Imagining Diana

by Diane Clehane

  Diana envied the close relationship Catherine and her mother shared. Her relationship with her own mother had gone through very rocky periods.

  Frances Shand Kydd had angered Diana by giving an interview about her daughter after the divorce was finalized in which she had been quite vocal in her disapproval of Diana’s dating “Muslim men.” Diana was not speaking to her mother at the time of the crash but had reconciled with her afterward. They saw each other infrequently until her death in 2004.

  Diana and Catherine had spent most of lunch discussing ways to best deal with the press. They were concerned about William’s deep mistrust of the media and wanted to find a way to keep it from becoming a bigger problem as the wedding neared.

  “As bad as it was for me in the beginning, there wasn’t this massive machine that had to be fed every hour of every day when Prince Charles and I were getting married. I didn’t think there could be more places for photographs to appear, but now with the Internet and all the social networks, it’s just made the photographers even more aggressive. I know William worries a great deal about you,” said Diana.

  “It once had gotten so bad, I had to step out of the car and asked them to stop harassing me,” Catherine shared, still shaken. “It was quite frightening.”

  “I understand,” said Diana.

  “Oh, of course you do.”

  “But we have hardly any legal recourse. I have found you have to outsmart them when you need to and befriend them when you have to.”

  “You’ve been so brilliant at handling everything for so long,” said Catherine. “William is arranging for me to watch videos of you on walkabouts and getting out of cars and coming down the stairs of planes.”

  “He didn’t mention that to me. How clever,” said Diana. “Yes, so much of it is in the smallest details. Swinging both legs around in the car so they never get a glimpse of anything they’re not supposed to see. Having tiny weights sewn into the hem of your skirts if you’re going to be somewhere it’s quite windy. And never wear anything too sheer on a red carpet. Those flashbulbs are like X-rays! A good clutch can save the day when you’re wearing a low-cut dress and have to lean forward for any reason.”

  Catherine scribbled notes in her purple pad, eager to absorb every word Diana uttered. “Those are all just some little tricks I’ve picked up along the way to keep the photographers from getting too rich,” said Diana with a laugh. “But the most important thing is connecting with people when you’re on a walkabout. They’ve come out to meet you and have been standing there in some cases for hours for less than a minute with you. The impression you leave will linger for a very long time.”

  “William’s told me I spend too long chatting sometimes.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with making a genuine connection with someone. You can make someone’s day. And sometimes, they will make yours.”

  “I want to learn quickly, and I’m willing to work very hard,” said Catherine.

  “I’m sure you’ll be brilliant, and you’ll have William with you every step of the way.”

  “Her Majesty has arranged for me to be tutored in foreign affairs by one of her senior advisors, and I’m learning French and Spanish and, of course, there are the etiquette lessons.”

  So they don’t want to repeat the mistakes they made with me after all, thought Diana. “That’s going to be enormously helpful,” she said. “I think the best thing I can do is help you deal with all the press attention. I can watch the videos with you. Talk to you about the different trips, customs of the countries and of course who to watch out for. Some of those world leaders can get a bit too friendly.”

  “That would be such a help. Thank you.”

  “The press loves you now. Use that to your advantage. Smile and wave and, most times, that will be enough.”

  “It is a bit daunting,” said Catherine. “I’m grateful to have my royal protection officers. They seem to be quite good at their jobs.”

  “They are. If I could offer one important piece of advice . . . ”

  “Oh, yes, please do.”

  “Let them do their jobs,” said Diana, as the butler cleared the table. “Don’t make the same mistake I did.”

  As the women finished up their coffee, Catherine revealed that she and William had decided they wanted to do something special for Diana as a thank you for passing on her engagement ring. Catherine would carry a bridal bouquet of sweet william and lily of the valley, a favorite of Diana’s. There would also be large planters of the flowers along the nave.

  “Catherine,” said Diana. “I am so touched. I have been very impressed by how well you’ve handled everything.”

  “That’s very kind of you to say,” said Catherine, clearly grateful to have garnered Diana’s approval. “I can’t tell you how much your openness and generosity has meant to me. I don’t know why I ever felt nervous about today.”

  “You needn’t have,” said Diana. “You and I are going to be great friends.”

  April 29, 2011

  h

  It was nearly dawn when Diana awoke at Kensington Palace. She could hardly believe the day had come. William and Catherine were to be married in a few hours. She and her older son had spent the evening trading stories about his childhood, and they’d laughed and laughed at the memories.

  Diana even pulled out some photo albums filled with family pictures that William had never even seen before. “Why did you dress us in those frightful matching outfits?” he asked in mock horror. Mother and son laughed over the military jackets and shiny shoes she’d made them wear as toddlers.

  Diana had been grateful for this time alone with her William. The Queen was hosting a pre-wedding dinner at the Mandarin Oriental for the royal family and special guests. Catherine and her family were celebrating her last night as a single woman at the Goring Hotel. Diana had called her earlier that evening to wish her well. “Get some rest,” she told her soon-to-be daughter-in-law. “You will certainly need it!”

  Charles and Harry had also come to dinner at Kensington Palace, but both of them begged off immediately after dinner, saying they had to look after some last-minute wedding details. “No practical jokes!” William called after his younger brother, who offered no clues, answering, “You’ll have to wait and see!”

  Diana and William turned on the television and saw the massive crowds that had already gathered at Buckingham Palace. People had been camped out for days to secure the best spot to see their future king and queen on their wedding day.

  “I can’t believe they’re going to be out there all night,” said William. “I hope it doesn’t rain.”

  “They love you,” said Diana.

  “It’s really lovely of them, really,” said William. “But what are they going to get to see by standing there all night?”

  “They just want to feel a part of it,” said Diana.

  “I have an idea . . . ”

  “What?”

  “Let’s go!”

  “Where?”

  “Come on!” he said. William got up off the couch where he’d been sitting next to her and extended his hand.

  “Where are we going?” asked Diana.

  “Come with me to Clarence House.”

  “At this hour? It’s nearly eleven o’clock.”

  “Why not? I’d like to go out and thank everyone for cheering us on.”

  Diana loved that William wanted to do something so unexpected for his future subjects. A thoughtful king indeed. “I think you should do it. Go. I think it’s a wonderful idea.”

  “But why don’t you want to come along?”

  “My darling boy,” said Diana who stood and put both hands on William’s shoulders. “This is your moment. Tonight is your night. People want to see you and offer their congratulations. I’ll see you at the church tomorrow.”

  “Alright,” said William,
hugging his mother. “I love you so much. Thank you for everything. Everything. I’ll be looking for you at the Abbey.”

  “I’ll be there,” said Diana.

  Diana was consumed by an overwhelming sense of fulfillment. It was at times like these that she was most acutely aware that it could have all been taken away from her on that night in Paris. Each moment she’d been allowed to experience in the past almost fourteen years had been a gift, even the setbacks, challenges and heartaches—of which there had been many.

  h

  Now William was about to be married. This morning, as Diana watched the sky go from night to day, she wondered who she would be had the crash never happened. Everything she had endured and fought for had led to this moment. Yes, she was a flawed person who had made some terrible mistakes, but she had learned from them, matured and grown into the woman she was today. Stronger, wiser and self-aware. Diana could barely allow herself to think of the worst fate imaginable—if she had not survived the crash at all. The thought of it was still too much to bear.

  Like the rest of Britain, and much of the world, Diana could sense the anticipation surrounding the nuptials that would take place in a few short hours at Westminster Abbey. She walked over to the table in the entranceway and plucked a single white rose from the enormous arrangement Teddy had sent the day before, “with love for the mother of the groom.” She was worried about Teddy, who she knew had been in poor health, but today nothing could dampen Diana’s spirits. Despite the gray skies and threat of rain, she felt hope for the future. As she lifted the bloom to her nose and inhaled its heady scent, she thought, “Yes, it’s going to be a fantastic day.”

  h

  Later that morning, Diana, in a pale pink Catherine Walker coat dress and matching wide-brimmed John Boyd hat, arrived alone at Westminster Abbey. She took her place with the royal family, seated between Charles and Harry, who had accompanied his older brother down the aisle. As for Camilla, the men in gray had advised that she not attend the ceremony and come only to the reception. The Queen agreed, but Charles had strenuously objected—an indication, thought Diana, that her ex-husband was finally going to marry his mistress. It was decided that Camilla would be permitted to attend and would be seated in a section of the Abbey with other ‘friends of the groom’—far enough away to prevent the news cameras from capturing a shot of her in the same frame as Charles and Diana.

  Diana knew that Camilla had grown tired of waiting in the wings and was pressing Charles to set a wedding date so she would not be further marginalized. She had also been told Camilla felt that the news coverage William and Catherine had received since becoming engaged overshadowed anything Charles did. Charles dismissed it as “nonsense” when Diana had mentioned it to him, but she vowed to keep a close eye on Camilla, whether or not she and Charles ever married, to make sure she didn’t make trouble for her son and his new wife. But none of that mattered today.

  Resplendent in their military uniforms, William and Harry had become men who made Diana incredibly proud. William looked dashing in his scarlet ceremonial uniform of Colonel of the Irish Guards. His blue Garter sash was adorned with the wings of the Royal Air Force. True to form, Harry looked every inch the regal rogue in his uniform of a Blues and Royals captain, with tousled, somewhat disheveled-looking hair. When her younger son sat beside her once the ceremony had begun, he leaned over and whispered to Diana, “This is really something, isn’t it?”

  Indeed it was. Gliding up the great aisle of the Abbey on the arm of her father, Catherine had been the picture of composure. How regal she looks, thought Diana. She had chosen to wear her hair in loose curls to cascade past her shoulders.

  Before the bride arrived at the altar, Harry had turned around to catch a glimpse of her and said to William, “Just wait until you see her.” It made Diana smile thinking back to how her sons had been best friends from the beginning. No matter what, they were always there for each other. From nursery school to boarding school and then Sandhurst, William and Harry had always been incredibly close. They worried about each other, confided in each other and supported each other, no matter what. Now they were standing side by side, sharing one of the most important moments in all their lives in a way that demonstrated to the world just how close ‘the heir and the spare’ were. Harry had done his best to ease his brother’s nerves with humor in the hours leading up to the ceremony. In fact, during the exchange of rings, William had seemed more nervous than Catherine—especially as he struggled to get her wedding band of Welsh gold over the knuckle of her ring finger. Diana was surprised her son had opted not to wear a ring. For her part, Catherine, just like her mother-in-law had done, opted to omit “obey” from her vows.

  As Diana watched William and Catherine walk down the aisle beaming with happiness, she could not have begun to imagine she would be sitting where she was today. Once considered a misfit by the Queen and cast aside after her divorce, Diana had finally won the respect—if not the love—of the royal family. The catastrophic event that nearly ended her life had instead pulled her back from the precipice and reset her life’s course.

  Today, Diana reclaimed her rightful place among the royal family as the beloved mother of the future king. Now her son, whom she had fought so hard to raise as a man ruled by his heart, not his head, and his new wife, were clearly its best hope for the future.

  h

  When the wedding party arrived at Buckingham Palace, Diana made her way to the bride and groom, who were surrounded by well-wishers and glowing with joy. William was shaking hands with a friend of his from St. Andrews when Diana caught Catherine’s eye. The two women smiled broadly at one another.

  Diana rushed up to her new daughter-in-law and hugged her. “Catherine!” she exclaimed. “You look smashing. You are the most beautiful bride.”

  “Thank you so much,” said Catherine, still in Diana’s embrace. “I’m glad everything went well.”

  “The ceremony was perfect,” Diana said. “Your dress took my breath away.”

  “Thank you,” said Catherine. “I’m so happy to hear you say that.”

  William walked over to join his new wife and his mother and exclaimed, “The two most beautiful women here today! What a lucky man I am!” Diana turned around and threw her arms around him. William looked into his mother’s watery eyes. “I can’t quite put into words how happy I am that you are here,” he said. He then took hold of Catherine’s hand. “We both are.”

  At precisely the time that had been determined by the day’s schedule, the members of the wedding party filed out on to the balcony so that the cheering crowds could congratulate the newlyweds. William and Catherine, who uttered “Oh, wow!” to her new husband at the sight of the thousands of well-wishers who had gathered as far as the eye could see on the mall, came out first. Diana felt the tears come yet again that day when she heard the loud exaltation rise from the crowd. The flower girls were shepherded outside by the Queen, whose disposition had been as sunny as the daffodil yellow coat and hat she’d chosen for the occasion. Diana and Charles walked out with Catherine’s parents and were followed by Harry and Catherine’s sister and brother. Harry was chatting with Pippa and James while the Queen had moved to the side and stood with Prince Philip so the attention was squarely on the bride and groom at the center of it all. The newlyweds rewarded the crowd with not one but two kisses.

  Charles had picked up one of the young attendants so she could see over the balcony. When he set the little girl back on her feet, he leaned over to Diana and whispered, “We have a lot to be proud of. Well done.”

  Diana, overwhelmed by a mixture of emotions from the day’s events and everything that led up to this moment, could only nod.

  Later that night, after changing into a fitted black bugle beaded evening dress by Jacques Azagury, Diana returned to the Palace to join an intimate gathering of family and friends for the wedding dinner. Harry, who was wearing a tuxedo but had already
opened the top button of his evening shirt and forsaken his bow tie, had rushed up to his mother when she arrived and grabbed her hand. “You’ve got to see this! It’s amazing.”

  Diana and her son walked into the Throne Room, which had been transformed into a nightclub.

  “It’s magical!” exclaimed Catherine who had arrived hand-in-hand with William right behind them. Diana turned to her son, handsome in his tuxedo, and Catherine, in another flowing white satin dress by Sarah Burton with a diamante waistband, and said “This is wonderful. Let’s celebrate!”

  After the cocktail hour, where guests sipped vintage pink champagne and peach Bellinis, everyone was ushered into the Palace ballroom for dinner. Thirty round tables had been lavishly set with white flowers and candles.

  Diana was seated between Charles and Harry, who introduced William and Catherine as “the dude and duchess” and gave a touching speech about how excited he was to welcome “his new sister” into the family. When it was time for the newly wedded couple’s first dance, Ellie Goulding performed a cover of the Elton John classic Your Song.