Friday August 31st was the tenth anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, and while I was embarrassed to see Americans quoted in the press as saying they arranged their vacations to be sure they were present for this, I have to admit I was a bit interested and even sat in the Clock House pub stealing glances at the memorial liturgy on telly. I went to Kensington Palace and took in all the flowers and messages at the gate. Let no one say England is not a free country--a few of of the messages were very uncomplimentary to the Royal Family! I took a snap of one that seems to express the middle ground most English seem to feel:
Long Live the Queen
Diana Forever
King Charles/Queen Camilla NEVER
Also walked to the famous memorial fountain in Kensington Gardens. It is not at all the type of monument I was expecting, no grand scale as the fountain of even a small Italian piazza would have, just a circular granite trough with two waterfalls. My very first thoughts were shockingly catty, even for me: "Expensive and disappointing, like Diana herself." But I have to admit I am still a fan of the Princess, specifically for being the first royal to include queers in her court in an official and respectful way and also for being the first celebrity to kiss babies with AIDS and demonstrate convincingly that one would not contract the virus doing so. Also I must say the memorial fountain lacks the pizzazz of a grander edifice but stays with one longer--as a work of art I like it far more than my original reaction.
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