York | Archive | 1999 | September | 06
From the Evening Press, first published Monday 6th Sep 1999.
All this false grief about Diana is a national embarrassment and it gives rise to the kind of dreadful nonsense you see in Robert Beaumont's article (Evening Press, August 31).
Mr Beaumont is clearly in the land of Nod when he writes: "It was as if the heavens themselves were weeping for the quintessential English rose."
He goes on to say: "A stunned British nation woke up to the news." Which means we were stunned before we woke up. The Royal Family was seen on television: "trudging off to church at Balmoral"; have you ever seen the Queen trudging? No, Mr Beaumont, this column-filling schmaltz will not do.
Be still, all you ranting journalists, and let Diana's mother Frances Shand Kydd have the last word: "Charles asked if I wanted him to row me across to the island where Diana rests, and at that moment I declined. Later that morning, walking in the gardens, I was drawn to the lake. The boat looked tempting, so I rowed myself across to the island. As I rowed back I noticed a thin covering of weed on the water cut in two by the boat. I looked back and saw it join like curtains as a lone swan glided past. At that point I could feel my beloved Diana was at peace. Her earthly life was short but complete. I knew then that all she had to do was completed; that all was well. Very well."
Now please, let the girl rest in peace.
Robert Holmes,
Thorganby, York.
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