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CNN Live Saturday

Interview With Deborah and Gerald Strober

Aired August 31, 2002 - 18:20   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Princess Diana's memory is still dear to her devotees in Britain and throughout the world, five years now, if you can believe it, after her death.
We're joined on this somber anniversary by royal family biographers Deborah and Gerald Strober, authors of "The Monarchy, the Oral Biography of Elizabeth II." They're in our New York bureau.

Welcome to both of you.

GERALD STROBER, ROYAL FAMILY BIOGRAPHER: Thank you, Martin.

SAVIDGE: Let me ask you. It has now been five years, as hard as that may seem to be in the time that has gone by. And marking the occasion, Diana's mother comes out very critical of those she claims have cashed in on this notable anniversary. What do you make of this? And what are Britain -- the people of Britain feeling now, five years later about Diana.

DEBORAH STROBER, ROYAL FAMILY BIOGRAPHER: Well, it's upsetting to her children, to her family, especially the boys. I mean, it must be very hard on them. And I think the emotion that people felt five years ago has abated, but people still care very much about the princess.

SAVIDGE: Gerald, is her memory still intact? I mean, is that very high attitude that we had towards Diana still the way it was?

G. STROBER: Well, Martin, I think as Deborah said, the emotion has waned. There are some who are Diana diehards, who will to their last breath, remember her, love her, adore her. There are many people in the British establishment, many people who we interviewed, who were very upset with Diana for the feeling that she had tried to upset the royal apple cart and embarrass the royal family and the palace and the Queen.

So I think these feelings will go on into the indefinite future. And the camps will remain divided.

SAVIDGE: Deborah, what is the major change that perhaps Diana brought about for the royal family?

D. STROBER: Well, she put a very personal stamp on the royal family. She was warm. She communicated with people. She touched AIDS patients. This was a tremendous thing. She hugged her own children. That was just not done in the royal family in public until Diana came along.

SAVIDGE: And Gerald, the royal family today, how do you think they look upon this anniversary? Is it with a certain amount of cringe?

G. STROBER: No, I think there's great relief in the royal family. Of course, it's a very complicated issue, Martin, because you know on the one hand, the royal family has made a great come back, including Prince Charles. Only 12 percent of the British public in a poll taken recently would want to do away with the monarchy, a far cry from what had happened in the moments and the hours after Diana died.

On the other hand, the queen is the grandmother of these two young men, who lost their mother in a horrible, tragic accident. So -- and William is going to be king one day. So there is this kind of tension between a kind of relief that Diana is off the scene, and at the same time, a continuing sorrow for the young men whose mother is no longer with them.

SAVIDGE: Without question. William and Harry always will sort of carry on their mother's legacy. Just one look at them tells you that.

Thank you very much. That is Deborah and Gerald Strober, authors of the book, "Monarchy, the Oral Biography of Elizabeth II." Thanks for being with us from New York City today.

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