapse of my own marriage.
Diana was a lucrative, if broken, mirror to many of our lives, which means we clung to her, and still do.
If a beautiful princess can be so desperately unhappy, then we all feel less alone, less guilty.
Speaking on The Reaction, the Mail’s current affairs talk show, presenter and columnist Sarah Vine dared to utter the sacrilegiously unspeakable: “I think the Princess of Wales is quickly becoming as popular, if not more popular, than the other Princess of Wales”.
But the world has moved on.
And the reason I think Catherine has topped a recent YouGov poll of the most popular royals – even surpassing William and Charles – is that she embodies a more modern, self-assured ideal of a woman.
Catherine refuses to be a victim. She will not allow herself to be thrown into the choppy waters of whatever fate befalls her.
It is notable that occupying third position in the YouGov rankings is Anne, Princess Royal, another woman who refuses to complain or complain or buckle under the weight of self-pity.
Catherine is popular not only because she is never wrinkled or caught wearing the wrong thing, but because she is strong.
Even when she told the world about her cancer diagnosis, there was no hint of Poor Me, no hysteria, and no man by her side to support her.
I knew that if she had collapsed, we would have done the same.
Catherine has the quiet dignity of those who, like the late Queen Elizabeth, were dismissed in the furnace of war, a steely stoicism that seemed to skip a couple of generations.
I can’t imagine Kate bleating about menopause when her time comes.
So I reluctantly agree with Sarah Vine. There is dignity and strength in simply moving forward with life. Put the needs of others first.
Diana fulfilled a need: she opened the floodgates.
Catalina’s role today is to close them calmly and serenely.