It was the early hours of the morning, myself and others were still partying at a friends house, from a night out at the Magnum Club in Southampton. I remember, a group of us, laying on a bed, chatting about the night, when one of us received a text message, telling us to turn on the TV, Princess Diana had died, in a car crash in Paris.
Immediately we turned on the television, catching the first reports of her death. The news reader looked shell shocked, to be informing the World, that Diana, Princess of Wales had died. All of us there in our friend, Elaine’s house were upset, you could see tears welling up in all our eyes, glazed looks of disbelief and confused minds computing the information broadcast across the airwaves throughout the World.. This was a Sunday morning, I would always remember, a Sunday morning like no other!
It was early afternoon, when myself and Darrell returned home to our little flat, above the hairdressers in St Mary's Road, Southampton. The streets were empty, there was silence; the people you did see, walking, head down, deep in thought. That Sunday was one of the strangest, eeriest days I have ever lived through. The death of Diana, hit everyone, the whole country hard; the British showed emotions, that they had never shown before; I include myself in that sea of sensitivity; I felt her passing as much as anyone, it was a time when all of us opened up and let the tears run free, publicly, in front of family and friends, in the streets and in front of the television set
In the coming days, thousands upon thousands of people laid flowers outside all of the royal palaces, as the impact of Princess Diana's death was felt across the nation. There was no sign of the Queen or Royal Family, as the public came out in force to mourn the passing of their Princess. People were angry, 'Where is the Queen?' In fact Her Majesty was just doing what any normal Grandmother would do, protecting Princes William and Harry, from the death of their Mother, privately grieving, away from the glare of the World. The Queen did the right thing; the public were too distraught to care, as rumours started to circulate that Princess Diana was murdered. I can only describe how the public were acting, as mass hysteria, like a virus, spreading from one person to the next. Very few of us knew Diana personally, yet were deeply upset, as if it was a member of our own family. I don’t think I have ever felt that way again and probably never will.
Those days before Princess Diana was buried were peculiar and bizarre; peoples reactions were illogical and beyond anything, anyone of us could imagine. Britain’s stiff upper lip quivered and the Monarchy was rocked to its core. HM The Queen looked uncomfortable, almost frightened, as she finally arrived at Buckingham Palace on the advice of her Prime minister, not knowing what the reaction of those stood outside the gates would be towards her and her family. Almost immediately Britain forgave their Queen; although the road to recovery for her and the Royal Family would be a long one.
The funeral service was dramatic, as one would expect. Controversial words spoken by Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, in front of an audience of billions was damning; spontaneous clapping, totally out of character, unusual and unforgiving. A specially written 'Candle in the Wind,' performed by Elton John, choked even the hardest republican. The out pouring of grief without precedence; thousands of flowers thrown at Diana’s hearse, as it passed through the streets of London was almost unearthly to watch. In 1997, Britain changed, our usual stoical society cried tears and none of us knew why; carried along on a sea of sentiment, a domino effect that was unstoppable.
I met Princess Diana myself in 1990, whilst working for the Civil Service in Portsmouth. When a member of the Royal Family was in the City, as public servants, we were given time off to greet them. Diana was attending the Guildhall, just around the corner from our building, I was working for the Benefits Agency at the time, in Lord Montgomery Way and managed to climb my way to the front of the cheering crowd. I can't remember exactly what time of year it was, but I was wearing a red AIDS ribbon, so can only assume in was the winter, before World Aids Day. Diana was wearing a brown and cream outfit, looking radiant. Her wide brimmed hat cast a shadow across the pavement as she walked towards us all, waiting to catch her eye; I remember looking up at her as she approached the growing line of spectators; she seemed tall, very tall; I felt so small in comparison. Then she stopped; She had seen the ribbon on my lapel; winking at me with one eye, she said 'That's a very noble cause,' 'Yes Ma'am!' I replied. The fact that she even bothered to take an interest in people like me was amazing. I have always been a Royalist, especially a fan of Diana's and she made me feel like I was the only person there that day. I am grateful for meeting her, even briefly; she really did have true style and a way of making others feel at ease, comfortable in her company and as important as her, even for just one minute.
As individuals, Princess Diana touched all our lives. We really felt we knew her; she was a part of us, natural, personable and we opened our hearts to this shy, vulnerable woman who would one day be our Queen. When she died, something died inside all of us and we felt her death, in the same way we would, had it been a member of our own family. I remember Diana today, because I saw her everyday on my television, living her life with her, as she struggled with the terrible consequences of existing in the spotlight, as a member of the Royal Family. My heart went out to Diana because she wasn’t perfect and suffered as we all do. Depression, eating disorders and anxieties all plagued her, as they afflict many of us; she was someone we could all relate to, confirming the struggles we all had; Diana was one of us, not distant or unapproachable. She was open, fallible and understood who we were. She was indeed the Peoples Princess, as the Prime minister of the day referred to her.
Twenty years on, Diana Princess of Wales, still remains a constant in the lives of those who witnessed her death in 1997. Her legacy, including her two conscientious sons, William and Harry, the banning of land mines, a campaign she began before she died, her charity work with the homeless and victims of AIDS and the countless thousands of people she met during her short lifetime, lives on. She has won a special place in all our hearts, that people, unless close, rarely gain. I remember her today, because of who she was; a beautiful, kind hearted, special Lady who gave others the gift of hope when they had none.
Diana, Princess of Wales, The Peoples Princess!
