Background: A Royal Friendship and Historical Fascination

In his upcoming book, When the Going Was Good: An Editor’s Adventures During the Last Golden Age of Magazines, Graydon Carter, former Vanity Fair editor-in-chief, offers a glimpse into his interactions with the late Princess Diana. Carter, who led Vanity Fair starting in 1992, recounts shared dinners with Diana, where discussions often centered around historical figures.

Princess Diana’s Curiosity about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

According to Carter, Princess Diana harbored a particular fascination with former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The Princess’s curiosity stemmed from perceived parallels in their experiences within powerful families. “She was very intrigued and kept asking questions – she wanted to know how Jackie Kennedy was treated by the Kennedy family because, I think, she felt there were parallels between how Jackie was treated and the way she was treated by the royal family,” Carter shared with Page Six.

Timeline of Key Events and Interactions

• Graydon Carter’s Editorship: Carter began his tenure at Vanity Fair in 1992, continuing until after Princess Diana’s untimely death in 1997.
• Onassis and Diana’s Passing: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis passed away in 1994, three years before Diana’s life tragically ended in a car accident in Paris.
• The “Revenge Dress” Appearance: In 1994, Diana attended a Vanity Fair event wearing a now-iconic outfit, coinciding with the announcement of Prince Charles’ affair.

Modern Reflections: The Royally Estranged

Reflecting on current royal dynamics, Carter comments on the estrangement between Princess Diana’s sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, expressing that she would be saddened by their ongoing conflict. “I would think she would feel great sorrow for her son to have been pulled away from his family like this, especially his brother but also his father,” Carter notes, emphasizing the emotional toll of such familial divides.