Where does one start to describe the day that Princes Diana Died?
For starters, let me explain that I was a huge admirer of hers and always will be. When she visited Melbourne in 1983, I even wagged school to meet her, as she and Prince Charles greeted Melburnians in Swanston Street – and meet her I did. I actually shook her hand!
Flash forward some 14 years later and I had just returned home from a movie and knew nothing of her death until I turned on the news. I was so shocked that I actually dropped a can I was opening – just like Audrey Tautou’s similar ‘hidden box’ scene in the movie Amelie, some four years later.
As the news sank in, so did a week of heartbreak and sadness. That evening big Hollywood heavyweights including Will Smith, Sylvester Stallone and Sugar Ray Leonard were in town for the opening of the now defunct Planet Hollywood, but the world media was focused on Paris, France where the death of Princess Diana was dramatically unfolding.
Football matches were cancelled, candlelight vigils were held, condolence books were signed – yet many could not come to terms with the sudden and untimely death of the ‘People’s Princess’. It sent shockwaves around the globe.
That following week, a hard-hitting reminder of the reality came through constant news reports and television commercials for her funeral. She was the focus of daily conversations and practically every magazine, now more than ever, featured her as their cover. People cried in the streets. I was one of them.
Similar to the untimely deaths of JFK and John Lennon, the world struggled to make sense of the tragedy. Even her critics had to admit just how much her popularity was underestimated. The fact that every flower throughout the land of England had been picked, and placed at Kensington Palace, was a statement in itself. And then there was Elton John’s reworking of Candle In The Wind – heart wrenching. But there was nothing more sobering than the sight of her two sons following the coffin, where a small envelope simply said ‘Mummy’.
Her funeral was watched by 2.5 billion people and the Queen herself felt compelled to bow as the procession passed Buckingham Palace. And let it be known that the Queen bows to no one.
So why did Diana strike a chord with so many? Was she a rebel? Well yes, she spoke out and defied royal protocol. But it went much deeper. She had a genuine and sincere kindness that not only shone through her charity work, but radiated in her everyday life. Embracing starving children and gay men dying of AIDS were examples, but she had a very visible soul.
The Queen of Hearts was labelled such, because she resonated with the people. In many ways Diana’s life reflected our own – her struggles, triumphs and sense of vulnerability.
A generation grew up and followed the life of the shy kindergarten teacher who would become more than a princess and style icon. She became ‘England’s Rose’. Twenty years on, and the sentiment remains.
If you look into the sky, you’ll see that the stars truly do spell out her name.
Rest in peace Diana. You’ll never be forgotten.
My photograph below of Princess Diana on the day I met her. How many hands did she shake?!
Watch the ‘hidden box’ scene from Amelie here
9 Comments
I was quite young when she died, I remember watching the 6pm news with my parents. They were really shocked, and I remember my grandmother being really upset (she’s from the UK). One of the big events in my lifetime for sure!
I remember the day well. I dropped in to vusit my mother and she told me the news. Not believing it at first as it just seemed so unlikely that a person with all those minders and guards was put in such an unsafe situation. She seemed to live a fast life and unfortunately paid the ultimate price.It’s always sad to hear of the death of young people no matter how privileged and indulged. I am really not a fan of the royals and see no real need for them. Better to sell the spoils of their reign and help the poor and needy.
It was a warm day here, the first day of spring. I arose early on Sunday morning and turned on the telly, the news was just starting to come through about the accident. I reached for the phone and disbelievingly started to call friends to make sense of what was happening, at this stage all we knew was that Diana was injured. People of my era, approx four years younger than Diana had kind of grown up with her, her battles were our battles, her sadnesses were our sadnesses, as we’re her triumphs. When the news came through that she had passed away it felt like a punch to the stomach, so much promise gone, and the sad realization that fairytales don’t always have happy endings, no matter how much the world needs them. Diana will always be the Queen of my heart.
I was studying and working in Sydney in my second year out of school. My boss at the time came rushing into the cafe in a very dramatic fashion hollering “Diana is dead” I remember it so clearly. Very sad day indeed.
I was driving into the city for a date when I heard it on the radio! But I was a journo at the time so was absolutely intrigued. Now as a mum of two boys, I think I find it all the more tragic.
I was outside Macca’s waiting for my husband. I remember it like it was yesterday….
I was woken up by a phone call from a friend at 6 in the morning. She said “Have you heard the news? Princess Di’s died in an accident” I mumbled something like “It’s too early on a Sunday for jokes” and slammed the phone down. My friend rang me back and told me to get out of bed and turn the telly on…..I hadn’t been dreaming, it was real, seemed more like a nightmare! I remember feeling overwhelmingly sad at the loss of such a beautiful life.
I recall every bit of that day. I was sitting in my Aunt’s house about to start a baby shower (the same house I just sold actually) and one of the ladies arriving broke the news. I was absolutely devastated. I idolised her kindness and sympathised with her position in that household she seem to be trapped in.
Awesome article! Thank you Matthew!
Matthew Myers keep up the good work.
Diana also brought much attention to the suffering of Eating Disorders as her own private battle became known. I was a newly qualified dietitian at the time and recall that side of her life giving a lot of young sufferers a ‘voice’ so to speak; probably a sense of hope to many too. No doubt her death would really have been felt by many of her co-sufferers around the WORLD.
Best regards
M
@dietitianman