Phil - you are seriously overthinking this. I don't agree with your hypothesis but its wrong to lump Diana in the same category as ANYONE in the public eye. I wasn't one of the Diana mourners as I cant stand the Royal family and I wasn't a Diana 'fan' either. However, I was shocked when she died and felt quite sad about it, like most people. I found all the pageantry and outpouring of grief crazily excessive, even gross, but you cannot but he kind of moved/ affected by it.
However, when Amy Winehouse died, I was very upset about it and felt genuine grief for her passing. Here at last was this brilliant, beautiful artist with the best voice since Janis Joplin, so many albums ahead of her. Her music genuinely excited me and I thought she was the best thing since Prince. When she died, I felt crushed. As it turns out, one of my best friends died the same day as Winehouse and although he had been ill, it was a big shock. Obviously I loved my friend very much but that did not take away that I was also genuinely upset about Amy. I was at the Secret Garden festival at the time, and many people were crying. I don't find it surprising and I would never call it insincere or ungenuine. Some people are very emotional, very sensitive, and death is very shocking. I can say that I am genuinely upset that Peaches Geldof has died, that's how I feel, and it is not a shallow feeling - neither could it be compared to my feelings about loved ones who I know personally who have passed. The two are not comparable.
