What would the coronation be like if Diana had lived?

[Bouledeneige]

I know this is a very strange question - but I woke up this morning wondering about it. I have absolutely no idea why. I am not in the least bit interested in the coronation.

So I went back to what might have happened if she lived. Maybe she would have married Dodi and had a baby but it then would have broken up as she realised the expectations of a Fayed wife. Behind closed doors - seen but not heard. Then maybe a series of relationships with property barons, celebs and euro riche. Summers spent lounging on mediterranean yachts, winters in Verbier and Turks and Caicos, maybe some Hollywood and Miami hols.

Increasingly the boys would've been channelled into university, the armed forces, marriage and children - increasingly fenced in by royal convention and duty. That awkward Ex thing at graduations and passings outs, marriages and christenings..... And then the Coronation....

I think she'd have exited the country for the weekend's ceremonies and spectacle - and instead been papped partying on a sail boat in the WhitSundays with a bunch of friends and a handsome younger man.

And maybe not. Maybe a life like Princess Margaret... or maybe a happy ever after. What do you think?

I can't believe I even started thinking this way. Not even sure I will take any notice at all of the Coronation.

I'd have been rooting for the full Caroline of Brunswick.
"The Queen approached on the arm of Lord Hood, but was asked for her ticket by the commander of the guard. Replying that she was the Queen and needed no ticket, she was firmly turned away. When Caroline and Lord Hood tried to enter by a side door, it was slammed in their faces. Their attempt to find another entrance was blocked by a line of armed soldiers, so they then made for the House of Lords, which was connected to the hall, but when she was denied entry there too, the Queen returned to her carriage."

One of the Chronicles of St Mary's (sorry, can't remember exactly which book) featured the Caroline of Brunswick scene. Memorable. You might like the series (historians jumping to different historic periods to gather evidence about historic events).

I doubt she’d have married Dodi. I think she’d have stayed close to her sons and been very involved in her grandchildren’s lives. I think her boys and a lot of people will think of her on Saturday. I think her and Charles would’ve been on very good terms (I understand they were at the time she died). She’d still be very beautiful and glamorous, of course.

People on here keep recommending the St Mary's books to people who like Rivers of London/Pratchett/Laundry/Connie Willis and other things I like, but Lambeth Library Catalogue is disinclined to cooperate. One day I shall bump into volume 1.

I think she would have become friends with Charles and eventually Camilla for the sake of her sons. It wouldn't have lasted with Dodi. She would probably have moved to the States and found a rich banker to fall in love with. I don't think she would have had more children but I like to think she would have found love. And once happy in her life she would have courted the press less. She would have been at the Coronation with her handsome husband and there would have been a healthy amount of headlines about her, but it wouldn't have been about her.

Have you tried filling in a not in stock request form? You never know, they might oblige... Not In Stock Form - Lambeth

Her friends said that Dodi was a fling to make Khan jealous. But Khan was never going to marry her because he said he couldn't cope with press intrusion.

Diana would absolutely be in California for Archie's birthday party, not at the boring old coronation.

I wonder if C and C would even be married if she’d lived. I certainly think that repositioning Camilla as generally liked would have been more difficult. On the other hand, a Diana who continued to make disastrous romantic choices and lost her looks I think would have had to work on her own PR. The press is not nice to ageing former beauties. I think the Camilla as Queen/Queen Consort thing would have been trickier, and attending the coronation would have involved lots of seating and precedence headaches, and a million ‘body language experts’ analysing Diana’s slightest glance Camilla-ward.

I’ve wondered what it would be like if Diana had ignored Camilla and stayed married to Charles, kept her absolute cool and carried on being Princess Diana, future queen. Civil, polite, smiling, no rows in private, and remain in her position, possibly have discreet and trustworthy ‘friend’ for support. Camilla would have perhaps remained the out of sight mistress. And it would be Diana getting crowned as queen on Saturday.

Diana was so young and didn’t know what to do or how to handle the awful reality of her husband not loving her. The much older Camilla shadowed her from the very beginning, photos prove this and also in Diana’s recordings Charles called the also married Camilla as one would a lover, gave her presents, from beginning of marriage. Diana tried to plead with Charles for years, I think, but it was fruitless and she was very unhappy most of the time she was married to him, and wasn’t that happy after the divorce I don’t think, either.

If Diana had been more mature and more wise to the ways of the world, I wonder if she’d done things differently.

Charles marrying Camilla would have been far more difficult if Diana lived. It would certainly have been delayed and the PR work done on Camilla (and I don't blame them for doing it) would have been harder to launch.

In my opinion Diana would never have settled down to marry a man she loved and disappear into the back pages. Her terrible childhood and then the plunge into paparazzi and fame and focus on her looks etc etc at such a young age did a number on her. To say nothing of being barely out of her teens in a strategic marriage to a man she probably was convincing herself she loved while he did the same. I don't think it was her fault but I imagine middle age and the paps would have been hard on her. I'd say Catherine Wales' life would be a lot more turbulent too.

But then those boys -especially Harry - wouldn't be so traumatised so might have made different choices in life. Maybe Harry would have settled down with a lovely home counties horse-riding woman and William might have played the field for too long as no one measured up to his mother?

Did anyone ever read that book where Diana faked her own death and was living quietly in america?

I suspect she would have continued to struggle to find a successful relationship. That would have led on to her finding it difficult to let go of the boys, particularly if their partners were getting positive press coverage. Shades of Raquel Welch turning up to her son's wedding in a black mini dress and enormous black hat. She would have made a doting grandmother.

Probably not at the Coronation but photographed somewhere regal looking wistful - like the Taj Mahal photoshoot.

I dont think there would be nearly as much talking about her had she lived. I think she'd be largely irrelevant. She'd be seen at the weddings, christenings but I think as only mother to the heir the interest in her would have waned considerably

I think Diana would have faded into obscurity tbh. I think because of social media etc she wouldn't have held her stardom status (which the press created and was perpetuated by only having printed media largely)

She wouldn’t be the iconic Diana we remember though, all the drama would have faded.

She would be out of the country on holiday I guess, with her husband or partner. There’s no danger she’d have married Dodi. I doubt Harry would have married Megan, much more likely someone a bit like Chelsea and be spending a lot of time in Africa. William I think would have married Kate or someone v similar and would be living much the same life.

She’d have been a good granny and a slightly challenging MIL, thus I imagine would be kept at a wee distance by both boys, and so probably not living in England full time.

'MysteryBelle

I've wondered what it would be like if Diana had ignored Camilla and stayed married to Charles, kept her absolute cool and carried on being Princess Diana, future queen. Civil, polite, smiling, no rows in private, and remain in her position, possibly have discreet and trustworthy ‘friend’ for support. Camilla would have perhaps remained the out of sight mistress. And it would be Diana getting crowned as queen on Saturday'

Wow I'd never considered that. So interesting to think how different things would have been.

I've often thought how she said she didn't think she would be queen.

Just feel sorry for how Kanga gets forgotten. Charles' other mistress, the one Diana was friends with. Was very sad when she died.

They were divorced so can't really see any difference to the coronation other than the media and public going all 'well this happened so it is a secret sign' and other such conspiracy gems, so same as usual really

What do you mean by a lovely home counties girl?

So women should just put up with being treated like shit?

Diana said she would have loved a daughter (in addition to her sons, not instead of). She was nearly 37 when she died so she had time to start a second family that didn't belong to the Windsors.

I don't think the life of the idle rich appealed to her - she was passionate about certain causes and I think she would have continued her charity work.

I'm not a C&C hater but I shan't be watching the Coronation and I don't think Camilla should be Queen. They're utterly selfish people whose conduct caused a young woman much wretchedness.

Harry and William would be attending as brothers, they wouldn't have become estranged, none of that would have happened if Diana was around.
She would attend the coronation, Charles would be single, Camilla wouldn't be queen, there would have been no Megan/Megxit, Diana would have her place there as the future king's mother. Harry wouldn't be how he is, he'd be happy. Charles would be pissed off that Diana became even more popular, Camilla would still be in the shadows sniggering about tampons, Charles might have passed it over to William so he could be with Camilla instead which would put Diana centre stage as the Kings mum and her and William could have truly moderated the monarchy and saved it from its ultimate demise.

I don’t think the public would have accepted Camilla as Charles’ wife never mind Queen. I think Diana’s position as Mother of the heir and the publicity around her would have made Camilla’s public role impossible.

I also wonder if Charles would have been allowed to remarry due to complexities of eventually being defender of the faith. I realise ideas around divorce have relaxed within the church but I am convinced that had she loved things would have been a lot more uncomfortable constitutionally for Charles.

I do wonder that if she had lived would the relationship between William and Harry been so fractured and full of hurt.

I do feel that had Diana lived, the coronation would look a lot different and Camilla would not be as accepted as she is.

Weren’t Charles & Diana getting on better just before her death? Diana wouldn’t have married Dodi, she was in love with Hasnet Khan. I think he was her ‘one’.

I’d like to think she’d have found happiness she was only 37. I was 33 when she died. I remember it all so well.

• had she lived, * sorry typo