In London as in Paris, fans of “Lady D” flocked, Wednesday, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of her death, which caused deep turmoil in the British royal family, in the absence of any official memorial ceremonies from her two sons, William and Harry, who recorded a frost in their relationship recently.
Princess Diana, who attracted the world’s attention with her lavish wedding to Prince Charles and then their resounding divorce, died in a car accident in Paris on August 31, 1997, following being chased by celebrity photo hunters.
Her two sons, then aged 15 and 12, aroused the sympathy of millions of people following photos spread of them walking side by side behind her coffin, battling tears in front of the cameras.
But despite the absence of any official ceremonies for the occasion, dozens of fans of the late princess, on Wednesday, flocked to Kensington Palace in London to pay tribute to the soul of the Princess of Wales, placing flags and pictures on the palace fence.
“If you are a king, queen or homeless person, it makes no difference to the princess,” said Julie Sean, a 59-year-old Englishwoman who comes to the place annually from Newcastle, in the north of England.
She added: “What she was interested in was showing empathy, kindness and appreciation apart from social class. I think she won the hearts of many for this reason.”
Patrick O’Neill, 32, who came from Belfast, said: “She was adored because she was both a princess and an ordinary woman. It was possible to identify with her.”
In Paris, too, fans of the late princess gathered near the entrance to the tunnel, which witnessed the fatal accident. Among them, Claude Gautier, a 79-year-old retiree, said: “She was a global figure and an exceptional person. It was classy, sporty and elegant.”
Five years ago, on the 20th anniversary of her death, William and Harry attended a public memorial service and spoke regarding their mother.
The British newspaper “Daily Telegraph” reported that the two brothers “decided to disregard the public memorial ceremonies”, while spokesmen for the two princes confirmed that each of them would commemorate the event separately.