On September 6, 1997, more than 2 million people lined the streets to see Princess Diana off to her final resting place. A gloomy atmosphere of mourning seemed to cover the entire UK.
It has been 24 years since Princess Diana’s funeral. Billions of people who loved the “Rose of England” watched her funeral on television, more than 2 million people lined the streets on September 6, 1997 to see the Princess of Wales off for the final stretch. The procession from Kensington Palace to Westminster Abbey was filled with sadness and regret for the cruel fate of a talented and beautiful woman.
Although this funeral was watched by many people, there were a few details that not everyone was aware of at that time, and it was only in later years that people gradually learned about them.
Prince William and Harry were not allowed to cry at their mother’s funeral
That year, Prince William was only 15 years old and Harry was only 12 years old. The two brothers walked side by side with their father, Prince Charles. No one saw the two children cry, they just walked with their heads bowed and sadly.
It is said that Prince Charles instructed and instructed his children not to cry there: “Don’t cry, just walk like that!”. Both Harry and William listened to their father, trying to stay calm during the 2-hour walk behind their mother’s coffin. Later, when they were adults, the two brothers talked about the difficulty and pain that day when walking in front of millions of people.
Prince William and Harry at their mother’s funeral
As confirmed on the Lady Diana Foundation website, on the day of her burial, she wore a long black dress by designer Catherine Walker, which she had ordered herself three weeks before her death. Inside the coffin was a rosary, a gift from Mother Teresa to Princess Diana.
She was buried on a private family island
The Princess of Wales was originally supposed to be buried in the Spencer family vault, but plans were changed and she was moved to a more private location. The funeral took place at Westminster Abbey, but her coffin was later buried on an island in the middle of the Oval Pond, in the grounds of the Spencer family home of Althorp Park. It is understood that her brother, Earl Spencer, feared the burial site would be overwhelmed by the number of visitors.
Although visitors cannot visit Princess Diana’s grave, Althorp is open to the public at certain times of the year, where you can look out over the lake to see the white memorial. Visitors can also visit the lakeside shrine dedicated to her and leave a tribute.
Thousands of bouquets laid outside Kensington Palace in memory of the late Princess
Princess Diana’s brother delivers controversial eulogy
At Princess Diana’s funeral, her brother Charles Spencer made a pointed rebuke of the Royal Family and the British press for their treatment of his sister. He referred to the “paparazzi who were present” and said his sister had been ridiculed by the media, who called her “the most hunted person of all time”.
His criticism of the Royal Family also revolved around the lives of his nephews Princes William and Harry, demanding that they be allowed more freedom. “I pledge that we, their immediate family, will do everything we can to continue to guide these two extraordinary children along the path that the Royal Family has intended for them, so that their souls are not only immersed in duty and tradition. With the heritage they have inherited from birth, we will always respect and encourage them to take responsibility for their responsibilities, but our family also believes that they need to experience many other aspects of life,” Mr Spencer said.
Princess Diana died in a tragic car crash inside the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris on 31 August 1997, while her driver was fleeing paparazzi. The crash also killed her companion Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul.
