Ten years ago last Wednesday, I boarded an airplane bound for London, where I spent the next semester doing a Study Abroad through my university. August 31 was a Monday that year and it was a Bank Holiday That weekend is also the Notting Hill Carnival, which took place just a few blocks from where we stayed. Wow, was that ever an experience for a bunch of sheltered BYU students!
August 31, 1998 was also significant for one other major reason--it was the one year anniversary of the death of Princess Diana. The building where we lived was just across the street from Kensington Gardens which is of course home to Kensington Palace, where Diana had lived. After our eardrums were well and truly numbed by the Carnival, we walked over to Kensington Palace, where thousands of people had gathered to remember Diana. The huge iron fence surrounding the palace was packed with bouquets of flowers, cards, photos, drawings--all of the beloved People's Princess. I've never seen anything like it before or since.
In this photo I knowI have a weird look on my face. I wasn't sure what expression to make--a big cheesy grin seemed very out of place at such a somber occasion. I will tell you that I remember being so HOT that day! Even though it was the end of August it was unusually warm for London. I had bought that sweater and the jeans (those pants were SO cute! Wish I still had them) from the J.Crew outlet before I left and I was dying to wear them, even though they were much too warm for the day. The necklace I had just bought at what would become one of my favorite London shops, Accessorize.
The year previous, the year she died--I remember that too, although I don't have a scrapbook page about it. I was working at a scrapbook store at the time. That night we stayed open late for a crop, and I had the radio turned to my favorite station, which had a request show on Saturday nights. I remember hearing the DJs saying that someone called in to request "New Dress" by Depeche Mode, because it repeats the line, "Princess Di is wearing a new dress." They then went on to talk again about the news reports just coming in about her death, and I went into the classroom at the back of the store to announce the news to all the ladies there at the crop. That next week was the first week of my sophomore year at college, and I remember my roommates and I watching the coverage of her funeral on TV and crying. I had no idea that a year from then, I'd be able to see it all in person.
I can't believe it has been 10 years since I went to London. I had the time of my life in those three months! I actually still dream about London; strangely, in my dreams it never looks like it did in real life, but I always know that's where I am. These photos are scanned from a scrapbook page I did several years ago. I am maybe halfway done with my scrapbook from my Study Abroad and haven't done a page in literally years, so perhaps this fall would be a good time to get out my photos and get to work again.Do you remember where you were when you heard the news of Princess Diana's death?
Heidi, your memory has ALWAYS, totally blown me away. I'd actally be very afraid to ask you if you remember all the stupid stuff I did back in the day. Nope, can't remember where I was when I heard Princess D had passed.
ReplyDeleteI was cleaning out the closets to do some rearranging this morning, and I just tossed a bag from accessorize into the giveaway pile. How funny to see that shop mentioned here today!
ReplyDeleteI remember where I was. I was sitting in my lounge, very pregnant with my son, discussing divorce with my now ex-husband. He went silent when it came on the news and remained that way for nearly a week. I suppose I was hoping that his silence and tears were for our marriage and children but no, they were for the Princess who captured all our hearts. Some things you never forget.
ReplyDeleteI hope the next time you come to London you won't be disappointed in it, it's changed an awful lot in 10 years.
I was working at a theme park (in the shopping village attached to it that day) and I was working on the till. I remember I had to tell most of the customers who came in about her death as most had not watched the news that morning.
ReplyDeleteI was on my mission and our ward mission leader called us to tell us the news. And even though we weren't supposed to...we sort of glanced at the t.v.'s in people's homes that had it on the news all throughout our day.
ReplyDeleteHmm... 10 years ago I was 15, I don't remember where I was when I first heard, but I do know we were at the Rodeo that weekend because they did a tribute to her.
ReplyDeleteWe had been to the County Fair with my Mom and Stepfather. My Mom called to tell me thay had made it home when DH came in the room telling me that Princess Diana had died in a car wreck. I told my Mom and neither one of us could even complrehend what we were hearing. It seems like yeaterday. I got up in the middle of the night and watched that car drive along covered in flowers. So sad.
ReplyDeleteI do--I was at a good friend's wedding. Thanks for reminding me to send her some anniversary wishes!
ReplyDeleteI don't remember where I was when I heard about her death. But I DID go on a study abroad with BYU as well! I did one all through Europe, and we went to Greece, Italy, Belgium, Paris, and ended in London where I spent three weeks. It was SO wonderful and the memories I have from that trip are priceless! I'm sure you feel the same way about yours. That must have been so crazy to have been in England during the time of her death.
ReplyDeleteI was sitting in Sacarment meeting when my sister leaned over and told me. My husband's uncle had just died, too, a few days earlier (from complications he received in a car accident a year or so prior to his death).
ReplyDeleteI remember where I was when I heard Di had died. I was a senior in high school and was spending the night with my grandmother like I had when I was a kid, and a special report cut into Saturday Night Live. What a sad time--though I don't think the enormity of it really hit me until 2005 when I traveled to London for the first time and saw signs of people's grief still evident.
ReplyDeleteI was sitting at the little table in our kitchenette in our first apartment writing the last of our wedding thank you notes the morning after Princess Diana died. And while I was upset by the news of that tragedy. The biggest tragedy I remember most that morning, was that the neighbors above us flooded their apartment, which, in turn flooded our kitchen table, with the last HUNDRED of my WRITTEN, ADDRESSED, and STAMPED thank you notes sitting on top of it at the time. After much thought, I opted to lay them all out to dry, and mailed them on a rainy day. My hope to this day is that those who received them #1- found them legible. and #2- attributed the water damage to weather or other forces of nature and not sheer laziness of the "writer" who was already sending them three months after the big day.
ReplyDeleteLOVE your London pics!
I was living in England at the time and remember going into the kitchen to turn on the radio as I made breakfast. Dh and I were heading out to a Bootsale (like a flea market)because it was a Sunday morning. I was so shocked to hear the news. I went in to tell dh and we turned on the tv and just stared at the screen for what seemed like an hour. I'm not sure why but we still went to the bootsale. It was cloudy and cold and very depressing. Everyone was so sad.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your order, I shipped your goodies today. You have a great memory, I can't remember what I was doing, sheesh I must be getting old:)
ReplyDeleteI was at the beach on vacation. I remember that Mother Theresa died that same weekend. I remember thinking that the two most famous and beloved women in the world have just died. It was very sad.
ReplyDeleteOh Yes... 'The Crew' (me and my gal-friends of college years) were packing/preparing for our '30th Birthday Excursion' abroad... 10 days travelling around Ireland with a 4 day stop in London before we returned! Qe DID end up going. London was pretty somber, the Gates at Kensington Palace were piled HIGH with leftover memorial flowers.nkvncocs
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