Pondering mummy issues...
I was having some thoughts as to whether Diana was actually a bad mother? What makes a bad mother? Is love enough? We know she wasn't that intelligent herself, wasn't very strict with boundaries, used a young William as a confidante and, towards the end, introduced the boys to a number of "uncles". I'm not suggesting her mental health had anything to do with it. The question that occured to me was, whilst she may have thought she was doing her best, were her mothering skills low? I do realise Charles had a part to play, but I guess I'm wondering if your views on Diana's competence as a mother have changed in light of the way Harry has gone off the rails in the very public way he has done.
And IF you think Diana was not a good mother role model for her children, is she to blame for that (i.e. could she have improved her skills to become a better mother if she wanted to) or do you think that was beyond her conscious control?
*Edited to add: I'm not sure where I sit on these questions, so I'm keen to know what others think. It's where my morning brain took me and I don't mean to cause any offence.
Yes, she was a bad mother for a wide variety of reasons, some of them:
Her belief that she is a superior because ''kindergarten '' work, and the complete lack of understanding that a regular aristocratic child and a Royal child which will end in the public eye for life are not the same.
The smugness of her being ''warm'' while others are cold.
She didn't understand the ''creation process '' of Royal children,-there must be a public persona and a private child, she mocked those that lived it before (other Royal women) which gave the world headlines ''William the Tantruming'' and ''William the Basher.''
As we see now, these get used against him, and would be even if he was the most zen person on the planet ,(media)
The ''uncles''
Affairs are one thing, usage of children as ''front'' for affairs are another.
See Spare and kids watching ''courtship '' of another uncle. (St. Tropez)
Carling ''teaching rugby'' and Hewitt , well riding , mostly Diana in hay of Baracks.
Even without the above, the way to early indroductions to ''uncles'', the witnessing of ''break ups'' and the general lack of stability would under normal circumstances give the other parent lots of leverage during custody establishment .
She was a egomaniac , she wouldn't ''improve'' her skills, because she did it ''right.''
She did things intentionally to create problems for the Monarchy it didn't matter if mocking protocol with mismatching gloves , or parenting the children as a form of one upmanship against the RF.
Of course the ''narratives'' her ''sainthood '' are something else.
The luurve, warmth, hugging , the kissing , the jumping on beds are clearly a successful ''polish'' and universally appealing to the emotivist mainstream but the reality is that Charles did similar things, with a difference :
-He didn't reach sainthood
-He maintained the public persona (mostly) towards his children when in public.
The childrens manipulation , the negativity and the (by today's standards ) parental alienation elements are clearly visible .
William succeeded at a certain point in seeing the ''intent'' behind her ''love'' love which would absolutely escalate when it was Charles turn to (have the kids) or do even basic parenting (see history 101, of ''superior '' vacations , ''superior'' outings as documented, always conveniently leaked, to outdo the other parent, leaked by her side)
Harry is now using these things against the RF. Contrary to popular belief he is aware of Diana's games (it was clear in school for him) but ...there is a Monarchy to attack , so it's useful .
Just like mummy.
) Our tax collection system is HMRC ( His Majesty’s Revenue Collector ) Our coinage and notes ( the Royal Mint ) and our stamps ( the Royal Mail ) have the Monarch’s image on. It’s the Royal Navy, and the Royal Airforce - the Monarch is head of all the military. They are the head of the Church of England, which, though we are by and large an irreligious country now, still has an official role - the bishops sit in the House of Lords. Even a prison sentence is ‘being detained at His/Her Majesty’s Pleasure ‘ in a prison eg in HMP ( His Majesty’s Prison) Wormwood Scrubs. There’s many more examples.
www.thesun.co.uk
