Complete agree that this is the lowest of the low behaviour. Also agree that the virtue signalling and the 'public outpouring of grief' for Diana really did kick off the competitive grievin.
To the OP who very honestly tried to give some insight into why people might behave like this, I would say - thank you for your honesty - you sound very insightful and reflective and it seems that your interest in death is definitely related to your unresolved grief. HOWEVER almost without exception, the true Grief Wanking Professionals are self-centred, selfish, self-absorbed and drama seeking in all areas of life. Grief, just gives them a perfect platform.
I know two people like this - endlessly marking themselves as 'safe' when they are nowhere near danger and always jumping on everyone else's drama to make it their own. These are also the people who post cryptic messages along the lines of:
"Can't believe that some people can do that after calling themselves my friends. Shocked and gutted at what I've found out today".
Cue forty zillion 'R u ok hun?' 'what happened hun?" type responses, and they never EVER post what happened because it will always be a non-event or even fucking made up.
Attention seeking twats.
When my DMum died last year, a friend she had not really seen for about twenty years was suddently overcome with grief. She turned up uninvited (fine with that bit) at the funeral in full black, with a lace thingy over her face and HOWLED through the service. I am an only child and was trying to hold it together and make sure I didn't cry before I read my Eulogy and she was howling and wailing so much that the vicar had to stop a couple of times. Eventually my fabulous friend, took her by the elbow and guided her out of the church and stayed outside with her until the service was over. The stupid cow was then pissed and flirty at the wake. I still get the rage thinking about her.