x
Narjas Zatat
1490009400

Getty
You’ll remember the story that ran a few days ago about an old postage stamp of Prince Charles and Princess Diana?
Author Philip N Cohen pointed out the following image, along with the caption ‘They were the same height’.
They were the same height https://t.co/2dPFaa9XVN— Philip N Cohen (@Philip N Cohen) 1489628339
It caused a fair bit of controversy, with some people arguing that it demonstrated Prince Charles’ fragile masculinity:
@familyunequal @GreatDismal either sexism or Charles wore heels. I'm voting the latter— JakeChapman.eth 🚀 ✨ (@JakeChapman.eth 🚀 ✨) 1489695699
Cohen followed up his initial tweet with a second, rather more damning one of the two royals:
They were the same height https://t.co/I9YVAcU4hn— Philip N Cohen (@Philip N Cohen) 1489801472
The duo are reportedly of similar height - a Buckingham Palace spokesperson in July 1981 told the New York Times that Princess Diana was 5 foot ten inches, and Prince Charles stood at 5 foot 11, and yet in the photos above she appears significantly shorter than him.
Cohen, who has been interested in the scandal for many years, clarified a few things in a blog post.
He pointed out that, at the time of the original stamp photo the Palace claimed that the photographer, who was the Earl of Snowdon got Prince Charles to stand on a box.
This, they said, was not because Diana was taller than him but because the Post Office’s stamp design “called for space for the silhouette at the upper right”.
That doesn’t however, explain other photographs of the duo and people insist that Princess Diana was taller:
@WolfBaginski @familyunequal According to official stats, Diana was physically taller than Charles by almost two inches.— Eλf Sternberg (@Eλf Sternberg) 1489870929
While the motivations remain unclear, some are convinced that Prince Charles' propensity to be photographed as much taller than he is indicates an insecurity - one that spreads to many men.
@familyunequal @KathaPollitt Of course...the guy always has to be taller...Bogart and Bergman,Ladd and Loren...it's a Rule...— Frederic Wright (@Frederic Wright) 1489927681
Although this idea isn't held by the entire male population...
Picture: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty
Picture: Pascal Le Segretai/Getty/John Legend with wife Chrissy Teigen
More: This is a perfect example of how insecure men are
More: The surprisingly easy way to help improve your mental health
Keep reading...Show less
Top 100
The Conversation (0)