The paparazzi and their relationship to Princess Diana

The paparazzi

The paparazzi - a fusion of the Italian words papatacci, meaning gnat and razzi meaning the popping of flashbulbs - work with powerful motorcycles highspeed dinghies, and hi-tech satellite communications.

The word paparazzo was coined by Federico Fellini, the surname he gave to a prying society cameraman in his 1959 film "La Dolce Vita". The photographer on whom the character was modelled, Tazio Secchairoli, now aged 72 said: " Of course the paparazzi are aggravating - but if they are allowed to take photos, they go away."

The paparazzi who work on their own and are not accountable to organizations are less inclined to do so. Of course there is intrusion involved. It is not a happy state of affairs.

But the relationship with the paparazzi was a two-way-process. While the princess complained of intolerable intrusion, she was also adept at manipulating photographers. Tabloid newsdesks regularly received tip-offs from Dianas confidants - believed to have been authorised by the princess - as she attempted to spin her own media presentation. Mr. James Whitaker, the Mirrors veteran royal reporter told the BBC that staff working for British newspapers would "back off" when intrusion was regarded as too great. He claimed that Diana used the photographer enormously to her advantage, and knew exactly how to do it. In the past 18 months the princess of Wales had grabbed the ignition keys of a paparazzo who chased across London, taken out an injunction against the photographer Martin Stenning after claiming she was being harassed, and enlisted the help of a passer-by to confiscate a film from snapper Brandon Beirne outside a gym.

She accused them staking out Kensington Palace and her health clubs of "raping" and "stalking" her. The princess was powerless to combat the French paparazzi, renowned as an even tougher breed. Even as she lay seriously injured in the wreckage of her Mercedes, Diana, Princess of Wales, could not escape the attentions of the paparazzi. Pictures of the crash scene were being offered around the world for about $ 1 million - and urged the world press to join his tabloid in boycotting the pictures.

The world -wide market for pictures of the couple was insatiable throughout August - the St. Tropez picture known as "The kiss" commanded nearly £ 500.000 from 3 papers in Britain.

December 1993: "Whe n I started my public life 12 years ago I understood that the media might be interested in what I did. But I was not aware of how overwhelming that attention would become, nor the extent to which it would affect both my public duties and my personal life in a manner that's been hard to bear." - Diana announcing that she was to pull out of public duties.

November 1995: "The pressure was intolerable... my work was being affected. I was constantly exhausted because the press was so cruel." - Lady Di during Panorama interview on her difficulties with the press during her marriage problems.

July 1996: "The fact that the princess of Wales was persistently followed by seven press motorbikes and two press cars this morning is the reason for the distressing photographs which are now being published." - Statement from Kensington Palace during Dianas divorce proceedings.

August 1996: "He seems to know my every move. I am a prisoner in my own home I believe there's a grave risk that the cumulative effect of this continued and unrestrained her harassment will permanently damage my health. The defendant has deliberately ridden his motorcycle so close to my motor car that at times the two have collided." - Diana in affidavit while obtaining injunction against a photographer she accused of stalking her. August 1997: "I think, that in my place, any sane person would have left long ago. But I can not. I have my sons." - Lady Di's quotation in an interview with French newspaper Le Monde on media intrusion. It's been half a century since television started to become a central part of the human experience and for much of that time it seemed more a curse than a blessing.

But every so often, something blooms in the wasteland. A moment that brings drama and emotion into the living rooms of millions in a way that no other technology has ever managed.

One such moment was the BBC's interview with Di, princess of Wales. By the time the show had been broadcast by ABC in the USA, some 200 million people in more than 100 countries had watched Di talking about bulimia, postpartum depression, self-multilation, the breakdown of her marriage to Prince Charles, an affair and not least the British monarchy and its future. It was reverting.

She deliciously skewered her husbands relationship with his mistress Camilla Parker Bowles: "There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded." She admitted also that she had had an affair herself.

And the British public 21 million of whom watched the interview, had no trouble choosing between the princess and establishment: 72 % of them said that Diana had been treated badly by the royal family.

Within hours Buckingham Palace had seen which way the wind was blowing. After a week of making dark threats against the BBC for granting Di an interview without seeking permission from the royal household. "The monarchy is going to bend over backwards to give her everything she wants but it will never be enough. Nothing will ever be enough for the princess of Wales. Don't you have an office for her in Outer Mongolia?", one reporter told in Newsweek.

In my opinion all paparazzi have blood on their hands because they destroyed Princess Diana's life completely, and it all led to this. I think it's very tasteless to show the photos of the seriously injured Diana in the wreckage, in the Internet. Because even at the end of her life the paparazzi didn't stop to harass her. There were also very tacky and tasteless jokes about the princess of Wales like: "What sound did the ambulance make? - Dodi, dodi, dodi, dodi..." and "What's the difference between the London Ritz and the Paris Ritz? - After dinner in the London Ritz you get mints and after dinner in the Paris Ritz you get minced." or "How does someone make minced meat? - He uses a mincer. And how does the Government make minced meat? - They build tunnels." or "What does the Queen give Fergie to her birthday? - A black Mercedes and a trip to Paris."

What do you think? Is this picture real or faked?