As America learned of Princess Diana’s tragic accident, Britain still slept in the pre-dawn hours of August 31, 1997. The hospital doctor, France’s Interior Minister, and Britain’s ambassador to France held a press conference at 5:30 a.m. in Paris; the time in Britain was 4:30 a.m. In London, my sister’s phone call from the States woke us early that Sunday morning, and so began a very sad week of shock for the U.K., incredulously glued to BBC television news broadcasts and newspaper headlines.
Seas of flowers
Bouquets had been stuck through the iron railings of the fences along Kensington Gardens. Gaps in the fence filled up quickly, so crowds of silent mourners began placing bouquets, many still in their cellophane wrappers, on the grass in the park facing the palace. The sea of blooms grew wider and deeper day by day, scattered with candles, teddy bears, cards, so many photographs, children’s drawings, and notes pinned to trees with expressions of love and gratitude. England had not experienced such a spontaneous outpouring of national expression since World War II. The piles of flowers, estimated at more than one million bouquets, were more than knee-high. Security allowed still more until after the funeral, when week-old flowers at the bottom of the heap began rotting. Tributes also grew large at St. James’s Palace, at Buckingham Palace, and at Harrods, owned by the father of Dodi Fayed, Diana’s friend who was killed in the crash as well.
Books of condolences Kensington Palace stayed open 24 hours a day, just to deal with the tens of thousands queued up to sign its book of condolences where the coffin lay. Dozens of condolence books were found throughout London. My children and I signed one during the weekly grocery run at Sainsbury’s, just to get used to the idea that Diana was gone as a fact of everyday life. One did become fairly used to seeing her around town, at the gym, in Beauchamp Place for lunch, and in the morning papers.
Silence on a Saturday Saturday morning, September 6, was sunny and warm, but so quiet, except for the bells that began tolling shortly after 9:00 a.m. Planes were diverted, shops were closed, sports events were cancelled. A million people lined the funeral procession route as Prince Charles, Prince Philip, Earl Spencer, a 12-year-old Harry and a 15-year-old William followed the flag-draped coffin to Westminster Abbey. A bell tolled every minute as the horses’ hooves were heard in the road. Otherwise, it was so quiet. Cameras zoomed in upon a circle of white roses beside the white lilies where Harry’s note of a single word, Mummy, broke every mum’s heart. Onlookers held signs saying goodbye, wept silently and tossed flowers. Then, finally, the Union Jack above Buckingham Place was flown at half-staff indicating a complete change of protocol that the people had hoped for.
Inside Westminster Abbey
Diana’s brother, then only 33 years of age, delivered a eulogy containing a cautionary message to “the firm”, the royal court, on behalf of Diana’s young sons. Impromptu applause broke etiquette. Elton John’s re-worded version of “Candle in the Wind” as a tribute to Diana was nearly impossible to watch. “Goodbye England’s Rose”, which he sang once that day and never again performed, became the fastest and highest-selling single in the U.K., nearly five million copies sold with proceeds going to Diana’s favorite charities.
Althorp, a final resting place Once the coffin was borne to a cortège, a minute’s silence fell throughout the nation. A hearse readied for the drive 75 miles north to the large Spencer ancestral home. Here, Diana’s final resting place is on a small wooded island on an estate lake, rather than at the parish church, to afford better privacy. So many flowers are tossed at the procession that the drivers must use the windscreen wipers to see clear ahead. I remember the final televised images of that day, the back of those black cars bearing shiny number plates. It felt that when the BBC turned their cameras off that we had all truly and finally lost Diana for good.
“Diana was the very essence of compassion, of duty, of style, of beauty,” eulogized her brother, the 9th Earl Spencer. “…Today is our chance to say ‘thank you’ for the way you brightened our lives, even though God granted you but half a life.”
