Books, films and television programs about Diana

[QueenAlex]

I think some of that info came from the Settelen tapes? Those weren't meant to be aired?

She did one book and one interview discussing some things because she felt she had no other choice. So it's not like she wrote a journal and then published intimate details. Alot of things that we do know are hearsay from people who benefited off of her and i'm not so sure she would have approved of it.

She kind of did.  She talked about her marriage to Andrew Morton.  She then talked about it with more detail and more dramatic incidents, to Peter Settelen.  DId she relaly think that he would not try to make use of hte material she had handed him?  WHy was she talking ot her voice coach about her private life anyway?   THese things are not "hearsay".. they are Diana's own words...

[oak_and_cedar]

Diana felt she needed to set the record straight. Thus the Morton book.

The Settelen tapes were private. Diana isn't here to explain why she decided to speak to him in that manner. But she would not have permitted him to publicize the tapes and benefit off of them. That was wrong of him, IMO. And not her fault.

[TLLK]

^^^While I do agree that it was wrong of Peter Settelen to have ever released those tapes, I do believe that the late Diana, Princess of Wales showed a stunning lack of judgement by sharing some of the information that was recorded.

[oak_and_cedar]

Not necessarily. She did not speak in 'intimate' or crude terms about her and PC.

He and Diana might have known each other for sometime and their working relationship might have allowed some 'closenes' (I don't mean romantic) to form.

I remember reading that he helped her to better her speeches by introducing 'role play', i.e. letting Diana pretending to be someone else in order to practice her speech. So they seemed to have had a 'rapport' with each other.

In hindsight, I think he was not to be trusted. But had Diana lived he wouldn't have dared to release those tapes which I think she was well aware of.

[QueenAlex]

Not necessarily. She did not speak in 'intimate' or crude terms about her and PC.

He and Diana might have known each other for sometime and their working relationship might have allowed some 'closenes' (I don't mean romantic) to form.

I remember reading that he helped her to better her speeches by introducing 'role play', i.e. letting Diana pretending to be someone else in order to practice her speech. So they seemed to have had a 'rapport' with each other.

In hindsight, I think he was not to be trusted. But had Diana lived he wouldn't have dared to release those tapes which I think she was well aware of.

He would likely have found some way to do so, if he needed the money.. Publishing them abroad, or quoting bits of them.  He didn't know that Diana was going to die prematurely, and when she did he hastened to make use of them.   Diana was extremely stupid to give this man who was just a voice coach such dynamite material.  He possibley intended to hold onto it for a long time and it woudl be his pension fund...

[oak_and_cedar]

He would likely have found some way to do so, if he needed the money.. Publishing them abroad, or quoting bits of them.  He didn't know that Diana was going to die prematurely, and when she did he hastened to make use of them.   Diana was extremely stupid to give this man who was just a voice coach such dynamite material.  He possibley intended to hold onto it for a long time and it woudl be his pension fund...

Diana wasn't 'extremely stupid'. She's not here to give her reasons for telling him.

For all we know Settelen might have discussed private things with Diana also.

Diana would have sued him had the tapes been published and he knew this.

[QueenAlex]

It doesn't matter waht Settelen discussed with her.  His life is not going to be splashed all over the tabloids.  She must have realised that by letting herself being taped talking about pushing her stepmother, or her sex life, she was handing someone she barely knew explosive material and that it was possible that he would find someway to use it and sell it.

[oak_and_cedar]

Settelen could not have used it without facing a lawsuit from Diana.

She talked about things that were mentioned in the Morton book so it wasn't unknown prior.

[QueenAlex]

Settelen could not have used it without facing a lawsuit from Diana.

She talked about things that were mentioned in the Morton book so it wasn't unknown prior.

I dont think she could stop him publishing abroad, or quoting bits of the tapes in some other medium.  And in any case it didn't arise.  He has been able to publish the tapes, get money out of it and Diana's family have had to hear all sorts of indiscreet stuff that she let out to a total stranger.   If she flet the need to tell people that she had slapped her father or pushed her stepmother why not tell a therapist or a close freind?

[oak_and_cedar]

The tape was recorded in '91 or '92 if i'm not mistaken?

So for four year while Diana was alive he did nothing with it. And he wasn't a stranger, he was her coach and they had a working relationship. Why Diana felt compelled to get into those subjects with him is something only she knew.

[QueenAlex]

The tape was recorded in '91 or '92 if i'm not mistaken?

So for four year while Diana was alive he did nothing with it. And he wasn't a stranger, he was her coach and they had a working relationship. Why Diana felt compelled to get into those subjects with him is something only she knew.

I think that she worked iwth him after the Morton book so she had had a chance to "pour out her story", to Morton already...
He was someone she hired to teach her public speaking.. not a friend..
He probably thought of the tapes as a pension fund, that he would make money out of many years later when he could find some way of making use of them...

[oak_and_cedar]

They were colleagues in a way and probably spent many hours working on her speeches. People who work together oftentimes get comfortable with each other. I don't think she said anything that was unknown.

Settelen could not have released anything without facing a lawsuit from Diana preventing the info getting out. And she would have won the lawsuit IMO.

[QueenAlex]

They were not "colleagues".  He was working for her, and it seems to me very odd to pour out a lot of personal and damaging information to a man she hardly knew who was hired to help her speak in public.  Diana was always afraid of people spying on her, and yet she poured out a lot of information about her private life, to a man who was just working for her??  If she didn't say anything that wasn't known already, Settelen would probably have argued that Diana had released most of this information already so he had a case for publishing it.  What she said was very damaging.  There were reports of rows with her father and stepmother, but she was now confirming them.. that she'd slapped her father and pushed her stepmother...

[oak_and_cedar]

They were 'colleagues' in the sense that they had a working relationship. Companies have managers and directors who hire employees to work for them, yet they are also all considered colleagues since they work together and have a working relationship.

She had worked with him for many months and said nothing more than she did in the Morton book.

Diana agreed to the Morton interview. She did not (and obviously could not) consent to Settelen releasing that tape. That is the difference.

People argue with their parents all the time. Diana clearly loved her father and he forgave her. He was probably no angel himself.

I don't remember her saying she pushed Raine down the stairs but I need to go back and watch it.

[QueenAlex]

People you hire to provide you with a service aren't colleagues.. and even if they were you dont go telling them a lot of personal stuff...and let them tape you doing it.  Diana was sure that Charles and others were spying on her... she had her apartment swept for bugs and yet she allowed a man she hardly knew to tape her talking about private family matters.  Why?  She and her brother treated Raine very badly, and were witnessed kicking her stuff down the stairs by Raine's secretary.  I'm not sure but I think she also witnessed Di pushing her stepmother.  There were stories swirling around about volatile behaviour on Diana's part.. and she confirmed some of them to Settelen.   Why do that?  All she did was give credence to the idea that she was a volatile hot tempered person who acted very oddly at times.   and yes people argue wit their parents but they dont usually slap an elderly man who is their father.  And she was still talking of it years later, so its not something that she did in the heat of the moment and then regretted...

[oak_and_cedar]

Just because you hire someone doesn't mean you can't have a working relationship with them. It cannot be assumed that they 'hardly knew each other'.

And this was information Diana gave up voluntarily, if there was something she did not want to say, she would not have said it. As opposed to being possibly 'spied on'.

Diana was also treated poorly by Raine. She mentioned Raine criticising her often when younger. Diana did make up with Raine and they were close so I don't think there was any hard feelings from Raine's side. Raine even had nice things to say about Diana in 2015 I think. So even years later Raine remembered Diana fondly and was apparently sympathetic to her.

Diana was encouraged by her siblings to confront their father. It was not because she was 'volatile'. People make mistakes and her father forgave her. Earl Spencer was no angel himself and his actions in some ways were worse than those by his hurt teenage daughter.

[Amabel2]

There was one on ITV last night. I watched abt half of it.  Anyone seen it?  there were none of the usual suspects talking, but James Colthurst and one of Dis' cousins..

[LouisFerdinand]

Diana by Sarah Bradford   
Diana by Sarah Bradford   
I highly recommend this book.

[Macrobug67]

Dear Lord.  This is bad.  Really bad.  Diana the Musical

https://twitter.com/bmay/status/1444189366998417411

Though, surpassed by this.  This is what brain bleach was invented for. 

https://twitter.com/bmay/status/1444219829670535168

[Curryong]

Poor Diana. Whatever did she do in life to deserve this? First Kirsten Stewart, the latest in a long line of actresses in wigs and without swishing around impersonating her on screen, and now this! I doubt it will be successful. Diana?s original fans will think it?s bizarre, younger people won?t be interested. Love the comment on the Twitter about reporting it to the War Crimes Tribunal!

[Macrobug67]

I?m still shaking my head and wishing I hadn?t clicked on it. 

[sara8150]

Dear Lord.  This is bad.  Really bad.  Diana the Musical

https://twitter.com/bmay/status/1444189366998417411

Though, surpassed by this.  This is what brain bleach was invented for. 

https://twitter.com/bmay/status/1444219829670535168

I can?t believe Diana?s musical got bad reviews

[sara8150]

Poor Diana. Whatever did she do in life to deserve this? First Kirsten Stewart, the latest in a long line of actresses in wigs and without swishing around impersonating her on screen, and now this! I doubt it will be successful. Diana?s original fans will think it?s bizarre, younger people won?t be interested. Love the comment on the Twitter about reporting it to the War Crimes Tribunal!

I?m agreed with that

[sara8150]

Royal experts slam 'unnecessarily gratuitous' new Diana film Spencer | Daily Mail Online

Kristen Stewart Reveals Regret About Playing Princess Diana | PEOPLE.com

Prince Harry and William 'will be very angry? as new Diana film Spencer branded ?cruel' | Royal | News | Express.co.uk

Dukes of Cambridge and Sussex not pleasure with his mom?s movies of Spencer got bad review

[LouisFerdinand]

What was the first book written about Diana? Who was the author?