King Charles III's Legacy May Have Trouble Overcoming His Contribution to Princess Diana's 'Downfall'

Kristyn Burtt
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The world may be watching King Charles III’s coronation on Saturday, but not everyone is thrilled by the idea. It’s hard for many fans to forget about Princess Diana and how she was treated by the palace during her time as a senior royal. The memories of the late princess still linger and for Tom Jennings, director of the National Geographic documentary Charles: In His Own Words, her death will be irrevocably tied to Charles’ legacy.

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Jennings acknowledges that King Charles has done “some wonderful things” like the Prince’s Trust which has “helped more than a million young people with jobs training” over the years. “It’s easy to focus on the bad because it was so bad. It was just so bad [and it played out in the press] in epic proportions,” he exclusively tells SheKnows. “I think The Crown was made so they could get to where they’re at now [the modern era], in my opinion.” Even with his charitable acts, Princess Diana’s memory weighs heavy on many people’s minds.

Jennings understands that complicated part of Charles’ history — Diana was a superstar in her own right — and his affair with the then-Camilla Parker Bowles makes Saturday’s coronation a bittersweet event. “Diana was so beloved,” he adds. “[And for some,] he will forever be the demonic force behind her downfall. I think, for some, that he’ll never live it down.” The director does believe that history will look at his reign differently because some of the tabloid headlines “will soften over time.”

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In the present, though, Princess Diana will be on many people’s minds this weekend and how her story should have played out differently. She was the people’s princess and would have made an elegant queen.

Charles: In His Own Words is currently airing on National Geographic and Hulu. It will premiere on Friday, May 5 on Disney+.

Before you go, click here to see all of our favorite photos of Princess Diana.

Launch Gallery: 35 Photos of Prince Charles & Princess Diana During Their 15-Year Marriage

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