Remembering Diana – the best sites to see in London
To mark 27 years since the Princess of Wales passed away, we walk in her footsteps around the capital
It’s a date etched in our memories – August 31, 1997, when Diana, Princess of Wales tragically died in a car crash in Paris. It’s been 27 years since that day, but we can never reach the end of the summer without thinking about the seismic event, which rocked the world.
Diana’s funeral took place on September 6 – as crowds lined the streets, to see her coffin pass by, with the tragic figures of her young sons, Princes William and Harry, walking behind. This time is a sorrowful one, for the Royal Family, as September 8 also marks two years since Queen Elizabeth passed away at Balmoral.
So, as the summer draws to an end, we’ve joined with our sister newsletter The British Travel List, to bring you a Diana tour of London. Below are the best sites to see.
Tour her former home, Kensington Palace
We always recommend visitors make time to go to Kensington Palace when in London. It’s open year-round, unlike Buckingham Palace and is a really pretty little palace to walk around. Still synonymous with Diana, you tour the State Apartments and can see the special exhibitions, such as the current one, Untold Lives. The gardens are gorgeous and there are various cafes to eat in. The statue of Diana is in the Sunken Garden, which you can only access with a ticket to the palace. Note: The private homes of the Royal Family and Diana, are behind the Palace and not accessible to visitors. To book, visit www.hrp.org.uk
Take the Diana Memorial Walk
If you have time, do take the seven-mile Diana Memorial Walk, following a trail of markers that take you through some of London’s loveliest areas, including St James’s Park, Green Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens as well as Kensington Palace, Buckingham Palace, Clarence House, St James’s Palace and Spencer House, her family’s London home. You can download the map here.
Visit the Fountain and Playground
The memorial fountain built to honour Diana is in Hyde Park, near the Serpentine. It’s a nice, peaceful place to visit - see here. And near Kensington Palace, you’ll find the extremely-popular Diana Memorial Playground, enjoyed by a million children a year - it’s a good respite for anyone travelling with children. See details here.
See St Paul’s Cathedral, where she wed
One of London’s most famous landmarks, St Paul’s Cathedral, was where Charles and Diana got married, in 1981, instead of Westminster Abbey. Visit Sir Christopher Wren’s masterpiece and wander around the City, which is full of history. For more on St Paul’s, visit here.
Walk past her first flat, Coleherne Court
Near South Kensington and Earl’s Court, you’ll find the place where Diana was happiest – her first flat in Coleherne Court, Old Brompton Road. This was where she lived from 1979 to 1981, with three friends, before she got engaged. It was awarded a blue English Heritage plaque, so you can spot it from the street.
Wander along Kensington High Street, which she loved
Diana was often spotted shopping in Kensington High Street and for anyone who has never been, it’s full of upmarket shops, cafes and restaurants. Explore the streets around it too, where you’ll find Launceston Place, San Lorenzo (shut since the pandemic) and Bombay Brasserie, where she used to like to eat. She even popped to McDonald’s there on occasion, with William and Harry. For more, visit here.
William and Harry, close but distant
Diana’s beloved boys were reunited at a family funeral this week, for their uncle Lord Fellowes, who died recently aged 82. Sadly, as reported in the Telegraph, William and Harry did not speak and ‘kept their distance’ at the memorial service and reception.
Robert Fellowes, was married to Lady Jane Spencer, Diana’s sister, and he was the former private secretary to the late Queen from 1990 to 1999. The service, held on Thursday at St Mary’s Church in Snettisham, Norfolk, saw the princes arriving ‘discreetly’ and sitting at the back of the church to show their support for their aunt and cousins. ‘William and Harry were both there but we never saw them speak to each other and they were keeping their distance,’ said a local.
In an awkward clash of diaries, the brothers could also be in New York at the same time later this month, on separate business obviously. A spokesperson for Harry confirmed he will be there to ‘advance a number of his patronages and philanthropic initiatives’. The trip is set to take place from 22-29 September. While William may also be in the city for the third annual Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit on 24 September. Watch out for a sudden bout of frost and chills hitting the Big Apple around that time.
King changes his ‘unlucky’ coin
The King’s new coins are coming into circulation, but it’s been revealed he intervened over an “unlucky” design of the £1. The coins, which feature bees on the back and wildlife, including salmon, puffins and squirrels, have a three-c motif on them, for his reign. However, according to The Sunday Times, the cs were originally designed facing downwards and the King felt that was unlucky. “Charles felt that the c at the bottom looked like an upside-down horseshoe and looked a bit unlucky. That’s the level of detail he looked at,” said Gordon Summers, the chief engraver. A horseshoe is traditionally meant to be good luck – but has to be facing upwards. Read more about the coins here.
Meghan and her style ‘power’
The women of the Royal Family have always harnessed their global spotlight to show off their wardrobe. Now, the Duchess of Sussex has taken this a step further and told The New York Times that she deliberately wears small fashion brands and designers in order to help boost their sales.
Meghan said: ‘Times where I know there is a global spotlight, and attention will be given to each detail of what I may or may not be wearing, then I support designers that I have really great friendships with, and smaller, up-and-coming brands that haven’t gotten the attention that they should be getting. That’s one of the most powerful things that I’m able to do, and that’s simply wearing, like, an earring.’
Lady Pamela’s royally good read
She was a bridesmaid, lady-in-waiting and third cousin to Queen Elizabeth II and the younger daughter of Lord Mountbatten. Now at the grand age of 95, Lady Pamela Hicks is the subject of a wonderful book about her extraordinary life and the historic events she witnessed first-hand - all written by her daughter, India Hicks. Published this Tuesday, you can preorder here.
How fascinating re the new coins. My last post was a poem about them but I didn't know that fact!