Diana, 10 years on. Where were you...?

[Richie_lecturer]

How time flies....

What were you doing when you heard the news that Sunday morning, or Saturday night in the small hours?

I was watching the TV and went to bed shortly before the news broke. Woke up at 8am that morning just outside Southampton in a hotel with uni friends, on our way back from a few days in Cornwall. Terrible shock, but I originally assumed it was the Queen Mum...until I saw the caption.....

Some of the coverage of the breaking events that morning:
YouTube - Princess Diana's car crash, BBC rolling news footage.
YouTube - ITN Breaking News Report of Princess Diana's death
YouTube - BBC breaking news of Lady Diana crash 1997
YouTube - BBC breaking news of Lady Diana crash 1997
YouTube - BBC1 Closedown from the day Princess Diana died

[alan45]

I was on holiday on a cruise. Arrived back in Heathrow the day of the Funeral

[thestud2k7]

i can still remember waking up on that day like it was yesterday i switched on itv.

[Xx-Vicky-xX]

We was on holiday (no where overly exciting just a caravan somewhere) dad was cooking breakfast and had TV on and he heard it on there and shouted through to mum when he heard, we had to cut the holiday short because mum wanted to be home to see the funeral on TV

[Siobhan]

I was at home sleep when she died... I woke about 7ish and found out..

[Trinity]

I would love to say that I can't remember and I don't care.

But actually I do remember (still don't care, though)

My hubby was in the States and I was staying at my parents with the boys for the weekend. I always put the TV teletext news on as soon as I get up - and it said that Diana had been involved in a car accident. I called my parents through and by the time they did (40 sec tops) the caption had changed to Diana Dead.

Defining moment?

Yep, I realised that the Great British Public care more about celebreties than the folk - old and young - in their own street.

[di marco]

it was some point in the morning when i put on the tv to watch the weekend kiddie shows on bbc. i was annoyed at first cos my programmes werent on but then i realised what was actually happening

[Bryan]

Got up reading for my little cousins christening, also the birthday of my older cousin, and switched on the tv to the news that she'd died. At the age of 8 of whatever I was I really didn't understand how much of an impact she'd had on the nation, and at that age didn't really care. 10 years on, knowing the full story it's such a shame how the media and Charles/Camilla brought her to her untimely end.

[DaVeyWaVey]

I can't believe it's 10 years on since she died - time certainly flies...i was 6 at the time and i was at home, i remember i woke up and seen the scene of where she died on television and my parents told me Diana had died.

[Xx-Vicky-xX]

Got up reading for my little cousins christening, also the birthday of my older cousin, and switched on the tv to the news that she'd died. At the age of 8 of whatever I was I really didn't understand how much of an impact she'd had on the nation, and at that age didn't really care. 10 years on, knowing the full story it's such a shame how the media and Charles/Camilla brought her to her untimely end.

Thats exactly what i think too, i didnt know till this year the full story and i certainly didnt know how many people's lives she affected and when i was 8 i really dont think i cared either

[Chris_2k11]

I was staying at my nanas at the time, it was early in the morning and my uncle rang to tell her. I knew who she was at that age but like Bry didn't really realise how much of an impact it would have all these years later. It certainly doesn't feel like 10 years.

[Katy]

We were in Ireland, I was 8 and at 3 - 4 oclock in the morning should have been in bed, instead, we had just got in from the pub and my auntie was trying to teach me irish. I remember my mum being quite shocked but thats about it.

[Trinity]

It is a tragedy for any family when a young mum is killed in a senseless accident.

It shouldn't be a cause of national wailing and pseudo grief from a large majority of folks who never met her or indeed met anyone else who had met her.

Buying a copy of Hello with her photo on the cover and the CD single of 'Candle in the Wind' doesn't make you family.

Get over it.

[Pinkbanana]

I remember getting up (quite late) and switching the tv on. My initial reaction on seeing the news reader wearing a black tie and suit and talking about a royal death, was that is was the Queen Mother who had died.

I was totally shocked when the news reader mentioned Di had died in a car crash, because it was so sudden and unexpected.

I think it says a lot about Diana that people were genuinely upset about her death and felt it as if it was a personal loss. She did touch many people's lives. Thus I think it is a bit harsh to say 'get over it'. I think its wrong to tell people what emotion they should or should not show. If people placed flowers/teddy bears outside the palaces to show affection for the woman etc.. I see no harm, infact it must have bought much comfort to her sons to see the publics reaction to her death at the time.

I personally am not a big fan of the royals.

[Trinity]

I remember getting up (quite late) and switching the tv on. My initial reaction on seeing the news reader wearing a black tie and suit and talking about a royal death, was that is was the Queen Mother who had died.

I was totally shocked when the news reader mentioned Di had died in a car crash, because it was so sudden and unexpected.

I think it says a lot about Diana that people were genuinely upset about her death and felt it as if it was a personal loss. She did touch many people's lives. Thus I think it is a bit harsh to say 'get over it'. I think its wrong to tell people what emotion they should or should not show. If people placed flowers/teddy bears outside the palaces to show affection for the woman etc.. I see no harm, infact it must have bought much comfort to her sons to see the publics reaction to her death at the time.

I personally am not a big fan of the royals.

You are right, I was harsh and I apologise if I have offended anyone.

I still find it bizzare that such a large swath of the general public holds Diana in such esteem; and are personnally upset about her death as opposed to just feeling generally sad about a wasted life.

Takes all sorts...

[Chloe O'brien]

I was in bed as I had been out on the Saturday night. My sister phoned and told me to turn on the tv, I saw a picture of Diana on the screen and said well and she told me she had died.

I am not a fan of the royals or Diana but I do beleive that her death was no accident yes it must have been terrible for her to know that her husband was having an affair with another woman, but let's face it when she married Charles she never married him for his dashing good looks or his charms. Even though she was young she new that marrige was one of convenience all she had to do was bear him a son and she could have anything she wanted. Before they were married charles had many girlfriends there was one girl from Belgium who the media said was the love of his life and the only reason they did not marry is because she was a catholic.

when they divorced she was offered millions but wouldn't play by the Queens rules of keeping her mouth shut so they shut her up permanently. I didn't feel sad for her I felt sad for her two sons who had to grow up without their mother and who couldn't grieve in private

[JustJodi]

I was at a friends house, her brother woke me up and said Diana had been killed, since I am an American, I was like DIANA WHO,, ( I had just been woken from deep sleep so it didnt register ) After I finally woke up and turned on the TV and the subtitles I realized who the guy was talking about.

Sad.. and I also agree with Chloe the boys were the ones I felt bad for cos they were not allowed to grieve.

I am sure that Diana would have been proud of how her boys have turned out...

I am not a big fan of the British or Dutch monarchy..

[Abi]

My Dad worked for the BBC at the time, in the Information Department. He was one of the first people to find out about it, as he left work from the late shift. As he left work, they thought she just had a broken arm, but as he left, he found out she had died. The next day, he went in on his day off, because the phones were off the hook. I found out about her death, having gotten up, and asked why he'd gone into work. I was only 7, but you get to understand shift work, so i knew that he should have been there in the morning, because he had just done a late shift. People were phoning to congratulate the BBC on their handing of it, to ask if it was real or a hoax, and sometimes to complain that it had too much coverage. Everyone in his department pulled together, coming in on their days off, to make sure that the public had their say. After all, that was their jobs.

The BBC has an internal newspaper called the Ariel. This is part of what he said about that night, taken from an interview..


....On an average Sunday, we take between 300 and 600 calls. That day we answered 2,300. During that week the level of calls remained high- around 2000 a day

[Siobhan]

It is a tragedy for any family when a young mum is killed in a senseless accident.

It shouldn't be a cause of national wailing and pseudo grief from a large majority of folks who never met her or indeed met anyone else who had met her.

Buying a copy of Hello with her photo on the cover and the CD single of 'Candle in the Wind' doesn't make you family.

Get over it.

I just wanted to say thank you trinity... I am not a royal fan and Diana death meant nothing to me at all, or to a vast majority of people in Ireland. Yes there were a lot of sympathy for her here but I feel that if I have no feeling on her death then I am wrong so I want to say thanks for been able to speak out.
I feel for her kids, as I would for any kids who had been left without a mother at a younger age but to me she was just another person who die and who I never met.

[Trinity]

And thank you Siohban, I am just saying what I think, and I really don't want to offend anyone - so it is nice to know I am not alone!

[StarsOfCCTV]

I was only 6 and switched on the tv and was annoyed that there was nothing on the tv. Didn't really understand who Diana was and what was the big deal...

Now I do, and it's sad and everything but it's been 10 years and every year the media rakes everything up and I think they should just leave the Royal family to it.

[thestud2k7]

her funeral is on bbc parliment tomorrow from 8:25 am

i thought i better let you all know if u want to watch it again

[Meh]

And thank you Siohban, I am just saying what I think, and I really don't want to offend anyone - so it is nice to know I am not alone!

I was in London, woke up at 10ish and it was all over the news. Always sad when someone loses their life, especially when its a mother of young children.

It was the mass grieving afterwards I had a problem with. Still can't believe she is the Daily Mails most featured headline.

A few days later my friend phoned me and said "let's go pay our respects". I thought he was mad. He then said "to the Mercedes garage. That was one fine damn car"

Probably tasteless, but no more so than the hysteria associated with Diana.

[Richie_lecturer]

My Dad worked for the BBC at the time, in the Information Department. He was one of the first people to find out about it, as he left work from the late shift. As he left work, they thought she just had a broken arm, but as he left, he found out she had died. The next day, he went in on his day off, because the phones were off the hook. I found out about her death, having gotten up, and asked why he'd gone into work. I was only 7, but you get to understand shift work, so i knew that he should have been there in the morning, because he had just done a late shift. People were phoning to congratulate the BBC on their handing of it, to ask if it was real or a hoax, and sometimes to complain that it had too much coverage. Everyone in his department pulled together, coming in on their days off, to make sure that the public had their say. After all, that was their jobs.

The BBC has an internal newspaper called the Ariel. This is part of what he said about that night, taken from an interview..


....On an average Sunday, we take between 300 and 600 calls. That day we answered 2,300. During that week the level of calls remained high- around 2000 a day


Yes I've read that before. Thanks for that Abi, a very interesting recollection of that day. As you say, the reports were that she had 'minor' injuries, but then after a lack of news and also the then Foreign Secretary the late Robin Cook delaying a flight from Hong Kong, people feared the worst, and the death was announced soon afterwards. I remember ITV covering the event non-stop from the middle of the night until Corrie at 7:30 (it was only a few months earlier that Corrie added a Sunday episode). BBC were about the same.

I feel the same as others. It was a tragedy and an awful day, but time and life has moved on. Even today, while there have been a lot of tributes, it's not much more than any old soul dying. It's actually the Daily Express that print Diana stuff on the front page more than anyone else still, though even the Mail still does this occasionally.

[Kim]

I came down to the kitchen after waking up to find my mum watching the news on TV.

[Chloe O'brien]

Before Charles met and married Diana. The royals were very reserved and straight-laced. The only time you seen then were at events like Wimbledon, Ascot and rememberance day, but Diana changed all that. She became something of an icon or idol to the public with her visits to hospitals and dancing at live aid. For the first time in many years the British Public had someone they could related to. Diana soon became looked upon as a hollywood legend and at times she hated it, but it was too late to prevent it. when she died many people beleived they were paying their respects to a great legend rather than a member of the royal family. My personal opinion of Diana was she was a gold digger and only married into the royal family for money and status, but I still think she was murdered.

As for people wanting to lay flowers and pay their respects. I can understand that. When the 9/11 tragedy happened I went down to the American consulte in Edinburgh to lay flowers and sign the book of condolances.

[Tannie]

I think i found out after school. I didn't really care that much. (I'm not heartless) but my Grandpa had died a few months before from cancer and i just couldn't believe it. But also seeing as i was only 5 i didnt really understand who she was.

[Trinity]

In 1988 I was working as an auditor with the Department of Health in London. I can remember being at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead when Diana was visiting.

I made a conscious decision not to go an see her, however by chance I did cross her path that day. She was very, very thin - much thinner than she appeared on TV at that time and was wearing a red coat dress and pill hat. - She looked like a pillar box.

I was amazed ealier that week when the hospital corridors and ward that she was to walk down/visit were painted. None of the rest of the hospital was.

I can remember thinking that the Royal Family must think that the world smells of fresh paint.

I don't have anything against the Royal Family. I just don't believe them to be anything other than human and I think that the public fawning and hysteria that surrounds them and their spouses is ridiculous.

[Cornishbabe]

I turned on my tv and was annoyed that there was no childrens tv on. then I went into my dads room and complained so he turned on the radio and there was only sad music,not normal music, he assumed it was the queen mum until they mentioned diana.

[sindydoll]

i was well upset when i turned the news on i ran upstairs and woke my hubby up to tell him

[Abbie]

I remember it being on the Tv alot but I was 6 and I kinda knew who she was and what had happened, but I probably still didnt understand it all properly. I also remember being at school and talking about it with the teachers, I also remember a newspaper of some sort about it, and for some strange reason its at school, my memory is very strange cos I also remember watching the Tv at school about it.

[chance]

I remember i was working weekends in a hotel as a chambermaid and had to be down there for 7am,got up at 6am and turned tv on whilst getting ready and it was on the news,i ran in my mum and dads room to tell them and they had the radio on and already knew..funny how you remember these things..