(no subject)
I was eleven in 1997. I'd just finished junior school and we were busy getting my brand new uniform ready to start my new school. I remember being astonished at the ghastly length of my new skirt and the size of my hockey stick, not being a girl who was at all hockey inclined.
A week before I started school at least, I woke up very early one morning. When I was little I could not remain in bed if I wasn't asleep (oh how things change) so I went downstairs in search of something to do and probably something to eat. On went the television and I remember some music program. I found something to occupy myself and the t.v stayed on. Then it went off. Then a news reporter appeared and said that Princess Diana had been in a car crash. I wasn't sure I completely knew who she was, although I was once lifted up to see her wearing a yellow dress in a royal box somewhere or other. Thinking back it's odd, as my parents weren't particularly fans of the royal family. Normally my Dad was showing off his Prince Philip impression, or howling at Private Eye jokes about Prince Charles.
I sat transfixed to the television for what seemed like hours. I remember my Mum coming downstairs to see why I was up. She was shocked but at this point everyone seemed to think all she'd got was minor injuries so she trundled off back to bed saying she thought it was all a bit over the top to report a broken arm. I still sat there.
Then they said, and I remember it very clearly, "we've just heard from unconfirmed sources that Diana, Princess of Wales... has died". Isn't it bizarre how you remember these things? Normally you forget sentences the minute you've heard them (or maybe that's just me...). I don't know what time it was, but it must have still been quite early. I went upstairs and announced to my parents that she'd died. My Mum said something along the lines of "well this is going to be an interesting week isn't it?" and my Dad looked a bit shocked.
The time in between that day and then watching her funeral in the living room of our old house has completely disappeared, I don't remember a thing of it but I suppose it must have been a good four or five days.
My parents decided I should feel like I was part of history, so after the funeral we would go to the motorway so we could watch the procession. I remember feeling a bit unsure of what it would be like, what I might see and how the other people would react. All I'd seen on the news that day was enormous crowds of crying people. I think it was then that I realised just how big the country and the world was and the enormous power that mass hysteria has.
During her funeral I went upstairs because I didn't want to cry - no one else in the room was crying. I remember seeing "Mummy" written on a card that sat on her coffin, and thinking how beyond awful it would be to lose my mummy. The only other thing I recall is the recessional music by John Tavener and the stillness of Westminster Abbey. The sound was just the voices of the choir and the slow, marching of the pallbearers feet. I've never forgotten that sound to this day.
We did go to the motorway. It was empty of traffic, which in itself was strange. When we first arrived there were only a few other people there, holding flowers ready to throw. There was a slip road that we parked on and slowly other cars started appearing. It felt like a long time really. Mum and I walked down the bank so we were nearer the road. I think I walked down a little further in the end, so I wasn't standing next to anyone. There was a large lady with red permed hair and two small children standing a little way from me. As the hearse drove slowly past, she was overcome with tears and started howling. There was little to see. I remember the colours of the Royal Standard that was draped over the coffin and the remnants of flowers that had got caught up along the bottom of the windscreen. I remember not knowing if I should say something, if I should say a little prayer, what I should do. In the end I think I just just watched. On the way home we heard The Flower Duet on the radio and I cried quietly all the way. I was told it was ok to cry. I thought it was odd as I didn't know her. She was just a pretty lady who I once saw from a distance wearing a yellow dress.
The next thing I remember was lining up for a science lesson and a fairly annoying girl who eventually turned out to be fairly horrid said "It's WELL bad about that Princess Diana thing aint it?".
A week before I started school at least, I woke up very early one morning. When I was little I could not remain in bed if I wasn't asleep (oh how things change) so I went downstairs in search of something to do and probably something to eat. On went the television and I remember some music program. I found something to occupy myself and the t.v stayed on. Then it went off. Then a news reporter appeared and said that Princess Diana had been in a car crash. I wasn't sure I completely knew who she was, although I was once lifted up to see her wearing a yellow dress in a royal box somewhere or other. Thinking back it's odd, as my parents weren't particularly fans of the royal family. Normally my Dad was showing off his Prince Philip impression, or howling at Private Eye jokes about Prince Charles.
I sat transfixed to the television for what seemed like hours. I remember my Mum coming downstairs to see why I was up. She was shocked but at this point everyone seemed to think all she'd got was minor injuries so she trundled off back to bed saying she thought it was all a bit over the top to report a broken arm. I still sat there.
Then they said, and I remember it very clearly, "we've just heard from unconfirmed sources that Diana, Princess of Wales... has died". Isn't it bizarre how you remember these things? Normally you forget sentences the minute you've heard them (or maybe that's just me...). I don't know what time it was, but it must have still been quite early. I went upstairs and announced to my parents that she'd died. My Mum said something along the lines of "well this is going to be an interesting week isn't it?" and my Dad looked a bit shocked.
The time in between that day and then watching her funeral in the living room of our old house has completely disappeared, I don't remember a thing of it but I suppose it must have been a good four or five days.
My parents decided I should feel like I was part of history, so after the funeral we would go to the motorway so we could watch the procession. I remember feeling a bit unsure of what it would be like, what I might see and how the other people would react. All I'd seen on the news that day was enormous crowds of crying people. I think it was then that I realised just how big the country and the world was and the enormous power that mass hysteria has.
During her funeral I went upstairs because I didn't want to cry - no one else in the room was crying. I remember seeing "Mummy" written on a card that sat on her coffin, and thinking how beyond awful it would be to lose my mummy. The only other thing I recall is the recessional music by John Tavener and the stillness of Westminster Abbey. The sound was just the voices of the choir and the slow, marching of the pallbearers feet. I've never forgotten that sound to this day.
We did go to the motorway. It was empty of traffic, which in itself was strange. When we first arrived there were only a few other people there, holding flowers ready to throw. There was a slip road that we parked on and slowly other cars started appearing. It felt like a long time really. Mum and I walked down the bank so we were nearer the road. I think I walked down a little further in the end, so I wasn't standing next to anyone. There was a large lady with red permed hair and two small children standing a little way from me. As the hearse drove slowly past, she was overcome with tears and started howling. There was little to see. I remember the colours of the Royal Standard that was draped over the coffin and the remnants of flowers that had got caught up along the bottom of the windscreen. I remember not knowing if I should say something, if I should say a little prayer, what I should do. In the end I think I just just watched. On the way home we heard The Flower Duet on the radio and I cried quietly all the way. I was told it was ok to cry. I thought it was odd as I didn't know her. She was just a pretty lady who I once saw from a distance wearing a yellow dress.
The next thing I remember was lining up for a science lesson and a fairly annoying girl who eventually turned out to be fairly horrid said "It's WELL bad about that Princess Diana thing aint it?".