Never Say Di

With the Royal Wedding fast approaching, many radio and TV stations have been asking my opinion about the change in attitude towards the Royal Family over the last couple of decades.

I know people may disagree with me, but to me the moment when everything began to change dated from the moment when Lady Diana Spencer stepped out of the carriage before her wedding at St Paul's Cathedral in 1981. David and Elizabeth Emanuel immediately dashed up and began fussing round straightening the wedding dress.  And immediately fashion designers grew in importance. Until that time, we all vaguely knew that the Queen was dressed by Hardy Amies and Norman Hartnell - but can you imagine Her Majesty stepping out of her carriage for the State Opening of Parliament and having the couturier rushing round pulling her hem down and smoothing out creases!

From that July day onwards, Diana never did anything without us being told who had designed her outfit - and clothes became such an important feature.  That, to me, was when royalty began to be treated like movie stars and media reporting changed.

Then, when Diana died in 1997, there was such a media frenzy and a backlash against the Royal Family - with the constant demand that they should be more in touch with the people - and an effort to make them appear more ordinary.  Along the way, much of the magic has been lost. 

I remember the last time I saw Princess Margaret on an official engagement shortly before her final illness.  We all stood waiting outside, with crowds of people eager to see the royal visit.  Suddenly there was a cry of "Here she comes!" and we all watched and cheered as a gleaming Rolls Royce came into view.... and it was not HRH at all, but the Mayor of Hove.  Then a very unassuming green estate car pulled up behind, and Princess Margaret stepped out of the back.  It all just seemed so ordinary and lacklustre.  And sad. I remembered all the times I had been at royal events and there was such a sense of wonder and anticipation amongst the crowds, then the thrill of seeing the police outriders appear, followed by a gleaming maroon daimler coming slowly into view, and the petite figure of Princess Margaret or the Queen Mother in the back. And everyone present, whether followers of the Royal Family or not, got a lump of patriotic pride in their throat. It was what made us different from so many other countries, and republics with their Presidents and political leaders.

In trying to make our Royal Family ordinary - and a continual cry of 'How much does it all cost?' (as if a President wouldn't cost the country anything) - then something has definitely been lost.  Social commentator Walter Bagehot in the nineteeth century was right in many ways that we must not let daylight in upon magic.  In trying to change the way we look and treat royalty, we now approach a royal wedding where many in the population at best feel half-hearted about it, and at worst couldn't care less.  Prince William could end up as the last King of England -- and people really won't appreciate what they've got until they've lost it. Complacency will have killed one of Britain's greatest assets.