Jun 14, 2007

British princes still haunted by Diana's death


Britain's Prince Harry says he will 'never stop wondering' about the truth behind his mother Diana's death, in a joint interview with his brother William, who spoke of the emotional 'baggage' they carry as royals.In excerpts released Tuesday of an interview the princes gave to NBC News, both sons of Diana and Prince Charles said her death in a car accident nearly 10 years had cast a permanent shadow over their lives.Diana was killed when her speeding limousine, pursued by paparazzi, crashed in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris on August 31, 1997."Whatever happened in that tunnel, you know no one will ever know," Harry, 22, told NBC anchor Matt Lauer, according to advance excerpts reported by People Magazine"And I'm sure people will always think about that ... I'll never stop wondering about that," he said.William, 24 and second-in-line to the British throne, said the memory of his mother's death had failed to dwindle with time."There's not a day goes by I don't think about it," he said.The interview, recorded at the princes' official residence in London, will be broadcast June 18 on the US network.William was 15 and Harry 12 when their mother died. She had separated from Charles, heir to the British throne, in 1992 and they had divorced in 1996."Over the last ten years I personally feel as though she's always there," said Harry.The two princes are now officers in the British army. Their own colourful social lives -- including William's female companions and Harry's antics at night clubs and parties -- draw intense media scrutiny in Britain.Both acknowledged it was not possible to lead an entirely "normal" life."Within our private life and within certain other parts of our life we want to be as normal as possible," Harry said. "It's hard, because to a certain respect we never will be normal."William, whose break-up with girlfriend Kate Middleton made front page news in Britain, said forging relationships was difficult because of his royal status."I don't want to be liked by someone just because of who I am. I don't want the sycophantic people hanging around," William said."It's just as hard for our friends as it is for us," Harry added. "The reason I say that is because our friends have to put up with a lot -- when it comes to us." William agreed, saying: "There's a lot of baggage that comes with us, trust me -- a lot of baggage."Asked about their dream jobs if they were not British royals, William said he would like to be a helicopter pilot or work for the United Nations. Harry opted for life as a safari guide in Africa.The princes have organised a "Concert for Diana" on July 1, which would have been Diana's 46th birthday, with top stars to perform at London's Wembley Stadium.Meanwhile Tina Brown, whose biography of the British princess, "The Diana Chronicles," was just released in the United States, told CNN Tuesday that Diana was about to turn a corner in her life when the tragedy struck.Brown, who had lunched with Diana just weeks before her death, said she was near to emerging from her troubled post-divorce period and fully taking on her nascent role as a global human rights campaigner.There was "a sense that she was moving into a new act," Brown said of Diana, who had already carved out a place in AIDS and land mine awareness campaigns."I think she would have built on that," Brown said, calling Diana a model for celebrities now campaigning for human rights issues like Angelina Jolie.

Hilton says she'll no longer 'act dumb'


Paris Hilton says she is locking up her 'dumb' act and throwing away the key. Hilton revealed her new outlook in a weekend phone call to Barbara Walters from a county jail medical ward where she is serving out a 45-day sentence for violating probation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case.


"I used to act dumb. It was an act. I am 26 years old, and that act is no longer cute," Hilton said during the call, according to an account posted by Walters on ABC's Web site.


"It is not who I am, nor do I want to be that person for the young girls who looked up to me."


After spending three days in jail last week, Hilton was briefly released to electronically monitored home confinement Thursday for an undisclosed medical condition. An outraged judge sent her back to jail Friday.


According to ABC News, the call came after Hilton's mother, Kathy, phoned Walters. During the conversation, Paris Hilton called her mother on another line, found out her mother was talking to Walters, and then called Walters collect. All jail inmates are required to call collect.


Hilton reiterated assertions that jail has changed her: "Now, I would like to make a difference. ... God has given me this new chance."


In a related development, the Rev. Al Sharpton met with Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca on Monday and told reporters afterward that Hilton's situation exemplified an unfair legal system.


"People who cannot afford the best lawyers, people who cannot afford the best doctors are not going to get an early release," Sharpton said.


Baca has denied giving any special treatment to Hilton by reassigning her to home detention.


Also on Monday, a claim against the county was announced by a black woman who has a prosthetic leg and was recently an inmate at the same jail where Hilton was held last week.


Her attorney, Gloria Allred, said Pamela Richardson, 51, also "had serious medical issues" but was treated much worse than Hilton. A claim against a government entity is a precursor to a lawsuit.