The Queen

Saw the movie "The Queen" over the weekend. It's the story of how Queen Elizabeth responded to Princess Diana's death. First off, I just want to say to any of you who are up on royal protocol that I know officially it is incorrect to say "Princess Diana." But it's easier. So I still say it. (just in case any of you were wondering.)

Anyway, back to the film. I was unaware how much of a role Tony Blair played in this movie, nor was I aware of how much of a role he played in the actual events as they happened. But according to the movie, he was key in the unfolding of the drama in real life, and I certainly haven't read any reviews of the movie crying foul. In fact, I heard that the Queen actually saw the movie and didn't criticize it. Not that that necessarily means a whole lot.

Ok, ok, I will get on with it now.

I was living in London the year Diana and Charles got married. I was on the street watching the processional the day of their wedding. I was the same age as Diana - less than 6 months difference - and I felt a connection to her - not that I am unique in that way - but I did feel as if we shared something in this world. In contrast, I never felt any connection to Sarah Fergusen, though she, too, is about my age, and honestly I think she sounds like a really fun person. Anyway, I stayed up-to-date about Diana's life, following the births of her children and the demise of her marriage, and I remember vividly the moment I heard of her death. I was pregnant with Ty, it was a Sunday morning, and Steve brought the newspaper in to me - I was still in bed - with the news.

I did not get out of bed that day.

Two years later, I was in Paris and visited the spot where an impromptu shrine to Diana was set up. It's a corner close to where the road goes into the tunnel where the accident occured. People brought flowers there the day after the accident, and two years later there were still fresh flowers placed there regularly. It was very hard to see, yet I sought it out deliberatly.

Now, watching this movie, all the emotions came flooding back to me and I found myself relieved that I was sitting alone in the last row of the movie theater so my crying did not bother anyone else. The movie was really done so carefully, so respectfully, that although I was crying, I was also aware of a feeling of surprised satisfaction that the movie makers had not exploited the event or the person to make their film.

I have no way of knowing how accurate the depiction is in the film. They certainly showed a lot of the Queen's personal life that I assume they have no real way of knowing about. But, as I said earlier, I have not read any reviews of the film that point out how wrong it is, and I did read that the royal family watched the movie and did not make a statement disavowing it. And since Tony Blair is still prominent in British politics I have to assume his part in the story must be based on reality. So I have to say that, royal family watcher that I am, I really learned a lot watching this movie. I was pleased with the way the writers presented the human side of the royals, the way they showed the inner struggles and the conflict they had to overcome during that time.

I still find myself looking at any magazine which has a photograph of, or headline about, Diana. I probably always will.