Funeral
The public funeral starts at 9:08 am in London, when the tenor bell sounds to signal the departure of the cortege from Kensington Palace. Diana’s coffin is carried from the palace on a gun carriage, along Hyde Park to St. James’ Palace. The official ceremony is held at Westminster Abbey, with 2000 people attending, and finishes at the resting place in Althorp. A Palace spokeswoman says: Although there is no lying in state, obviously we want to ensure that as many of the public who wish to can share in the grieving.
Two thousand people attend the ceremony in Westminster Abbey. As the hearse drove the 77 miles to Diana’s final resting place, so many people threw flowers onto the car that the driver uses his windscreen wipers to keep a clear view.
Diana’s brother Charles Earl Spencer delivers a eulogy:
I stand before you today the representative of a family in grief, in a country in mourning before a world in shock…We, your blood family, will do all we can to continue the imaginative way in which you were steering these two exceptional young men so that their souls are not simply immersed by duty and tradition but can sing openly as you planned.
Elton John sings a revamped version of his 1974 hit Candle In the Wind, which was originally written as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe. The song begins with the line “Goodbye, England’s rose, may you ever grow in our hearts.”
Charles & Diana split
British Prime Minister John Major announces the formal separation of Charles and Diana. He issued a directive from Buckingham Palace making it clear that
Their Royal Highnesses are not seeking a divorce, The royal couple are separating amicably.
Prince Harry born in London
Prince Henry (Harry) Charles Albert David Windsor is born weighing six pounds, 14 ounces at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London, Prince Harry arrived a week before expected. He is the second child for Prince Charles and Princess Diana after William and is third in line to the throne. Charles:
Absolutely marvelous. It didn’t matter whether it was a boy or a girl
Prince William born in London
Prince William Arthur Philip Louis Windsor is born weighing 7lb 1½oz. The Prince is the first child of Prince Charles and Princess Diana and his official title is “Prince William, Duke of Cambridge”. His paternal grandparents are Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. He is second in line to succeed his grandmother, after his father.
Prince Charles is present at the birth and calls the Palace from St Mary’s Hospital Paddington, to tell his mother, who was said to be “absolutely delighted.” The Queen Mother, driving back to her home at Clarence House was “overjoyed.” The news was also flashed to Prince Andrew in the South Atlantic task force and to the rest of the Royal Family.
The crowd outside the hospital were chanting “Nice one Charlie, let’s have another one,” the Prince laughed and said:
Bloody hell, give us a chance.
Kidnap attempt
Anne and Phillips escape an apparent kidnap attempt in which four people were wounded. The royal couple are returning to Buckingham Palace along Pall Mall when their chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce was forced to halt by another car which blocked their route. A man appears from a light coloured vehicle and fires six shots, all of which it is said were not directed at the royal couple, but leave four people in hospital.
Windsor Castle burial
King George VI is buried at St George’s Chapel on his Windsor Castle estate.