It was on August 31, 1997, that a chauffeur-driven car crashed at high-speed in Paris, ending the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, and prompting a wave of public grief. The extent of that grief became clear over the ensuing days in London, as bouquets of flowers piled high on the streets, together with handwritten tributes from heartbroken admirers. When her funeral was held a week later, some businesses closed for the day, and hordes of people watched the event from whatever vantage point they could find, even if that meant crowding around the windows of TV stores. A large gathering occurred in London’s Hyde Park, where the event was broadcast live on huge screens, with people yelling at each other to sit down so that everyone could see.

If another royal had died, it’s hard to imagine that there would have been such a reaction. And this is a testament to the qualities which Diana brought to a monarchy that badly needed them: charisma, glamour, a skill in handling the media, and an ability to convey a sense of genuine caring. These were all the more remarkable since she appears to have been given so little preparation for her role, beginning as a 20-year-old bride in 1981, and so little support once she was in it.

Her popularity was, for a while, something that benefited all concerned. The media got great stories and photos. The public delighted in her glamour and her complex personality. She herself enjoyed fame for a while, both for its own sake and for the opportunity it gave her to highlight causes she cared about. And it was all good news for the monarchy, and for her husband and eldest son, both in line to be future kings. For all that anybody knew in the early eighties, Diana would just continue building up public support for herself and her fellow-royals, setting the stage for successful reigns for both Charles and William.

Of course, that’s not how it turned out. As Diana went through a very public separation and divorce and grew ever more bitter and depressed, her powerful public image started working in unexpected ways. And it continues to do so, leaving a complex legacy.

In a 1995 interview, after her separation from Charles was acknowledged, Diana said that she probably would not become queen, but would like to be “a queen of people’s hearts.” A veteran communicator by now, she must have been aware that this perfectly-formed soundbite was a direct provocation against both the present ruler and any woman Charles might eventually want to make his queen.

Once the divorce was finalized in 1996, the Palace agreed to let Diana be called “Diana, Princess of Wales,” an evocative accolade but one with no constitutional teeth, as she could no longer be a “Royal Highness.” While we’ll probably never know what backroom haggling led to that deal, it was clearly an attempt at damage limitation by the Palace, which had come to regard her as a loose cannon while recognizing that she had the public’s sympathy.

All the while, public opinion became more and more divided over whether she was exploited by the monarchy and the media, or whether she was the exploiter. That debate continued in the wake of her tragic death. All these years later, it’s perhaps a little easier to see it as a bit of both.

What does all this mean for the likely next two kings? The public image of Charles suffered massively from the acrimony with Diana, but William seems to have received none of the damage and all of the reflected glory. In a country where the monarchy remains a popular institution even when the individuals leading it are not, William is seen as embodying the best of both worlds. A dutiful scion of the House of Windsor, he is also an attractive figure like his mother, and has brought some of her charisma to his public duties. Exhibiting an independent spirit, during his early military career William repeatedly requested that he be involved in active service. But having been steered in a different direction by the Palace and the government, who were wary of letting him get into any real danger, he seems to have acquiesced.

For someone so young, William has suffered great sadness and learnt some tough lessons. He is apparently gifted with looks, intelligence, tact and skill. With all that going for him, he may grow to outshine both his parents.