Germaine Greer on the Diana myth

The Duchess of Cornwall has pulled out of attending the memorial service for Diana, Princess of Wales, after private discussions with Prince William and Prince Harry.

The Duchess, labelled by the Princess as the third person in her crowded marriage to the Prince of Wales, had originally agreed to attend Friday’s service after she was invited by the Princes.

But in a statement yesterday the Duchess said that she would now not attend the service, at Guards’ Chapel in Wellington Barracks, as she felt that her presence would divert attention from the occasion.

A Perrier with the Princess

Peter Stothard, former Editor of The Times, recalls a discussion with Diana about memos, mistresses and the media

Multimedia

• Interview on the latest revealing Diana biography

BACKGROUND

• The explosion of vileness that followed her death

• Why I could not mourn Diana

Related Internet Links

• Diana - 10 years on

Related Links

• Diana died on the brink of a new career

Palace officials said privately that the Duchess had been agonising over whether to go for weeks. She had spoken to Prince Charles and her own family but waited until Prince William came back from holiday on Friday before making a final decision.

“It had been weighing on her mind for some time,” one source said. “But she wanted to wait for William to come back so she could talk to about it face to face with Harry.”

The Duchess was worried that her presence would inevitably become the focus of the event and the subject of controversy, with polls suggesting that a majority of the public felt that her presence would be inappropriate.

In a statement she said: “I’m very touched to have been invited by Prince William and Prince Harry to attend the thanksgiving service for their mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. I accepted and wanted to support them. However, on reflection, I believe my attendance could divert attention from the purpose of the occasion, which is to focus on the life and service of Diana. I’m grateful to my husband, William and Harry for supporting my decision.”

William and Harry and Lady Sarah McCorquodale, their mother’s eldest sister, will give readings at what is expected to be a personal, poignant memorial service. It will include music by Rachmaninov that the Princess played to the boys, as well as her favourite hymn, I Vow to Thee, My Country, which was sung at her wedding and funeral.

There were reports this month that the Duchess was not looking forward to the service, but believed that she should be there to support her husband. She was said to have considered the issue “long and hard”, and Clarence House aides said that her decision was supported by her stepsons.

Palace sources had said that the Duchess initially agreed to attend because the Prince of Wales wanted her to be at his side. He is said to have thought that it was her duty.

The Queen is also believed to have had reservations about her attendence. “She was in favour of Camilla immediately making it clear that she would not be going,” a source said.

The about-turn came days after the Duchess defended her presence at the service after receiving a letter of complaint from a member of the public. The Duchess, who had an affair with the Prince of Wales while both were married, is still regarded by many as being instrumental in breaking up his marriage.

The Princes, who are aged 25 and 22, will be joined by a congregation of 500 including their father, the Queen and members of the Spencer family. Clarence House also announced that friends of the Princess, including Sir Elton John, Sir Cliff Richard and Lord Attenborough are among those invited to the service, which will be televised live. Several prominent aides who have sold their stories, including Paul Burrell, the Princess’s former butler, are not on the guest list.

The Princes have, however, invited Mohamed Al Fayed’s daughter, Camilla Fayed, whose half-brother, Dodi, was also killed in the crash. Her father, who has not been invited, has persistently claimed that the Duke of Edinburgh was involved in the deaths.

For the past decade the Princess’s sons have marked the anniversary of their mother’s death in private. But this year they have bowed to popular pressure, hosting a memorial concert last month at Wembley stadium.

The hour-long service, which begins at midday and includes a prayer specially composed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, will be conducted by the Rev Patrick Irwin, chaplain to the Household Division. As serving army officers of the Household Division, the Guards’ Chapel is the Princes’ chapel. Their choice of venue avoids having to use St Paul’s Cathedral, where the Princess was married, or Westminster Abbey, where her funeral was held.

Mr Irwin said: “We know that Rachmaninov was a great favourite of Diana’s. The Princes often listened to it with her in the car.”

Gordon Brown will attend the service, as will his predecessor, Tony Blair, who described Diana as the “people’s princess”. Kate Middleton, who is believed to have rekindled her romance with Prince William, will not attend; neither will Chelsy Davy, Prince Harry’s girlfriend.

In

Sir Elton John

Sang a revamped version of Candle in the Wind at her funeral

Mario Testino

Photographed Diana in 1997 for the cover of Vanity Fair; has done family portraits of the Prince of Wales, Harry and William

Earl Spencer

Applauded at sister’s funeral with a rousing yet controversial eulogy. Has been helping with the arrangements for the memorial service

Out

Ken Wharfe

Personal protection officer to the Princess for six years. Spilt the beans in a book, Diana, A Closely Guarded Secret

Paul Burrell

Princess called her butler her “rock”. Accused of betraying her by also writing a book, A Royal Duty. Insists he was protecting her legacy

Mohamed Al Fayed

Relations with the Royals are poisonous, but his daughter, Camilla, is on guest list

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Oh no, Mr Darling: you have failed
• BBC survives dogfight over Kennel Club expose
• Where the Rosetta belongs can’t be set in stone