Why Was Queen Elizabeth ‘Vilified’ When Princess Diana Died? Netizens Discuss

Queen Elizabeth II was vilified when Princess Diana died.

The Queen had a hard time after the Princess of Wales’ death. A number of people couldn’t understand her decision to not return to London immediately.

One netizen took to Quora and asked, why Queen Elizabeth II was “vilified” after Princess Diana’s death. Netizens shared their thoughts about the matter.

According to Sue McCune Martin, who studied the British royal family, there are two mains reasons for this. First, the people did not believe that Queen Elizabeth II did enough to support and help Princess Diana during her marriage to Prince Charles. Instead, they focused on how hard the transition was for her. They felt that the Queen and the members of the Firm threw her into the deep end. Also, when the People’s Princess asked for help she just brushed her off.

In a past interview, Princess Diana revealed that she went to the Queen in her last attempt to save her marriage to Prince Charles. She asked Her Majesty what she could do, but the Queen just said, she didn’t know.

Second, following the announcement of Princess Diana’s death, none of the royals who were at Balmoral came back to London to monitor the situation. But Prince Charles took off to France to bring Princess Diana’s body back while everyone else stayed in Scotland.

According to Richard Kay, Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth II argued over Princess Diana’s body because the monarch didn’t agree with his plans to bring back his ex-wife’s body. But the Prince of Wales insisted and his decision was something Kay considered “surprising” and “brave.”

“He was an ex-husband, he had no right to be there other than as the father of her sons,” Kay explained.

“Charles wanted to take the royal flight to Paris but the Queen wouldn't allow it,” he added. “Charles fought harder for Diana than he had ever fought for her in her lifetime.”

Meanwhile, another netizen said that the Queen was vilified because the media was to blame for the princess’ death. So, to keep themselves away from the issue, they continue to cover the criticism the Queen received for focusing on her bereaved grandsons. According to Selene Daws, a resident in the U.K. it was the media’s “survival strategy.”