What it really felt like to be at Diana’s funeral

It was one of the most-watched events in history; one million people lined the streets of London for the funeral procession, while 2.5 billion people around the world watched on television. 

Now, 20 years on, Diana, Princess of Wales’ funeral is still remembered as vividly as ever by the people who witnessed the day firsthand.

New documentary Diana: The Day the World Cried, narrated by Kate Winslet, tells the story of the funeral of the Princess of Wales, through the memories of people who were there. 

Images: Getty

Captain Grant Charter was the driver of the gun carriage that was part of the march on the day. He recalls the feeling in the crowd as Diana’s coffin made its way to Westminster Abbey: “I thought it was just going to be quiet sobs...and quiet, being English. That’s what we do, isn’t it? We don’t show emotion. But then we hit the crowd and that’s what I’ll never forget about the whole thing.

“You heard that scream: ‘Diana we love you’. That cut right through all of us.”

Graeme Innes,who was marching as part of the gun team on the King’s Troop, also remembered the overwhelming feeling of marching through the crowds. “It was raining flowers at one point,” he said. “To practise for that we had newspapers wrapped in tinfoil and then throwing them in front of the horses.”

Police Constable Stuart Spinks, who was working on the day of the funeral, said: “One man blessed himself. When he did his wife began crying, and that set everyone else off. You don’t realise how contagious that is. 

“I don’t think I could even count how many people there were that were just crying, sobbing.”

Images: Getty

Florist Lisa Webb, who created the flower arrangements for the funeral, spoke of her sadness for Princes William and Harry as they mourned their mother in front of the world: “I felt extremely emotional seeing ‘Mummy’ on the card,” she explained.

“It was in Prince Harry’s own handwriting. The young boy was sending those to his mother."

Image: Getty

She explained that the young boys chose their own flowers for their mother, “The flowers were chosen by the princes because their mum loved white roses and also tulips.”

The contributors also discussed the royal family’s controversial behaviour - they were widely condemned after the announcement of Diana’s death, when they chose to remain in Balmoral where they were holidaying, and didn’t make an immediate public statement.

Diana: The Day the World Cried premieres Sunday, September 3, at 9.40pm on Nine.