Last Hours, Death, Transfer from France, Funeral and Interment


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Let's move on....we should be focusing on the the aspects of Diana's accident and death....not the What If's regarding the Charles and Diana marriage.
 
But her will clearly says it was her wish to be buried - nothing about being near her father - so she was buried.

A cremation would have gone against her written instructions in her will.

Survivors do not have to follow burial instructions in a will.
 
Survivors do not have to follow burial instructions in a will.

No they don't, because the body essentially "belongs" to the executor, or to the next of kin in the case of an intestacy, but it's rather rude and very insensitive to disregard your deceased loved one's express wishes.
 
No they don't, because the body essentially "belongs" to the executor, or to the next of kin in the case of an intestacy, but it's rather rude and very insensitive to disregard your deceased loved one's express wishes.

After searching around a bit, I ran into quite a few places that say that it is totally misinformation that Diana was cremated. I also seem to recall a photograph that was taken at Althorp at the internment but even if I found the book and photo, it'd be copyright material. Best I could find is this post made by someone that has actually been to Althorp and tells of the memorial there.

Where is Princess Diana buried and can the public visit her grave? - Yahoo! Answers
 
I don't believe that Diana was cremated and buried with her father, and here's why: the hearse carrying Diana's casket, after having gone to Althorp for the "fake" internment would have had to turn around and leave again with Diana's casket and go to a crematorium. Once there, the casket would have had to have been unloaded again for the cremation to take place. Then the hearse would have collected the urn or box with the cremated remains, or someone else would have with a regular car, and gone to the church to bury the ashes alongside Diana's father. I can't believe that all this to-and-fro-ing wouldn't have been noticed. That casket was the most famous one in the world at the time and surely would have been recognized. And then there would have been the goings-on at the church. Even if all this were done at night, there are insomniacs and people who work at night. News would have gotten out.
 
The cremation-theorists (and I don't believe it either) apparently think it was an empty coffin, that the body was cremated in between its initial coffin (from France) and the obtaining of the for-show coffin.

This of course would have required the cooperation of Prince Charles, who identified the body, arranged its shipment and supervised what happened after that. The Spencers were not exactly in a position to contend with the wishes of the Royals at that exact moment, which they said something about, at the time, IIRC.

And of course it would have gotten out.
 
Hmmmm. The soldiers who carried the coffin were certainly putting on an act in that case as well. ;)
The cremation-theorists (and I don't believe it either) apparently think it was an empty coffin, that the body was cremated in between its initial coffin (from France) and the obtaining of the for-show coffin.
 
I am almost positive Diana, Princess of Wales is buried on the little island. If not would her sons go there? Her boys visited the island grave at least once.

(I felt terrible that the princess was buried by herself. When Diana was growing she had a favorite pet, a cat named Marmalade. That cat is buried on the island. I know it is only a pet, but I felt better about not being alone.)
 
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The coffin did appear "heavy" as it almost toppled the pallbearers.
Hard to speculate about cremation.
 
It's hard to say, from the weight of the coffin (she obviously didn't weigh that much, herself) - and the coffin itself was so heavy. But, I think the psychological attitude of the bearers was that of men carrying a real body - and if they were deceived, well then, I think that's a terrible deception (and a terrible deception for her sons, as well).

So I refuse to believe anyone could be so vile as to order such a deception and cover-up.
 
I agree. She's buried on an island at Althrop, which seems a terribly lonely place for a woman who loved people of all walks of life.
 
Jaya said:
The coffin did appear "heavy" as it almost toppled the pallbearers.
Hard to speculate about cremation.

It was a lead lined coffin so it was very heavy.
 
And an empty lead-lined coffin is a strange affair, indeed.
 
Didn't I read somewhere that there was an oval piece of glass in the lid so people could see her face. (Which I aways thought was weird.) I know there was always a flag covering the coffin so the average person couldn't see. But the close family, and the funeral burial attendants would have been able to see her face.
 
This would make sense, because Diana was partially embalmed for cosmetic reasons IIRC. So she wouldn't have been able to have an open coffin prior to her burial, but her family would have been able to see her face at least.

Didn't I read somewhere that there was an oval piece of glass in the lid so people could see her face.
 
According to Noel Botham's book, Diana was placed in a double coffin at the Paris hospital; a gray coffin with a viewing window (required by French Customs to transport her body to England) inside an oak coffin. I don't know if she was buried in a double coffin, however.
 
I agree. She's buried on an island at Althrop, which seems a terribly lonely place for a woman who loved people of all walks of life.


I've always thought she should have been buried in the heart of London, where people could visit her grave and leave flowers. I believe she'd have liked that.
She was a city type who never cared much for the country.

(I felt that room could have been made in Westminster Abbey or perhaps St. Paul's...someplace in London, anyway.)
 
I've always thought she should have been buried in the heart of London, where people could visit her grave and leave flowers. I believe she'd have liked that.
She was a city type who never cared much for the country.

(I felt that room could have been made in Westminster Abbey or perhaps St. Paul's...someplace in London, anyway.)

I think one reason at the time to inter her at Althorp was that she would be then buried in a place where her sons could visit her grave and be left alone in private. Makes sense to me. I am wondering as William's big day approaches will he go and visit her grave? I know that a lot of people do this when big milestones arrive in their lives. I suppose its all how William looks at things personally.
 
:previous: People coming and leaving flowers is probably one of the reasons that she wasn't born in London. My reasoning for this is Caroline Kennedy's reasoning for cremating her brother, nad placing his ashes in the sea. She didn't want his grave site to be a fan site or anything like that. She wanted him to have a llittle dignity in death.

I am not familiar with British cemetries, but can you imagine 20 to 100 years from now, someone going into a public site and trying to dig up Diana? That wouldn't be nice.
 
I am wondering as William's big day approaches will he go and visit her grave? I know that a lot of people do this when big milestones arrive in their lives. I suppose its all how William looks at things personally.

I guess this is a question we will never know the answer to. Should he choose to make a trip, it will be a completely private trip with very few people in the know.
 
Didn't I read somewhere that there was an oval piece of glass in the lid so people could see her face. (Which I aways thought was weird.) I know there was always a flag covering the coffin so the average person couldn't see. But the close family, and the funeral burial attendants would have been able to see her face.

The windowed coffin is a tradition carried over from byegone days across Europe. The deceased were not embalmed.
 
I guess this is a question we will never know the answer to. Should he choose to make a trip, it will be a completely private trip with very few people in the know.

Oh most definitely. Its a good way to realize though why it is fitting she is interred at Althorp.
 
Didn't I read somewhere that there was an oval piece of glass in the lid so people could see her face. (Which I aways thought was weird.) I know there was always a flag covering the coffin so the average person couldn't see. But the close family, and the funeral burial attendants would have been able to see her face.

Diana had a terror of the dark, she is said to have always hated it. So Prince Charles specifically requested that type of coffin for her.

I wept when I read that in one of the princess's biographies.

The coffin was also lined with lead-why I don't know. But that is probably why it was so heavy...the pallbearers seemed to be struggling at one point. :sad:
 
A lead lined coffin prevents excessive deterioration of the body. It is a hold over from medeival times when remains were returned to the country of origin from great distances. Also, a lead lined coffin will prevent the loss of the body's carbon --- so, DNA evidence or matter available for carbon dating would remain intact. There are many books out there that delve into the subject.
 
Whoa...I did NOT know that KittyAtlanta, thanks!

It is too painful, even now, for me to think of Diana buried......:sad:
 
Diana had a terror of the dark, she is said to have always hated it. So Prince Charles specifically requested that type of coffin for her.

I wept when I read that in one of the princess's biographies.

The coffin was also lined with lead-why I don't know. But that is probably why it was so heavy...the pallbearers seemed to be struggling at one point. :sad:
Why do I remember reading something along the lines of her coffin had a little window and they turned her head so it was facing towards the window. I hope I'm not going crazy and mixing it up with someone else.
 
What I read, recently (I believe, here on this forum) is that French border officials insist on verifying the person in the coffin is indeed the person registered on the transfer paperwork (I believe most nations have similar rules). The way to deal with that is for the family to have a windowed transport coffin (or to agree to open the coffin, which is often terribly distressing to those accompanying the coffin). So Diana was embalmed in France (quickly) and put into a windowed coffin to facilitate return to England as, whatever else divided them, Prince Charles and the people of England all wanted her to come home to rest as quickly as possible (and with as little intrusion into her final resting space as possible).

The windowed coffin was kept covered and then later inserted into a lead coffin for the reasons KittyAtlanta outlined above. Well, they may have not been thinking "DNA" but "preservation," certainly.

Many monarchs and popes and others of rank are so buried.
 
That must been what I read. The windowed coffin was used during her transport back to England.
 
My memory of the her death and the funeral is so vivid.

However, I particularly remember 'I vowe to the my country' which William, so it was reported during the service, insisted should be sung as it was his mummy's favourite. I of course had heard it well before her funeral, and it remains to this day a beloved darling and certainly stirs a good deal of emotion which means I will always wear waterproof mascara should I expect to hear it.

I do think of Diana when I hear it. It's funny how me can at times relate certain songs with people, even if we never knew them personally.
 
This windowed and lead lined coffin for preservation do sort of give identification with the death of Evita Peron. I always always ask and wonder why Diana did not use a helicopter based on the chronic chase from the paparazzi.
 
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