ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, August 22, 1996 TAG: 9608220005
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARYLN SCHWARTZ DALLAS MORNING NEWS
Now that Princess Diana is about to become a single woman again, everyone is offering her advice on how to date.
The romantics still want her to get a second chance at a fairy tale. OK, maybe not a prince this time. Maybe a handsome billionaire or a charming movie star.
But the realists are - well, they are a lot more realistic.
Forget ``how'' to date. Diana already knows how to be beguiling. What she needs now is to know ``whom'' to date.
Therapist Natalie Conway says everyone expects Diana to want to go right back into the glitzy, sophisticated world that surrounds high-profile celebrities.
But, the therapist cautions, just remember what your mother always told you: The fundamental things apply.
``It doesn't matter if you're the future queen of England or the young woman down the street,'' she says. ``If two people are ill-matched, the relationship isn't going to work. Forget about beauty, incredible wealth and an adoring public.
``If you like rock and he despises it, and he adores opera and it makes you gag, you have a problem. What on earth are you going to talk about once you have to make conversation over breakfast on the yacht?''
I handed Conway Princess Diana's profile and asked her what advice she might offer to the soon-to-be-single woman.
I might add I've done this before for Diana, just before she was married. I took the profiles of Diana and Charles to several marriage counselors and asked what chances the union had of succeeding.
I didn't give the names. Just the backgrounds. All were adamant. What a disaster this was going to be.
He was in his 30s, didn't have a job and still lived with his mother. She was 19, had only worked as a nursemaid, didn't even have the equivalent of a high school education and really couldn't stand being around his great passion, horses.
``If these people get married,'' one of the marriage counselors said, ``I can't even predict the extent of the disaster.''
Laugh if you will. But she was right.
Therapist Conway was aware from the beginning that we are talking about the princess.
``Diana has a bad track record with men,'' says the therapist. ``Her reported affairs seem to be with athletes or horsemen. Nothing wrong in that. But she does dislike horses. And the athletes are often spoiled and are used to lots of beautiful women. They play around. That was one of her problems with Charles. She's not the future queen of England anymore. She's just another beautiful woman. There are lots of them around athletes. And most of them are younger than Diana's 35 years.''
Get real. This is Princess Diana we're talking about. She's the darling of the world. Just because she's 35 isn't going to matter.
``Stop being a romantic,'' says the therapist. ``We're not talking about being queen of England. We're talking about dating in the '90s. If you think her mother-in-law was tough, wait until she starts competing for a really eligible single man.''
The therapist thinks well-meaning friends will try and match her up with very dashing men with great portfolios. Most will be too educated. Diana is not at all intellectual. The therapist thinks she'll match a lot better with someone like a nurturing fitness instructor.
And one more thing the therapist points out:
This business of being a princess could prove to be a real liability. It's one thing in Buckingham Palace. But quite another out on the singles scene.
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Di, single and free: Mamma's boys, horse lovers need notby CNBapply. color.