A Book Review, Princess Diana Survivor

The last few months have seen the publication of many books and articles and airing of lots of TV shows about Diana, Princess of Wales who died twenty years ago this past August. These shows and articles usually examine Diana’s final days and explain what effect her death and funeral had on both her close family and the country in general. Diana Survivor is rather different to many of these publications, firstly because it is a novel and secondly because, in the book, Diana wakes up in Paris after surviving the car crash.

The book, by author Dean Dudley, was first published three years ago, but a special edition for the anniversary of Diana’s death has recently been released. The author says that the book was created for “everyone who still misses Diana and wonders what might have happened if she had lived”.

Although the book is not entirely historically accurate, because real stories have been intertwined with fiction, it has been well researched. The story tracks Diana’s progress as she recovers from her accident and snippets of information come back to her from the past as she regains her memory. Through these flashbacks, the author has managed to tie in stories from Diana’s youth, her marriage to Charles and also fictionalised accounts which make the book more entertaining.

Whilst the book is funny and gripping, it is also easy to forget that the story is about Diana, Princess of Wales at times, as the life that the Diana in the book leads after waking up from her accident is rather different to what we are used to. Diana’s life in the book is rather far-fetched and the way she writes her diaries, whilst entertaining and engaging, can also seem unlikely as there is a lot of sexual content and explicit language. If this were a supposedly true historical account, then portraying the Princess in such a light could be deemed disrespectful, but Dean Dudley gets away with it by making it clear that it is a work of fiction.

As a story, the book is an engaging read. The tale is full of unexpected events and twists; from Diana giving birth to the child of Dodi al-Fayed and moving to the USA to a dark plot involving terrorism and kidnap in the wake of the 9/11 attack. If you are looking for an accurate or academic portrayal of Diana’s life, then this book is not for you. If, however, you are a fan of Diana's who has always wondered what might have happened if she had lived, then Diana Survivor offers the glimpse into a what may have been that many people have been thinking about.

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Princess Diana's Catherine Walker Dress To Be Exhibited

Princess Diana's Catherine Walker iconic bottle green velvet dress will be exhibited at Kensington Palace. That dress worn by Princess Diana in 1992 has a halterneck styling. This exhibition is organized by a charity, Historical Royal Palaces (HRP). The exhibition will be opened on 11th of February. This fashion exhibition is supported by Estee Lauder. Most of the Historical Royal Palaces are owned by the Queen on behalf of the nation and depend on special budget and that budget is managed by HRP.

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Prince William Delivered An Emotional Speech About Princess Diana

Prince William has given an emotional speech at the 21st anniversary of Child Bereavement UK about the death of his mother, Princess Diana.

"GRIEF IS THE MOST PAINFUL EXPERIENCE ANY CHILD OR PARENT CAN ENDURE" - Prince William

The Prince opened up about his painful past in an emotional speech.

The 33-year-old royal spoke of the heartbreak of losing a loved one on Thursday night when he attended a gala in London celebrating the 21st anniversary of the Child Bereavement Charity, an organization that was supported by his late mother, Princess Diana.

"Twenty-one years ago last month, my mother attended the launch of the Child Bereavement Charity," William began his speech. "Fifteen years later, I was honored to be invited to become Patron of Child Bereavement UK to continue my mother's commitment to a charity which is very dear to me.

"What my mother recognized back then ­and what I understand now is that grief is the most painful experience that any child or parent can endure," he continued. (William and his brother Prince Harry lost their mother, Diana, in 1997 when they were 15 and 12, respectively.)

"I have witnessed first-hand the difference CBUK has made­ and continues to make ­to the lives of bereaved families," the prince said. "CBUK works with military families, with the wrecked families of suicide victims, with little children whose lives are torn apart by the inexplicable death of a parent. And yet amid all this misery, CBUK ­- and I don't know how they do this - brings warmth, comfort, a guiding hand, a way through, even color and joyfulness, and a renewed opportunity for love as a family reknits itself after tragedy."

It had been a busy day for William, who spoke at St. John's College at Cambridge University earlier in the day and touched on the growing personalities of his two children, Prince George, 2, and Princess Charlotte, 5 months.

"He said George is very lively and Charlotte is very lady-like," Professor Christopher Dobson told reporters after he met with the royal. "He said they were both delightful of course."

Last week, Julia Samuel, godmother to George and friend of Diana said that she believes that the late Princess of Wales would have been "a really fantastic grandmother."

"It breaks my heart even thinking about it, because she would have been amazing, she really would," Samuel told The Mail on Sunday's You magazine.

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