Britain's Camilla pulls out of Diana service

[JODO 2]

Britain's Camilla pulls out of Diana service

By Peter Griffiths

1 hour, 27 minutes ago

The wife of Britain's Prince Charles said on Sunday she had decided not to attend a memorial service to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of Princess Diana.

Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, said she did not want to distract attention from the commemoration of Diana's life.

Charles's former mistress is blamed by many for breaking up his marriage to Diana. One of Diana's former closest friends, Rosa Monckton, told a Sunday newspaper that Camilla's presence would have been "deeply inappropriate."

In a statement, Camilla said she had been "touched" to be invited to the event by Charles and Diana's sons, Princes William and Harry, but had decided to stay away.

"I accepted and wanted to support them," she said. "However, on reflection, I believe my attendance could divert attention from the purpose of the occasion which is to focus on the life and service of Diana."

Former royal press officer Dickie Arbiter said it was the right decision.

"I think a lot of people felt it was inappropriate that she attend this particular memorial service," he told BBC television. "At the end of the day, she shouldn't have gone."

Diana died in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997, with her companion Dodi al-Fayed.

The service to mark the anniversary of her death is due to take place in an army chapel near Buckingham Palace on Friday.

More than 30 members of Britain's royal family, including Queen Elizabeth, are due to attend.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown and singer Elton John are among 500 invited guests. William and Harry are to give readings.

Camilla said she was grateful to Charles, who is next in line to the throne, and his sons, for supporting her decision.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070826/ts_nm/britain_camilla_dc

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Camilla said she was grateful to Charles, who is next in line to the throne, and his sons, for supporting her decision.

....and even more grateful to Diana for being 6 feet under, eh?????? Do I ever dislike the Duchess, & the Prince for that matter. And if word gets to my Dean that I am a celeb freak I'll go homicidal

[Mags 112]

Now y'see I like Camilla. I think she has got some really bad press over the years and it was easier to paint her as this "baddie". Diana was no angel, she was manipulative and sly...yet she was always treated with adoration.

Camilla has loved Charles for over thirty years, THIRTY years! Now THAT'S a love story.

People should move on, let her enjoy her life with Charles, life's too short.

[Lou Lou 1]

Now y'see I like Camilla. I think she has got some really bad press over the years and it was easier to paint her as this "baddie". Diana was no angel, she was manipulative and sly...yet she was always treated with adoration.

Camilla has loved Charles for over thirty years, THIRTY years! Now THAT'S a love story.

People should move on, let her enjoy her life with Charles, life's too short.

Too right. Who the fug cares anyway? The amount of tripe on the TV at the moment with Diana specials is so ridiculous. She was a media ####### and is still shining through it. I agree, they all need to move on!

[KaiserD 12]

She was a media ####### and is still shining through it

Because even though she went to land mine countries e.t.c probably for positive press, when she was there people could see that she was genuinely moved. On the whole when you hear stories about people that actually met her, they adored her for her humanity.

A touch of the mysterious, because there was a part of her that people did not understand or know the whole story, particular her relationships with different men (which you would never know the truth because of the nature of the media) I guess made her seem more human. A touch of imperfection made her seem more perfect, in a way.

It also didn't hurt her that as a person she was pretty and looked the part of a modern princess.

The royals have a history of having their heads up their bums, keeping secrets or being notorious in some way, Diana didn't have the same attitude (or at least appeared not to).

"The boys" seem happy with her (Camilla), and that should be enough to put the public at ease and stop hating her, I think.

But still, I DON'T want her to be the Duchess of Cornwall. Personal thing, you understand Kernow! One and All! *goes all patriotic*

Edited August 26, 2007 by KaiserD