Newsweek Princess Di cover

[Black Delphinium]

Not really related, but there is also a new novel out about a Princess who survived a "supposedly" fatal accident and now lives in middle America under an assumed name with a mundane life, friends and lover, but who is haunted by the secret of her identity...

[guihong]

Marilyn Monroe doesn't have children who would have to see "their mom at 85"-type articles (hard to believe, isn't it?).  I cringe when they do Elvis, Diana, or Jayne Mansfield, all of whom have grown children who experienced their deaths at a young age.

In other words, what GrammaDishes and CzarinaBurrito said.  Tasteless.

gui

[Wonderflonium]

Marilyn Monroe doesn't have children who would have to see "their mom at 85"-type articles (hard to believe, isn't it?).  I cringe when they do Elvis, Diana, or Jayne Mansfield, all of whom have grown children who experienced their deaths at a young age.

I'd be livid if I saw them do this to Jayne Mansfield, and not just because of my giant girl crush on Mariska Hargitay. Three of her kids were IN THE BACK SEAT when she died. Can we just leave her in peace?!

[johelenc1]

My first thought was that it was incredibly insensitive to the family.  I wouldn't have a problem with a doctored photo inside the magazine maybe in a split screen.  But, on the cover so that it looks like Diana and Kate are walking together...what a heartbreaking image for William and Harry.  I actually thought about writing to Newsweek to complain.

I really hope William and Harry never see this issue.

[baglady]

One thing I'm betting: If Diana were alive today, she would not be wearing that ridiculous dinner plate of a hat!

Methinks the editors saw their sales skyrocket during the Will & Kate hoopla and were reminded that, oh, yeah pretty royals on the cover sell magazines. Hey, we can do Diana's 50th birthday ... 30th anniversary of the Chuck & Di nuptials ... when does Wills turn 30 again?

A story inside the mag to mark the occasion, sans cover, sans creepy Photoshopping, might not have been so bad. This is just ewww...

[MrsJWine]

Unbelievably tacky.  I have a hard time believing this was an innocent misstep.  It seems more like a publicity stunt to me to try to drum up sales.

I am really, really curious about next issue's letters to the editor (does Newsweek do that?).  You can bet they'll get a LOT.  I wonder if they'll print them.

[Mikayla]

Unbelievably tacky.  I have a hard time believing this was an innocent misstep.  It seems more like a publicity stunt to me to try to drum up sales.

I am really, really curious about next issue's letters to the editor (does Newsweek do that?).  You can bet they'll get a LOT.  I wonder if they'll print them.

You got me curious, MrsJWine.  So I went to the story site to see if online comments are printed.  They are, and they pretty much resemble what's being said here.  (I also didn't realize this was Tina Brown...ugh).  Link to story and comments:

http://www.newsweek.com/2011/06/26/what-princess-diana-s-life-might-look-like-now.html

[jaxsue]

Unbelievably tacky.  I have a hard time believing this was an innocent misstep.  It seems more like a publicity stunt to me to try to drum up sales.

I am really, really curious about next issue's letters to the editor (does Newsweek do that?).  You can bet they'll get a LOT.  I wonder if they'll print them.

Per the bolded: ITA. The publishing industry is in the toilet. I should know; I used to be a copy editor for a techie magazine. I've seen the jobs dry up to nothing. Anything that sells a publication will be seen as a positive by the industry. It's just sad that publications that used to be more respectable have lowered their standards so much. 

[demarco]

Heartless, creepy exploitation.  Newsweek has been circling the drain for quite a while.  It's finally gone completely down the drain. 

[Corvid]

Not only is this shockingly tasteless, it is utter drivel.  Princess Di would have a loft in New York?  Princess Di would be tweeting the Dalai Lama?  This goes beyond inane.  Has someone been reading too much Danielle Steele?  And that cover, I have not the words to describe exactly how deeply vile it is.

What a prime example of the pitiful tabloid tendencies of mainstream U.S. media these days.  We could probably power the eastern seaboard with the energy generated from Edward R. Murrow spinning in his grave.

[Carnation]

One thing I'm betting: If Diana were alive today, she would not be wearing that ridiculous dinner plate of a hat!

Methinks the editors saw their sales skyrocket during the Will & Kate hoopla and were reminded that, oh, yeah pretty royals on the cover sell magazines. Hey, we can do Diana's 50th birthday ... 30th anniversary of the Chuck & Di nuptials ... when does Wills turn 30 again?

A story inside the mag to mark the occasion, sans cover, sans creepy Photoshopping, might not have been so bad. This is just ewww...

You're right about the hat!  I'm betting the dress would also be a no-go.

One of the few advantages of dying young, is that you avoid growing old.

[Twik]

Not only is this shockingly tasteless, it is utter drivel.  Princess Di would have a loft in New York?  Princess Di would be tweeting the Dalai Lama? 

Yes. That is the best that someone, apparently, who is good enough to be a writer for Newsweek, can come up with. Because, really, what higher goals can one aspire to than to have a trendy home, and shallow communications with celebrities? (Not that the Dalai Lama is shallow, but I doubt his philosophy is best communicated through tweets.)

Creating a fantasy of Diana continuing her charity work, and spending long days at it, isn't nearly as much fun.

My mother right now is feeling very depressed. When I asked why, she said she had been watching tv, and was just brought down by the sheer materialism of everyone on it.

[KenveeB]

I saw a much better take on this earlier today.  It was "Diana at 50: Her Legacy Lives On" and examining how her different charities and things continued now.  That's the way Di would've preferred to be remembered, I think.

[Everlee]

This just makes me sad for her boys.  I don't believe anyone, famous or not, would want to see speculations on what their deceased parent would be doing now.  It just seems cruel and unnecessary to me.

[Wonderflonium]

And the way they put together that picture of Di and Kate... I mean, that had to be like a punch in the gut to the boys, because obviously, that's what they want so badly to be real (ie, their mom being alive) but it's not.