Remember ...
Remember when the news broke out in 1997
The day we heard our loved one had been taken up to heaven?
The day when disbelief reined down and everyone was stunned
The day a loving mother was taken from her sons.
Remember when the plane touched down and brought our loved one home?
Escorted by the Prince of Wales and heir to Englands throne
The drive back down to London was witnessed far and wide
And many British people watched their TVs teary eyed
Heading into London on a final royal retreat
Greeted by a sea of flowers on every road and street
People lined the streets for miles a lot of them in tears
As the solemn royal cortege confirmed their awful fears
Remember when the Princes walked amid the sad procession
Bravely hiding their grief as they were given no discretion
Can you recall the reading that her Brother carefully chose
And a dedicated song by Elton for our English Rose
Can you remember where you were on all these fateful days
I wish that I was home but at that time I was away
But even now those memories they still can make me cry
As I remember vividly the death of Princess Di.
Poem © Catherine Turner-Joll
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Background Music: Goodbye Englands Rose by © Elton John
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Photograph © Photographer (Unknown)
Can you remember where you were when the news of Princess Diana's death
was announced? I remember exactly where I was. I was living in Sennelager in Germany at
the time, when I got up early one really lovely sunny morning and put the TV on. As I
walked out of the room to make a coffee I wasn't really paying any attention to the news
reader but the words Princess of Wales grabbed me for a minute. The news reader was saying
that the Princess of Wales had been involved in a fatal car crash and I wondered which
Princess of Wales he meant - stupid I know, but I was half asleep still and thought he
couldn't possibly be referring to Princess Diana! Sadly, he was and I was just so shocked!
Everything on TV that day was devoted to news about the Princess, even QVC the shopping
channel here went off line as a mark of respect.
I watched the plane bringing Princess Diana's body back, escorted by Prince Charles and
soon London was just a sea of flowers! The streets were packed with people as Princess
Diana's body was brought back to London.
There is a little tiny bit of truth in the fact that some Germans don't like the British
and some British don't like the Germans …. Probably goes back to the war but I think its
fading out a lot these days thank goodness. At the time of Diana's death the one thing I remember the
most was coming out of a German supermarket and noticing a German lady hovering near my
car which was right hand drive and had British plates on. When I got closer I was
wondering what she was hanging around my car for and when she saw me looking at her she
came up to me and told me how sorry she was about Diana's death. Every time I think of
that it brings tears to my eyes. Daft may be, but I thought that was a lovely gesture!
Princess Diana was probably the most loved Royal here in the UK, and I think it's fair to
say that she was loved by people in other countries around the world too. Even though she
has died, her memory is still vivid and she still hits the newspaper headlines quite a lot! This is one Princess who will never be forgotten.
