Gut instinct – who will be the heiress of the Diana factor? That ephemeral effect, that bond with the peeps, and that ‘kachhing chhhing’ jackpot that each photo fetched. Diana, the vulnerable doe whose flight from the headlights was a sight to watch and photograph in itself; that royal protagonist of unsuitable scandals who was once filmed perched precariously on the diving board of a private yacht and one evening made the stodgy Ritz the starting point of a car chase that ended in more tabloid fodder than anyone could imagine.
She was a contradiction and so was the rest of the world – longing for a glimpse of her yet angry with those who hounded her. So what if she had divorced the future king, she still remained the ultimate Royal Sweetheart.
So Kate or Meghan? Which of these women will inherit her legacy? Winsome Kate? Statuesque and warm, capable and strong, scooping up her crying daughter at the Trooping the Colours on the Queen’s balcony, lauded for her lightning quick reflexes.
Kate who gets the look, dress and hat, down pat. Kate behind all her poise has always been one of the girls too. I could swear she was checking out a sweaty Andy Murray while exchanging pleasantries after a Wimbledon win. The same Kate who in a flirty dress on the Canada Tour, I swore kept two feet away from Justin Trudeau after their first greeting, because getting any closer would mean that the electricity would show in the pictures.
And then, along came Meghan. Beaming at her wedding, resplendently alone. Meghan was so confident that she asked the future king to walk her down the aisle. She had the who’s who of international glamour at her wedding cherry-picked and sitting on the sidelines. Meghan had Harry after all – that bad boy who broke so many hearts that some of them even showed up at the wedding hoping perhaps that he would have a last minute change of heart.
Meghan is the Diana of the moment but will she be for long?
She is winning people over one cold shoulder dress at a time while asserting that she remains a feminist. But the question is do they love her for being herself or for being royal? She had to give up her acting career which is astounding but she did it for the love of Harry who did it for the love of Gran and country.
But here exactly is where the difference lies between Diana and the daughters-in-law she has never met. Kate and Meghan have their loving men by their sides. Men with eyes for no one else ( a feat for Harry, but still true) .
And this was something that Diana did not have. What she did have was the palace life plopped on her lap – and she ran from it, taking the glam with her, leaving the sham behind. Kate and Meghan don’t need to run, they are exactly where they desire to be. So who will inherit the Diana legacy? Kate or Meghan? Neither, I’d say. And that’s okay.
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