A short story that explores three possible responses to Princess Diana's death. Follow Sally, Henry and Caitlyn as they grapple with the reality of life and death. While the general response was one of grief and heartbreak, what were the paparazzi going through?
Full Description:
Princess Diana has always been an inspiration to me; her kindness, strength and determination are just some of her many traits that I’ve tried to follow. I was thrilled when I received the task to “research a significant event/movement/period and craft a response that communicates how people responded to that event/period”. I realised that I could write a story that explores three alternative reactions to Diana’s death. I believe the most powerful stories are raw and honest. They provide different perspectives, and challenge what the reader believes. In this story, I included three possible responses. Sally represents the general response: “You saw people weeping openly in the streets in a way I had never seen before and that was a real change” (Samuelson, 2017). Her actions were based on how “people gathered outside Diana’s Kensington Palace residence” (Samuelson, 2017).
While researching, I came across the statistic that a “Gallup poll conducted in 1997 found that 43% of the U.K. public held photographers “extremely” responsible for the fatal smash.” (Samuelson, 2017). It sparked the thought – what was the emotional aftermath for paparazzi? Through Henry I explored these emotions and reasonings behind the profession. A final response was someone indifferent to the death, due to a personal event of their own. Caitlyn, diagnosed with cancer, resents the fascination towards Diana’s death, “God, I know she’s dead. But I’m dying”, as she faced her own mortality alone, thus starkly contrasting the other two’s obsession.
Photo Bibliography: Flowers for Princess Diana with picture of her face 1997, Photograph, Getty Images, viewed 11 October 2022, https://www.historyextra.com/period/20th-century/princess-diana-death-what-happened/
