The Memorial Service: August 31, 2007

[spain55]

Why weren't Viscount and Viscountess Linley and The Lady Sarah Chatto and Daniel Chatto seated right after Peter Philips? Don't they have precedence over the Queen's cousins?

[selrahc4]

You might be confusing the line of succession with order of precendece. They aren't the same thing.

[CasiraghiTrio]

I also found the Linleys and Chattos place surprising, but that is where they were seated, and I believe the Earl of Snowdon was next to them, although I didn't see him (except arriving). Where they sat, in fifth row, was the first of the non-royal rows, so it's still pretty important. They were, after all, next to the Prime Ministers.

[TheTruth]

He's no VIP but I thought this picture was nice. I should make it my avatar because of "TheTruth" written on his cheek. He seems to look for it in the sky, it's kind of touching.
ImageShack - Hosting :: 7406188zaungastmannmfbqlb6.jpg

[Martha]

I wonder Why Prime Minister Gordon Brown was seat in the fifth row.

[CasiraghiTrio]

Because the HRH pack and immediate kin took up the first four rows.

[wbenson]

Between the royal family and a few high officers of state (for instance, the Lord Chancellor, a member of the PM's cabinet, outranks him), there are 24 people that come before the Prime Minister.

[LOSSEAN]

Originally Posted by selrahc4

LOL. Just because I began my interest in 1957 doesn't mean I don't possess or have never looked at film or cuttings or articles or books which were published prior to that.
What I meant was that I've spent nearly 50 years reviewing and researching things because I was interested. I tend to agree with you that it was the return from Canada in November 1951 which has lead to the false assertion of the handshake greeting. There isn't a photo which shows it. I have video of the occasion. The Princess gets off the train, greets her mother, reaches out to Prince Charles and touches either his cheek or his head and then bends over and gives him a kiss either on the cheek or his hair . There was NO handshake. I realize this isn't the kind of swoop in pick me up kind of greeting that Diana would have given, but it certainly isn't any formal cold handshake greeting either.

LOL that's OK but 1957 seemed to have been passed off as the magical year that stamps a final authority on the truth of the matter. Ooops don't get me wrong. I am a firm fan of the Queen and admire her immensely. I just expressed an opinion that Diana's greeting delighted me. Please forgive me for that.

[Polly]

Originally Posted by Madame Royale

Those of us who lived the same time as Diana will always recall the events, and those who were not of an age to recall, shall not. They, and future generations, will learn of her but they shall not remember.

I'm forever saying 'sorry to be so late', I know.

My personal view is that generations to come will always believe that they 'know' Diana and will admire her and value her for what she represented - which, to be fair and honest - wasn't inconsiderable in terms of compassion for her fellow men and women.

My strong opinion is that she's now evolved into 'Diana in the Sky with Diamonds', and despite her detractors, is now unassailable in the Realms of the Remarkable.

[Madame Royale]

That's quite ok, Polly. A mother on the move I pressume

A truly lovely post.

[susan alicia]

"The post-Diana emotional spasm was Britain’s most shameful moment."

Debo Devonshire reminds us of a Britain with backbone and purpose – Telegraph Blogs



and an interesting reaction by one reader to this article(quote):

..............I think that Diana was sharply lacking in knowledge and virtue, and notably lacking in patriotism, too.
I was not an eager follower of hers so perhaps I missed it, but I cannot recall once hearing her speak up for Britain, on behalf of Britain, or in Britain’s interests (unlike her husband, by the way).
Did she ever say ‘I love England’? Taking one of the numerous opportunities that must have arisen, did she ever say ‘I’m grateful to my country for all it’s given me?’
Or: ‘I respect my country and what it’s done for the world?’
Or even something as apolitical as: ‘Isn’t England a beautiful place?’
Charles, whatever his faults, is a modern patriot, who appreciates the good he finds in his country — and, given their service, we may say the same of his sons.
But I never felt that Diana was the least patriotic, to her shame. She may have been called ‘the people’s princess’ (meaning that she flattered them by her inner ordinariness), but as an English princess she was a vacuous ungrateful schoolgirl...........

[Duchess]

very interesting susan alicia....i think it's a good point. mind you, for what it's worth, early on in her marriage she did support britain's fashion designers by wearing their clothes.

[georgiea]

Originally Posted by susan alicia

and an interesting reaction by one reader to this article(quote):
...But I never felt that Diana was the least patriotic, to her shame...but as an English princess she was a vacuous ungrateful schoolgirl.

I think this writer did not follow Diana, Princess of Wales. The song at her wedding, that she picked, was "I vow to thee my country'. It was her way to tell how she saw her new role as princess to the people of the commonwealth.

She gave birth to two sons that she raised to be wonderful princes and to continue the royal line.To me this shows her patriotism.

She picked British designers for her fashion,she really help the British fashion business.

She was also a hard working royal and did tireless work for her charities-hospitals in London and the poor of London.

Prince Charles was doing his royal duties long before she came on the scene. He is a proud man and she had to develop a role and not take his interest. Unfortunately, that did not work out for them and help break the marriage down. Yes, in my mind the comments above don't fit with the wonderful caring People Princess that I read about.

[Zonk]

It should be noted that that the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire comes from a different time, so that takes into account (at least IMO) for her opinion of the new emotional Britian. Furthermore, she comes from the same mindset that if one's husband's cheated, the wife should have just got on with it and ignored it. The same attitude that a majority of women in her generation and social standing had. That definitely didn't pass down to Frances Shand Kydd and her daughter.

[Mermaid1962]

One of the parts of the Panorama interview that didn't make headlines was when Diana talked about Britain and doing things to support Britain. She certainly seemed patriotic at that point.

[agogo]

I remember watching her wedding and being awestruck by it. I never impinged that I would watch her funeral on TV.

[Mermaid1962]

Yes, and the latter event only 16 years, a month, and a couple of days from the first.

[Lumutqueen]

Originally Posted by agogo

I remember watching her wedding and being awestruck by it. I never impinged that I would watch her funeral on TV.

We never imagine watching someones funeral on telly.

[Dman]

People can talk about their hard feelings about the past, but it don't take away from the fact that Charles was too hurt by Diana's tragic demise. As I said before, some mourners were too wrapped up in their own grief, sadness and emotions from the past to even understand what he went through after her passing. Yes, there were death threats from crazy people, but for some folks, I think it was just emotions talking.

Also, it's true, Charles was and still is a very good father. Charles and Diana may had their differences on some issues, but they had a loving shared interest in bringing up their kids. Once Diana passed, Charles continued on raising the kids in the way he and Diana wanted.

I remember the way he looked in the aftermath of passing and even during her 10 anniversary memorial service and it wasn't pretty. I think it's one of the reasons why he prefers to not talk about it.

[Denville]

I dont recollect him looking upset At Diana's Memorial. I thtink he was certianly very upset when she died, only a monster would have No feeling when the woman he had beene married to died tragically at 36....but he wasn't broken hearted...