Memories of Diana

[Elspeth]

Today, 31 August 2007, marks the 10th anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in Paris.

This thread is for people to share their memories of Diana during her life, their feelings when they heard the news of her death, and their opinions about her effects on the royal family and on society in general.

I know this is a sensitive subject, particularly during a major anniversary like this one, so I'm reminding everyone to be considerate when posting criticism and respectful of the feelings of other posters whose opinions you might not agree with. This is an especially good time to keep in mind the forum rule, "Insulting comments about other posters and royals are not permitted. Criticism is acceptable; insults and flames are not. We expect our members to treat each other with respect."

The thread also is not for a rehash of the Charles-Camilla-Diana blame game, arguments about whether Charles is fit or deserving to be King (and ditto for William), declarations about what God may or may not think of Diana, Charles, Camilla, or anyone else, or any other excuse for off-topic fights between Diana partisans and Charles-Camilla partisans.

The moderators will be keeping a close watch on this thread, and I hope that's all we'll have to do. Please keep the tone of the thread civil. If things start turning nasty, the offending posts will be deleted.

[HMTLove23]

Memories of her with her sons is What i remember most. She was such a good mother.

[kimebear]

My first reaction was extreme sympathy for her sons. All the photos I had ever seen of her with them, they looked purely joyful to be together. I also felt bad that she would never get the chance to see them become men and raise families of their own.

[Empress]

Something funny. I was 18 when she died, and was out on a first date with an idiot who eventually asked me to marry him, and dumb dumb that I was I said yes. Needless to say, we never made it to the altar, Thank God. Also needless to say I remember far more of the feelings that I had and can remember with clarity what I said and did when I found out upon returning home that she had died, than I do about that first date.

Says something about the guy, no?

[sirhon11234]

I was 7 years old when she died I remember I was at a block party and had just learned how to ride a 2 wheel bicycle without training wheels when the crash occured it was 12:20 parisian time so it was 6:20pm North American time. I remeber waking up in the middle of the night to see my mother looking at the t.v and i remember seeing utter confusion a wrecked car and and an ambulance leaving the scene I was half asleep then. I didn't realize at the time that the Princess of Wales was dead. After that it was the week of Diana all local channels like CNN NBC.... showed nothing but Diana and there were seas of flowers for this one woman I was amazed at the outpouring of grief of the people, celebrities, and politicians. The funeral at the time was the saddest thing I ever watched in my life. I remember asking my mother when are they going to let Diana out of the box she's too young and beautiful to be dead only old people die and my mom bluntly said that people die everyday whether they are young or beautiful. And then I remeber being in tears for the rest of the day. From the Princess' death I learned that life is short and that we should live it to the fullest.
I have only three memories of Diana alive one is when she in Angola visiting victims of landmines the second was in June at the christies auction and the last was when everyone on t.v. were talking about that kiss she and dodi shared.

[sirhon11234]

Originally Posted by Empress

Something funny. I was 18 when she died, and was out on a first date with an idiot who eventually asked me to marry him, and dumb dumb that I was I said yes. Needless to say, we never made it to the altar, Thank God. Also needless to say I remember far more of the feelings that I had and can remember with clarity what I said and did when I found out upon returning home that she had died, than I do about that first date.

Says something about the guy, no?

Wow it sounds like you had a very interesting night. I'am going to be 18 in November I cant imagine being engaged right now.

[pinkie40]

I felt like millions of others united in this collective shock and grief.

Ironically, there is a local, socially prominent man here in Dallas by the name of Trevor Rees-Jones. His photo was shown on local Dallas television for about 24 hours until someone realized the Al-Fayed bodyguard was not the local man!!

[anbrida]

I was 16 years old at that time. I remembered I heard the news during a sunday lunch. My eyes welled up with tear within a minute. I remembered I tried very hard to hold back my tears because there were other guests at that time. I thought they might found me weird when they saw my tear. Actually I pretended to be totally indifferent to the news until the end of the lunch.

I think I am a qualified Di-hard fan and also a nutter at the same time. I think about her every day for the past ten years. But I seldom talked about Diana to any people around me. (I've no problem of expressing my feeling through the internet, because no one knew my identity) No one knew I was a Di-hard fan except few people. My parents knew that because I couldn't hide my collection of pictures and books about Diana from them.

I knew I am a nutter. But there is some advantage of being nutter. Since I keep my Diana so deep deep in my heart that I don't need to mind other people's bad mouth toward her. Since in this way no one can hurt her any more.

[charmed4sure]

i was 13 when Diana died, i really didn't know who she was at the time, all i can remember is driving home from my grandparents, and hearing the news on the radio, and my mom turned the radio up so loud, we turned around and went back to my grandparents, and when we got there my aunt who left also was back, and they sat there and watched tv. My memories kind of scatter from there, but i do remember waking up that morning and everyone was, or had been crying and by then another one of my aunts was there. I had no idea at the time what we had lost but now at 21 i know. My thoughts and prayers go out to her boys today.

[principessa]

Until today, I can't believe that so a heartly and popular royal had passed away. It's so hard.

May god bless her and her family. May she rest in peace.

[leonardinha]

I was 22 when Diana died. I remember my mother waking me up and asking me: "Have you heard about Princess Diana?" "What's up with her? Did she lose her baby?" (because I thought she was pregnant) "No, she's dead". I was petrified and simply couldn't believe it.

[tara1983]

I was 13 years of age when she died and i remember that day like it was yesturday.

i was watching a doc on ballet ( funny that diana loved ballet) when my dad came in from washing the car and said that one of the royels from england has been hurt in a crash in paris the first thing i thought was fergie.

then my mum said no it was diana and she has walking away with a broken arm i thought at least she is ok. then about half an hour later or so the news broke that she died. i was shocked and felt sick.

i can still remember what the weather was like the day she died.

this will never settle down her memory will live on forever.

[Warren]

While it's OK to share the moment we first heard the news of the car crash, or of her death, this thread is also about sharing the memories of Diana the living person.

Just as the Memorial Service will concentrate on Diana's life rather than the moment she died, it will be a more positive experience if we do the same.

thanks,
Warren

[LadyK]

I wasn't really a royal fan at the time of Diana's death- I just didn't know much about them. What I do really remember, and what I think most of you do too, it how brave her sons were, and how much they must have loved her. What I really remember, and what still makes me sad, is the small arrangement of white roses (Diana's favorite) with a hand written letter from Harry leaning against it, the envelope reading "Mummy."

[Antoniane]

I feel really sad today, like if her death had happened today...

I'll never forget her and how marvellous she was...

I also want to give some internet addresses with articles and photos.

HOLA!

GUILLERMO Y HARRY ELIGEN EL HIMNO QUE SONÓ EN LA BODA DE SU MADRE PARA CONMEMORAR SU MUERTE

Londres rend hommage à Diana, dix ans après sa mort - Yahoo! Actualités

[TheTruth]

I was too small to understand what happened but my mother told me she learnt about her death while ironing and listening to the radio. When she talks about it today, I can see that it marked her because like many 30-year-old-mother at that time, even against their will, indentified to her. Every mother in the world thought :" My god, those poor boys have lost their mother."

[sirhon11234]

I thinks its a kid's greatest fear to lose a parent.

[CasiraghiTrio]

I was 20 when she died, and serving in the navy at NAS Willow Grove, north of Philadelphia. I went to sleep in my barracks believing with all my heart she would survive the crash somehow, but then I turned on the TV in the morning to be greeted with the worst news.