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Yesterday was the 27th Anniversary of the death of Princess Diana

(124 Posts)
Gingster Sun 01-Sept-24 15:45:47

We were sitting up in bed having a cuppa and watching the news. Such a shock and so, so sad.

4xGranny Sun 01-Sept-24 15:37:41

My husband and I were having a lie in. Our son rushed in after his paper round and said “You’ll never guess who’s dead.”
I shot out of bed and was glued to the TV for most of the day.

Mollygo Sun 01-Sept-24 15:20:48

We were in France. It actually made it into the French newspapers, along with a lot of speculation and rumours.

Witzend Sun 01-Sept-24 15:04:33

GrannyIvy

My daughter woke me to say how annoying I cannot watch my tv programme as Diana has died. I couldn’t believe it. I ran to watch the tv with her and felt devastated as I was always a big Diana fan. I so felt for those boys who were similar ages to my own children. Cannot believe it was 27 years ago!

On a similar note, dh’s old aunt once phoned me to complain bitterly that Countdown wasn’t on TV.
It was the day of 9/11!
I said, ‘But surely you’ve seen the terrible thing that’s happened in New York?’

‘I don’t care about that! I want Countdown!’

GrannyIvy Sun 01-Sept-24 14:23:18

My daughter woke me to say how annoying I cannot watch my tv programme as Diana has died. I couldn’t believe it. I ran to watch the tv with her and felt devastated as I was always a big Diana fan. I so felt for those boys who were similar ages to my own children. Cannot believe it was 27 years ago!

Witzend Sun 01-Sept-24 13:51:56

I had set the alarm for 4.30 am, since I had to go and pick up dd2 from Gatwick - she’d been away with family friends.
The news was on the World Service - which R4 moves to during the night - I couldn’t believe it at first, but there was virtually nothing else on the news all the way to Gatwick - about an hour away.

Passengers coming off the very early flights were looking bewildered, and saying, ‘Is it true?’

Eventually the family dd had been away with, came back to ours. I made a vast fry-up breakfast for all 8 of us (dh was away for work) and we were all glued to the TV all day.

Wyllow3 Sun 01-Sept-24 13:49:48

I watched aghast on the TV when I found out and cried, yet I'm no royalist. She did represent something special. Perhaps a trigger for many in lots of different ways.

keepingquiet Sun 01-Sept-24 13:46:30

May she rest in peace.

BlueBelle Sun 01-Sept-24 13:43:30

I was sleeping in a sleeping bag on the living room floor of my youngests Uni flat The house phone rang and as everyone was fast asleep I answered it preparing to take a message for someone
It was my son in NZ telling me the news of course they got the information hours before us
I wasn’t a Diane fan I m afraid but very sad for any young person to lose their life whoever they are

Squiffy Sun 01-Sept-24 13:40:21

We had just come home from a wedding reception and switched the tv on. The accident was announced and I said to my DH, “How awful it would be if she died.” 💐

Rekarie Sun 01-Sept-24 13:36:37

My son informed us. He was 4 and was upset that Teletubbies wasn't on. I was in three kitchen. Radio 1. And the music was very somber and I tried other stations, all the same.

Went into the living room to hear the shocking news.

Jaxjacky Sun 01-Sept-24 13:35:27

I just remember it was all over the news, for ages, otherwise a normal day for me and my children.

MissAdventure Sun 01-Sept-24 13:33:19

My friends husband stopped as he drove past, to offer me a lift to the shop.
I'd not had the TV or radio on, and was incredulous when he told me Diana had died.

I didnt believe him, so he put the radio on, and there was silence, almost, on all the channels as he flicked through them.

It was truly shocking, although I'm not a royalist, at all

Calendargirl Sun 01-Sept-24 13:13:28

We were due to go and visit an ageing aunt who lived some distance away that Sunday.

DH, my sister and I still went, but if we had been at home, I wouldn’t have left the tv.

I thought Tony Blair’s speech was spot on, ‘the people’s Princess’. Only afterwards I wondered if it was as spontaneous as it first seemed, of course it was designed to sound just right.

Also remember thinking “Well, Charles will never be able to marry Camilla now”.

How wrong I was, (thankfully).

Babs03 Sun 01-Sept-24 12:41:06

I remember waking up to the news, my DH was in the kitchen making breakfast, my kids were at home then and we sat in silence watching the news, suddenly one of us cried, then the rest of us did. Are not royalists, far from it, but was so shocking that this beautiful young woman who was always on the front of a magazine or newspaper was suddenly dead.

hollysteers Sun 01-Sept-24 12:18:41

My husband appeared in his dressing gown to tell me there had been an accident (I’m a night owl). I was then glued to the tv.
I had a run through in the morning with an organist to sing an Ave Maria for a wedding, which unfortunately fell on the day of the funeral.

biglouis Sun 01-Sept-24 12:00:54

I went to an early fleamarket and as I was sitting in the cafeteria I saw a crowd watching the TV. There were people carrying flowers and laying them down (outside Kensington Palace I later learned). When I was informed what was going on I was truly shocked.

I remember subsequently visiting Harrods and seeing a little shrine there with pictures of Diana and Dodi. On the day of her funeral all the local shops closed for the day.I lit a candle for her in the window.

Indigo8 Sun 01-Sept-24 11:54:55

Indigo8

I am sure many of you remember the 1st September 1987 when the shocking news of Princess Diana's death on the night of 31 August reached us.

I started this chat to share memories of that awful day and what came afterwards.

Sorry 1997.

Sparklefizz Sun 01-Sept-24 11:51:11

My daughter phoned and woke me up to tell me the sad and shocking news.

27 years! shock

Georgesgran Sun 01-Sept-24 11:44:05

We’d been out the evening before for our 25th wedding anniversary. Our friends came in for a drink and I flicked the TV on while I was clearing up. The news was that Dodi had died, but the PoW had been taken to hospital with injuries.
The next morning, my Dad woke me with a call to say she had died - it quite affected him and he bought me 3 Diana white rose bushes, which I still have.
I think it hit home how said it was that a young mum had gone on holiday and was never coming back, but leaving two bereaved children.

Beechnut Sun 01-Sept-24 11:40:18

We were camping in the New Forest and someone came into the shower room and told all who were waiting. Went back to our tent and DH said a Frenchman walking by had said to him ‘Your princess has died’.

Smileless2012 Sun 01-Sept-24 11:37:46

27 years!!! shock I hadn't realised it had been so long.

Our eldest son woke us up Sunday morning and told us she was dead; we didn't believe him.

Primrose53 Sun 01-Sept-24 11:35:42

We were holidaying on the Isle ofWight. I got up and was making tea andFiona Phillips came on TV to announce the terrible news. What a shock!

The following summer we went to Malta and shops and businesses were still mourning her and Dodi. Pictures of them in windows with floral tributes.

Indigo8 Sun 01-Sept-24 11:28:28

I am sure many of you remember the 1st September 1987 when the shocking news of Princess Diana's death on the night of 31 August reached us.

I started this chat to share memories of that awful day and what came afterwards.