Leave Diana Alone? The Media? Is She Serious? : England: The world’s most-photographed woman probably will never escape the tabloids, as much as the royal family wishes she would.

It’s Christmastime, and in Great Britain that means silly pantomime shows in the theaters, idiotic novelty records climbing the charts and the requisite bombshell in the saga of the nation’s most popular soap opera, the Royal Family.

Last year at this time, as the airwaves swelled with the cacophony of bizarre songs, it was announced that Charles and Diana, the Prince and Princess of Wales, were separating. A million news stories followed as pundits of every persuasion gave their expert opinions on the end of the fairy tale, the demise of the monarchy, whither Britain.

This holiday season, the No. 1 slot on the record charts has been secured by Mr. Blobby, a gelatinous seven-foot pink and yellow spotted creature, who repeatedly mutters the word “blobby.”

And Diana, the world’s most-photographed woman, has announced that she would like to step away from the spotlight and be left alone. Addressing the Headway National Head Injuries Assn., one of the 118 charities of which she is patron, the princess asked to be given “the time and space that has been lacking in recent years.”

The British tabloids, which have scrutinized her every move since she took up with Prince Charles all those years ago, were immediately supportive--in their own special way.

“DIANA--WE’LL LEAVE HER ALONE,” promised the Daily Mirror in a huge front-page headline. “SEE PAGES 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 24 and 25.”

Will the news media stop covering the Princess of Wales? Not bloody likely.

“I don’t think anybody expects that,” says Michelle Green, associate editor of People magazine. “She’s great copy and she always will be. Readers hunger for her. There’s no way that woman can retreat from public life.”

If Diana tries to hide from photographers, photo-agency executives agree, pictures of her will remain plentiful--and be more valuable.

“Photographers will follow her everywhere,” said an agency executive in London who asked not to be identified. “The paparazzi will do what they’ve always done.”

All is not necessarily what it seems, though. There are serious doubts that the 32-year-old princess actually wants to be another Greta Garbo.

True, Diana has let it be known that she is fed up with some of the media’s more intrusive practices. She is suing the Daily Mirror for publishing photos of her working out in a leotard, taken with a hidden camera at her fitness club.

But at the same time, the princess’s “friends”--those unnamed sources who make sure her viewpoint is known--have been widely quoted as saying she was forced into a reduced schedule by the royal family as part of an effort to improve the public’s perception of Charles.

“Diana feels Charles is jealous of her public work,” one of these friends told the Sunday Times of London.

Charles, desperate to shake off his image as an adulterous do-nothing, has been the subject of a major public-relations campaign to create a kingly aura around himself. Diana remains the most popular royal figure, and Charles is seen as destroying their marriage by cavorting with his alleged mistress, Camilla Parker Bowles.

As part of his effort to rehabilitate his image, Charles recently complained to the Financial Times newspaper that British officials should give him a larger role in “selling Britain” abroad. His complaints were seen as whining by media commentators, however, and may not have been entirely helpful to his cause.

British establishment figures are trying to make 1994 the “Year of Charles.” The 25th anniversary of his investiture as the Prince of Wales will be celebrated and a major authorized biography and TV documentary series about him are in the works.

Not having Diana around to soak up the public’s attention and affection could make life easier for the prince.

“Charles is serious about his own relaunched image and has been annoyed about his wife’s public profile,” said Diana’s anonymous friend in the Sunday Times. “Because of this jealousy, Diana thinks his camp has undermined and belittled everything she does. She feels she has been downgraded and is now regarded by Charles and others as a nuisance.”

If, indeed, Diana’s withdrawal from public life was orchestrated by Charles and his supporters, it appears to be backfiring on him. Or is it that Diana has played events perfectly?

First of all, her announcement has resulted in acres of news stories about how popular she is, how wonderful she is, how glamorous she is and how sorely she will be missed.

At the same time, the public discussion resulting from the announcement has renewed and intensified questions over whether Charles is fit to ascend to the throne, a position that makes him head of state and head of the Church of England.

For the first time, a major church official has publicly expressed doubts about Charles’ suitability to become king.

Referring to the prince’s alleged adultery, the Archdeacon of York, the Venerable George Austin told the British Broadcasting Corp., “Charles made solemn vows before God in church about his marriage and it seems--if the rumors are true about Camilla--that he began to break them almost immediately. . . . I think it brings into question the whole attitude of Charles to vows, trust and so on.”

The unprecedented criticism of Charles by a church official brought an unusual response. The prince authorized a close friend, Food Minister Nicholas Soames, to denounce the archdeacon’s remarks and assert that there is no question of Charles not becoming king.

Soames said Austin’s remarks were “disgraceful, wounding, ignorant and hurtful.” He added that, for Charles, “being heir to the throne is not an ambition but a duty. He will inherit the throne, and that is the end of the matter.”

And so, as Christmas approaches, Diana has reinforced her status as most beloved royal, Charles is once again struggling to prove himself and Mr. Blobby is a star.