The Queen opened a London fountain in honour of the late Princess of Wales on Tuesday, at a ceremony attended by Diana's ex-husband, Prince Charles, and their two sons, William and Harry.
Speaking of the Princess in an official public speech for the first time since the eve of her 1997 funeral, the Queen recalled Diana as a "remarkable human being", and remarked that memories of "difficult times" had diminished over the years.
"I cannot forget - and nor can those of us here today who knew her much more personally, as sister, wife, mother, or daughter-in-law - the Diana who made such an impact on our lives," said the Queen as she unveiled the £3.6-million Hyde Park Fountain. "Of course there were difficult times, but memories mellow with the passing of the years. I remember especially the happiness she gave to my two grandsons."
The event brought together the Princess' two families – the Windsors and the Spencers –for the first time since Diana's death. In her speech the Queen referred to the two branches, reportedly at odds since Earl Spencer's scathing eulogy at his sister's funeral, saying she was opening the commemorative fountain "on behalf of Charles, William, Harry and all my family and of all the Spencer family with us today".
The granite oval with water flowing at different speeds has been the centre of controversy – the Princess' late mother was among its critics, saying it had a "lack of grandeur". However, while acknowledging the "challenge" of its creation, the Queen praised the work of the fountain's design team, led by landscape architect Kathryn Gustafson.
"I believe that you have given the park, at the very heart of our capital city that Diana knew so well, a highly original memorial which captures something of the essence of a remarkable human being," said the Queen. "I think Diana would have enjoyed it; and I believe she would want all of us to do so, too." |
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