Kmflett's Blog

Charles Spencer’s memoir is making some headlines, with a comment that the then Prince Charles thought the memory of Diana Spencer would soon fade. Who cares, one might say. But the moment of late summer 1997 is worth recalling. It places perspective on now King Charles supposed comment of the time.

At the time (August/September 1997) Diana was dubbed the ‘People’s Princess’. Alastair Campbell is in his diary for the period attributes the phrase directly to Blair himself. Certainly the newly elected Labour Government made much of the changing times.

Tony Benn’s diary for the period makes interesting reading. He noted on 31st August 1997 that he had refused interview requests because ‘there is nothing whatsoever to be said’. The following day he notes that the Guardian had 14 pages on Diana’s death.

However a few days later he noted the mood had changed as the Royal Family were seen to be reluctant to mark the death of Diana. He wrote on 4th September 1997‘People are angry with the Royal Family. Blair is trying to cash in on it..’ After the funeral he wrote ‘Tony Blair has come out of it very well because he is supposed to have told the Palace how to handle it’.