On August 28, local time, the British media Daily Mirror published a report about the emotional injury suffered by Diana's loss of the HRH title during the divorce, resuscitating the online discussion about "Diana's curse".
Time goes back 29 years ago, at the High Court of London on August 28, 1996. In the sand of the divorce agreement, 36-year-old Diana is forced to return the title of "Princess" (HRH), which symbolizes the royal identity.
From "Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales" to the cold "Diana, Princess of Wales", this humiliating change made her fingertips cold. Prince William, 14, clasped his mother's trembling hand and promised softly, "Don't worry, mom. When I become king, I will give you back your title."
No one expected that just 368 days later, the car accident in the Alma Bridge tunnel in Paris would seal this promise forever. No one expected that today, 29 years later, when the 77-year-old Charles finally sits on the throne, the shadow of Diana has become his lingering nightmare.
On the day of the coronation anniversary on May 6 this year, BBC live commentators tried their best to play up the atmosphere of the celebration, but the camera honestly swept through the large empty viewing area.
This is a dazzling contrast to the scene of deserted streets on the anniversary of the coronation ceremony of Charles' mother Elizabeth II.
According to the latest data from YouGov, a polling agency, 52% of British people still think Charles is "unworthy of wearing a crown", while his late wife Diana still ranks among the top three in the favorability survey of historical figures.
Just last week, fresh roses were piled up in front of the memorial wall at the entrance of the Alma Tunnel in Paris. A long line of spontaneous tourists came to pay their respects, including young people holding signs saying, "Charles will always owe her an apology."
29 years have passed and people are still tearing for Diana, but not wanting to cheer for the new King."The royal biography writer Robert Leasey wrote in the Times column, "This is the most cruel trial of Charles in history."
What is intriguing is that while Charles was deeply under the shadow of "Diana's curse," Prince William and his wife's approval rating soared to a record high of 78% in August this year.
On Saturday (23 August), William collected tens of millions of clicks on TikTok for a short video of Prince George’s experience with the London Metro. Netizens commented: “Diana teaches him how to be a civilian, and he is teaching the royal family how to be a man.”
“William is completing the transformation that his mother started thirty years ago,” the royal journalist, Omid Scopey, analysed in a new paper published this month, “he publicly supports mental health programs that allow Kate to share her experience with cancer and even take her prince to the economy class—these breakthrough moves are the continuation of Diana’s ‘Human Revolution.’”
When William was to be crowned, he might reshape the monarchy in the way his mother expected. For Charles, this is the bitterest irony of fate: the royal power he has pursued all his life will eventually be realized by his son with Diana's idea.
Charles finally got his coveted crown, but lost forever the chance to define his own history. In the memory of Diana's everlasting rose, the king's name was destined to be nailed to one end of the moral scale - perhaps not a curse, but the most just echo of the human heart.
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