Imagining Diana is different. On that fateful night in Paris, moments before impact, she buckled her seatbelt and survived. But Diana is not unscathed. She has a scar on the side of her famous face. Noticeable, but not prominent enough to drastically change her appearance and negatively impact her photogenic appeal.
Surviving makes her feel more empowered, capable of relating to people better and greater opportunities on the world's stage. Or so the author tells us. While Diana's growth is compelling, the author tells us what happens, rather than shows us, thus skimming the surface of an intriguing concept. After years of therapy, the protection of a wealthy suitor, and the best plastic surgeons at her disposal, Diana can afford to live a charmed existence. The negative is minimized. What would have been more interesting, is watching her cope with the financial resources she was left with, rather than depending on the kindness of others, like the royal family, the Al Fayed's or in this case, billionaire Teddy Forstmann. She may have survived the crash and become a more empathetic person, but, even in this alternate universe, she has a luxurious lifestyle to maintain.
But we never get a sense of conflict in her interactions with the people you would expect her to, like Mohammed Al Fayed, Camilla, the Queen and eventually Catherine Middleton. Diana gets along with everyone. We are led to believe she would never feel threatened by Catherine or meddle in her media coverage. Perhaps the most unrealistic, becoming her ex-husband's trusted confidant, and encouraging him to marry Camilla, who has been conveniently sidelined. Diana is inserted into events she would have attended, like Prince William's graduation from university, his wedding and eventually meeting her grandchildren. It's easy to rewrite history when you leave a space for her.
Despite this, Imagining Diana is riveting reading and I had a hard time putting the book down. As Diana walks off into the distance, I felt things were just getting started. With no historical scenarios to place her, exploring her future would be uncharted territory. I wanted to continue following Diana's journey as she adjusted to growing older and how her position in the royal family would have evolved during Charles' reign and eventually William's. As it is, we will never know. But Imagining Diana gives us a poignant idea of what might have been.
© Marilyn Braun 2020
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