Queen Elizabeth II on Princess Diana's Death

By Isabelle Parker

With the Queen's recent passing on Thursday the 8th, many have been looking back at the highlights and important moments from her reign as England's longest serving monarch. While for the majority of her career, the Queen has been adored by her subjects, some moments have come under criticism from the public, one of these being her reaction to the late Princess Diana's death.

Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth II

When the Princess Diana died on August 31st 1997 at age 36, the Royal Family came under scrutiny, and the whole world watched as Queen Elizabeth made her first public appearance at Buckingham Palace on September 5th. After the Princess' death, the royals removed all televisions and radios from Balmoral Castle, where Diana's sons, Prince William and Harry, spent several days with the Queen following their mother's death.

(Left to right) Prince Phillip, Prince William, Charles Spencer, Prince Harry, and Prince Charles at Princess Diana's funeral

She would not address the public, nor fly the royal family's flag above the Palace. The public saw this as cruel and cold, and started protesting the lack of displayed emotion, but the queen refused to yield. Protocol stated that only a member of the royal family should be treated as a royal, even in death, and, as Diana had divorced from Prince Charles the year before, she was no longer tied to the family. Despite this, newspapers soon ran headlines such us "Show us you care", "Has the House of Windsor Got a Heart?" and "Where is our Queen? Where is her flag?", fueling the public's outrage. Finally, the Queen's press officer, Geoffrey Crawford, stated that the Queen would address the nation of the eve of Diana's funeral.

Flowers outside Kensignton Palace, Diana's former place of residency

On September 5th, the royal convey arrived at Buckingham Palace. The citizens surrounding the gateway went silent as the Queen stepped out and walked past the myriad of bouquets that lined the gates as tributes to Diana, who had been dubbed the 'People's Princess'. Three hours later, from inside the Palace, the Queen addressed the nation in a public broadcast.

Prince Phillip and the Queen walk past flowers lining Buckingham Palace gates after Princess Diana's death

"What I say to you now, as your Queen and as a grandmother, I say from my heart. First, I want to pay tribute to Diana myself. She was an exceptional and gifted human being. In good times and bad, she never lost her capacity to smile and laugh, nor to inspire others with her warmth and kindness." This statement cleared the public's belief that the royals did not grieve for Diana, and reassured them that the Queen's sentiment towards Diana was indeed warm.

Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth II

The Queen then declared that "This week at Balmoral, we have all been trying to help William and Harry come to terms with the devastating loss that they and the rest of us have suffered." This further quieted the public's rage, and people began to understand that the silence regarding Diana's death had been for her sons' sakes. Then, for the first time in history, the Union Jack flag was flown at half mast over Buckingham Palace.

Queen Elizabeth II with grandsons Prince William and Prince Harry

The Queen broke protocol several times in the wake of Diana's death, from flying the flag at half mast, bowing her head to Diana's coffin, and making a statement for the non- royal. While there have been many ups and downs of the Queen's reign, in instances such as this, she has proven herself to be caring, empathetic, and an unforgettable figure in Britain's history.