3 July, 2007
BY OUR CELEBRITY REPORTER
Despite terror alerts and high
security, around 70,000 fans converged
at the Wembley Stadium in London on
July 1, 2007 to pay tribute to
Princess Diana, at a concert on what
would have been her 46th birthday.
Tributes by world leaders,
celebrities, comedians, and those
linked to Princess Diana’s charitable
work were played in pre-recorded
videos, during breaks, in the six-hour
concert.
An estimated audience of 160 million
worldwide watched the unique concert
on television.
The event was organized by Princess
Diana’s children Prince William and
Prince Harry – the second and third in
line, respectively, to the British
throne.
While some of their own favorite acts
were on the bill, the concert was
chiefly an event to reflect Princess
Diana’s personality and passions –
from the English National Ballet to
Bryan Ferry.
Prince William, 25, and Prince Harry,
22, strode onstage to greet fans at
the venue. Prince William declared:
“This evening is about all that my
mother loved in life: her music, her
dance, her charities and her family
and friends.”
Prince Harry added a special message
for the Household Cavalry, his army
unit, currently serving in Iraq: “I
wish I was there with you. I’m sorry I
can’t be. But to all of those on
operations at the moment, we’d both
like to say stay safe.”
Prince Harry, a second lieutenant in
the regiment, was barred from going to
Iraq for security reasons.
To many Britons as well as some
visitors, the concert in honor of
Princess Diana on Sunday provided a
chance to put into practice a
sentiment voiced by Gordon Brown, the
new Prime Minister, who vowed that “we
will not allow anyone to undermine our
British way of life.”
Hundreds of police officers were on
duty, and the authorities had declared
the airspace over the Wembley Stadium
a no-flight zone.
The highly visible display of security
seemed to reassure many people headed
for the concert, following the news of
two failed car bombings in London on
June 29, 2007 and a failed attack on
June 30, 2007 at Glasgow airport.
The concert at the Wembley Stadium
had, probably, the best-groomed
audience of any rock concert.
The attendance and sentiment at the
concert showed that, even 10 years
after her tragic death in a car crash
in a Paris subway, Princess Diana’s
continuing popularity clearly played a
part in many people’s decision to keep
their cool and join the crowd.
As Sir Elton John opened the show at
4.00 in the evening, the stadium was
only three-quarters full. There were
still long queues while security
guards frisked those entering the
stadium with metal detectors.
Those seated in the royal box included
Kate Middleton, former girlfriend of
Prince William, and Chelsy Davy,
Prince Harry’s girlfriend.
The royal brothers introduced to the
audience Duran Duran, their mother’s
favourite band.
“Pray for sun,” Simon LeBon, lead
singer of Duran Duran, said, as gray
clouds gathered over Wembley Stadium,
Britain’s biggest sports arena.
The band performed Sunrise, followed
by Wild Boys, which they dedicated to
Prince William and Prince Harry, and
Rio, which they dedicated to Princess
Diana.
The proceeds from the concert will go
to charities supported by Princess
Diana and her sons.
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