Diana's Funeral: Two Billion Mourn Together
Princess Diana's funeral procession wound through London on September 6, 1997, as an estimated 2.5 billion people watched worldwide, making it the most-watched broadcast in television history at that time. Over a million mourners lined the route from Kensington Palace to Westminster Abbey, covering the hearse with flowers. Elton John performed a rewritten version of "Candle in the Wind" that was later released as a single, selling 33 million copies and becoming the best-selling single since charts began. Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, delivered a pointed eulogy criticizing the media and the royal family. Queen Elizabeth II, who had initially resisted public mourning, bowed to the coffin as it passed Buckingham Palace, an unprecedented gesture that acknowledged the depth of public feeling.
September 6, 1997
29 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on September 6
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