Funeral for Diana: royal family was against Elton John’s song “Candle In The Wind”

“Candle In The Wind”
Funeral service for Lady Di: the royal family wanted to prevent Elton John’s song

It was one of the most moving moments at the funeral service for Princess Diana in September 1997: musician Elton John sang a rewritten version of his hit “Candle In The Wind”. The first line read “Goodbye England’s rose” and was a tribute to Lady Di, who was killed in a car accident.

But John’s appearance almost didn’t happen. The royal family feared the song might be too sentimental. This emerges from documents that the National Archives have now released and from which the British newspaper “Daily Mail” quoted.

The Dean of Westminster, Dr. Wesley Carr, personally appealed to Buckingham Palace to allow Elton John to play his song at the memorial service at Westminster Abbey. It would be a “generous” gesture after the public turned against the royal family following the tragedy. The pastor was successful and Sir Elton John’s appearance became one of the most memorable moments of the service.

Princess Diana died in a car accident in Paris in 1997

Princess Diana and her boyfriend at the time Dodi Al-Fayed – son of Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed – died in a car accident in Paris on August 31, 1997, causing a great wave of public grief. The royal family was staying in their summer residence in Balmoral, Scotland, at the time of the accident. Queen Elizabeth II did not make a speech to the people until five days after Diana’s death, which the monarch received a lot of criticism.

Elton John originally wrote the song “Candle In The Wind” in 1973 in memory of actress Marilyn Monroe. For the funeral service of Lady Diana, with whom the singer was close friends, he changed the text.

yeah
SpotOnNews