Not the Lady of the Lake - by Jeane Trend-Hill
27 June 2007
Much has been written and is indeed still being written about the late Princess Diana who died on 31st August 1997. I'm not dwelling on how she died here as we've all read about it and drawn our own conclusions. I'm more interested in the thousands of unsuspecting tourists who are visiting every year to pay their respects at Diana’s resting place on a small island in the Oval Lake at Althorp House in Northamptonshire. On the garden temple is a plaque with Diana's words, "Whoever is in distress can call on me. I will come running, wherever they are." On an island in the lake, unreachable, are the plinth and urn that commemorate her burial place. Except she is not buried there. Yes, you read that correctly. Diana is NOT buried there.
I had long suspected this was the case having focused on photographs of the island and lake area. I didn’t ‘feel’ she was there and recently I had this confirmed by someone in the know (a funeral director.)
Diana had moved to Althorp House in 1976. She was said to love the grounds and house, which was bought by Sir John Spencer in 1508 - despite rumours of ghosts haunting its many corridors, halls and rooms.
Diana’s brother Earl Spencer has created a museum in a converted stable block dedicated to her memory which includes her school report, a card from Prince Charles, and many of her outfits. The House, Grounds, and Exhibition are open daily for general admission from 2nd July to 2nd September 2007, between 11.00am and 5.00pm (special arrangements apply on 31st August.)
Diana chose to have a woodland burial, so where is she buried? She is in fact laid to rest in the small village church yard nearby, in an unremarkable grave. Except for her son's and the odd local villager, she doesn't have many visitors.
Photo: The Oval Lake where Diana is not buried.
Much has been written and is indeed still being written about the late Princess Diana who died on 31st August 1997. I'm not dwelling on how she died here as we've all read about it and drawn our own conclusions. I'm more interested in the thousands of unsuspecting tourists who are visiting every year to pay their respects at Diana’s resting place on a small island in the Oval Lake at Althorp House in Northamptonshire. On the garden temple is a plaque with Diana's words, "Whoever is in distress can call on me. I will come running, wherever they are." On an island in the lake, unreachable, are the plinth and urn that commemorate her burial place. Except she is not buried there. Yes, you read that correctly. Diana is NOT buried there.I had long suspected this was the case having focused on photographs of the island and lake area. I didn’t ‘feel’ she was there and recently I had this confirmed by someone in the know (a funeral director.)
Diana had moved to Althorp House in 1976. She was said to love the grounds and house, which was bought by Sir John Spencer in 1508 - despite rumours of ghosts haunting its many corridors, halls and rooms.
Diana’s brother Earl Spencer has created a museum in a converted stable block dedicated to her memory which includes her school report, a card from Prince Charles, and many of her outfits. The House, Grounds, and Exhibition are open daily for general admission from 2nd July to 2nd September 2007, between 11.00am and 5.00pm (special arrangements apply on 31st August.)
Diana chose to have a woodland burial, so where is she buried? She is in fact laid to rest in the small village church yard nearby, in an unremarkable grave. Except for her son's and the odd local villager, she doesn't have many visitors.
Photo: The Oval Lake where Diana is not buried.