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

[Dman]

Originally Posted by Queen Camilla

I think Charles Spencer is indeed planning on opening the area for tourist to visit the site of her interment on the 20th anniversary.

The renovations are set to be complete in August of 2017, just in time for the 20th anniversary said the press release.

Queen Camilla, no on is allowed on the actual island. The Spencer's and Windsor's will not allow her final resting place be a tourist attraction. He might plan something at Althorp, but her burial place is only a place where her family is allowed to visit.

[Curryong]

It would certainly be dreadful to allow tourists, (even respectful ones, which I'm sure most would be,) to go traipsing about on the island, some leaving flowers which would inevitably rot and have to be removed. Much better to just do some tidying up, removal of mess etc., and make sure the island and memorial is maintained in the future.

[Queen Claude]

I don't think that tourists are going to be allowed on the island, but the gravestone/marker is visible from the bank and it was reported that it's not being kept up. I am assuming that Diana's brother Charles is going to have the island spruced up because it is visible to tourists but tourists will not be allowed on the island. Presumably the other Diana memorials at Althorp, like the temple, are also going to get spruced up in anticipation of increased tourism and media coverage as the 20th anniversary of Diana's death approaches.

[Queen Camilla]

Originally Posted by Dman

Queen Camilla, no on is allowed on the actual island. The Spencer's and Windsor's will not allow her final resting place be a tourist attraction. He might plan something at Althorp, but her burial place is only a place where her family is allowed to visit.

No one is currently allowed.

The Windsor's have no say in how Charles Spencer uses his property.

It is his property. He can do with it as he wishes.

[Dman]

Originally Posted by Queen Camilla

No one is currently allowed.

The Windsor's have no say in how Charles Spencer uses his property.

It is his property. He can do with it as he wishes.

It may be his property, but her children and rest of the family would disapprove of such a thing. The man will turn her actual resting place into a tourist attraction. He has made a vow that no one can get to her there. Now, it seems some renovations have to be done, but rest assured, her grave will not be disturbed.

[Jacknch]

Please note that several posts calling for an appreciation thread for Diana have been deleted as they are off-topic. Please remember that The Royal Forums is a discussion forum not a fan/hate site. Provided that members adhere to the rules, it would be unreasonable and unacceptable to expect people with opposing points of view not to post their thoughts in a specially dedicated thread.

Posts discussing memories of Diana have been moved to the following thread:

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...ml#post1883188

[AdmirerUS]

We were driving about farmland yesterday and came across several fields that had heaps of trees and other vegetation uprooted and piled for drying. My companion asked why the farmers had done that. I explained that trees and weeds grow along the fence rows of fields. Eventually they get big enough that they shade or steal water from the crops, not to mention the damage they do to fences, so farmers periodically to a fence row cleaning and repair.
So it must be after 20 years of trees growing on the island. They look positively shaggy and overgrown. People have been making comment about the island's condition for years. Time to tidy.
House Beautiful describes it nicely and gives some context about complaints: Princess Diana Grave - Althorp Estate Renovation

[Duc_et_Pair]

Tourists will not be allowed to the little island for the simple reason of logistical possibilities. A couple of boats are needed, these need to fulfill to regulations on safety and accountability and there needs to be wardens near the monument to prevent it becoming a second Jim Morrisson/Dalida/Edith Piaf/Elvis-like touristic attraction.

[Duch_Luver_4ever]

I would expect that most of the restoration will be to address the critiques of the state of repair that the island needs re: overgrowth of vegetation, etc. Although, I suppose there could be a limited, VIP type of tour of the island planned if money is the objective, but I hope that is not something that happens.

As much as im sure we would love to visit it to pay loving respects, theres just too many people that would want to, so hopefully it will be a place where only her close family will go for private memorials of their choosing.

[LauraS3514]

Originally Posted by Queen Claude

I don't think that tourists are going to be allowed on the island, but the gravestone/marker is visible from the bank and it was reported that it's not being kept up. I am assuming that Diana's brother Charles is going to have the island spruced up because it is visible to tourists but tourists will not be allowed on the island. Presumably the other Diana memorials at Althorp, like the temple, are also going to get spruced up in anticipation of increased tourism and media coverage as the 20th anniversary of Diana's death approaches.

I have seen it written in many places, and Earl Spencer himself has said in interviews, that the marker on the island does NOT mark her grave. The grave itself is unmarked in any way.

[Queen Camilla]

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

Tourists will not be allowed to the little island for the simple reason of logistical possibilities. A couple of boats are needed, these need to fulfill to regulations on safety and accountability and there needs to be wardens near the monument to prevent it becoming a second Jim Morrisson/Dalida/Edith Piaf/Elvis-like touristic attraction.

According to reports, the islands is being reconfigured not just being spruced up.
The press release states 'extensive redesign' of the island.

[carlota]

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

Tourists will not be allowed to the little island for the simple reason of logistical possibilities. A couple of boats are needed, these need to fulfill to regulations on safety and accountability and there needs to be wardens near the monument to prevent it becoming a second Jim Morrisson/Dalida/Edith Piaf/Elvis-like touristic attraction.

maybe they are planning to install some sort of bridge towards the island? i guess this would make it easier as well for the family to visit the grave.

[Queen Camilla]

Originally Posted by carlota

maybe they are planning to install some sort of bridge towards the island? i guess this would make it easier as well for the family to visit the grave.

I suspect it is for tourist.
JMO, but I suspect it will be along the lines of £20 a visitors will get to visit the general area. If they pay an extra £10 they will get to visit the actual island.

They may build a bridge or create a pathway from the walkway to the island.

[AdmirerUS]

You all do understand that a huge part of the allure of the island is that it is untouchable? Dream about it if you must, but Earl Spencer is fully aware of how how to keep the cash cow on her feed. And it need not include common boots tramping on that island. I think the revenue is better if they don't. JMO.
And frankly, I have always thought the boys would be on him legally and socially if The Earl tried to let people walk on that island. It won't happen as long as William and Harry draw breath. JMO

[Duch_Luver_4ever]

Originally Posted by carlota

maybe they are planning to install some sort of bridge towards the island? i guess this would make it easier as well for the family to visit the grave.

I've seen pictures of a bridge type setup they have, for example when Nelson Mandela visited to plant a tree, but it looks like its not a permanent structure, probably to keep people off it. If they are planning to have tourists on the island, id imagine for health and safety purposes, theyd have to have a permanent structure.

As for the island marker not being her grave, id imagine the people who can say for sure where the exact burial site is arent talking, theres been talk that after the funeral she was interred next to her father in the village church, but is unmarked to keep crowds away. At the end of the day, it really doesnt matter for most of us, as long as her family can visit her in peace is the main thing. I'm sure keeping her in our heart and thoughts is enough wherever she is, she must know now how much she is loved by us all.

[Queen Camilla]

Originally Posted by AdmirerUS

You all do understand that a huge part of the allure of the island is that it is untouchable? Dream about it if you must, but Earl Spencer is fully aware of how how to keep the cash cow on her feed. And it need not include common boots tramping on that island. I think the revenue is better if they don't. JMO.
And frankly, I have always thought the boys would be on him legally and socially if The Earl tried to let people walk on that island. It won't happen as long as William and Harry draw breath. JMO

Or a bridge that crosses over it so they are only walking over it and not on it.

[Mermaid1962]

If Diana had received the HRH posthumously, perhaps she could have been buried in a royal cemetery (Frogmore?) and therefore been in the same cemetery as her sons will be someday. That might have been the thinking.

[Duc_et_Pair]

There are also non-HRH's buried at Frogmore, like Wallis, Duchess of Windsor. Like Lady May Abel-Smith. Like Dorothy, Marchioness of Cambridge. Like Angus Ogilvy. Like Alexander Ramsay. And others. An HRH is just a form of address. Neither a title nor a specific form of address is required to be buried there, so to see. That means that for an example Mike Tindall or Timothy Lawrence can be buried there as well.

[Skippyboo]

I highly doubt that Charles Spencer would have allowed that. He wanted her buried at Althorpe instead of the church where the Spencers are buried to drive people to visit the house and the money he could charge for admission. If Diana's accident happened a couple of years later when William was of age, he might have buried her in a different location.


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[Denville]

Originally Posted by Skippyboo

I highly doubt that Charles Spencer would have allowed that. He wanted her buried at Althorpe instead of the church where the Spencers are buried to drive people to visit the house and the money he could charge for admission. If
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I'm not Spencers' biggest fan but I'm sure that wanting her buried on the island at Althorp was because he did NOT want tourists tramping around where she was buried..