Princess Diana - Where were you?

[Hugh Jass]

13 hours ago, Yoghurt on a Stick said:

I recall the morning vividly. I was driving down the oddly named Avenue Road in Kings Heath in Birmingham when I heard people talking about her death on the radio. I couldn't actually believe what I was hearing, and as it was Radio 4 thought that it might be some sort of weird play that was on. I then stopped off to get some ciggies in a newsagent (I was buying B & H Gold as in those days you didn't need a mortgage to buy a packet of 20 of them) and everybody inside was talking about it, so the penny dropped that it was true. 

Moving on from there to the day of her funeral, I (and this may mortify some) went to a Diana's Dead party that a couple I know were throwing. It ended in the Diana's Dead Disco. Another of my friends arrived for the party complete with a homemade cardboard land mine. There were also children at the party early on, who were 'made' to wear black arm bands.

There was a huge flower memorial to Diana in the centre of Birmingham soon after her death. The lad above (who brought the cardboard landmine) bought some flowers and a card and went in to town to pay his respects. Only his card was a lament to Dodi. He placed the flowers and the card in amongst all the other mourners flowers and cards and, apparently, did his best to look solemn. I can't recall the full details of what was written on his card but know that the line ' Oh Dodi - you won the heart of our Queen of our Hearts with your yacht and your Fez'. Yes, he's not a very nice bloke, is he!?

Your friends sound terrible.

[Hugh Jass]

13 hours ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

Who remembers where they were on 911 though? I was in Argos with my mum buying kitchen stuff before I started uni that year. Wandered over to the TVs to see what everyone was looking at. They still thought it was an accident at that point so it wasn't until we got home that we found out more.

I was in my student flat in Fallowfield, Manchester with a couple of my flatmates. We’d just finished the early afternoon Neighbours and then there was a breaking news flash that the World Trade Centre was on fire. Only one plane had hit at that stage, think the second happened live on air. Spent the next few hours staring in horror as the buildings collapsed and the true horror of it all unfolded.

Was meant to be working at Sainsbury’s that afternoon, completely forgot about my shift, leading to an angry phone call from my boss!

[A-Rob]

I was fishing with my father, we when heard the news on his small portable radio about Princess D

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

58 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

Your friends sound terrible.

Maybe they do to you, and many more, I should imagine. However, they are a joy to me. I feel very blessed to have the friends that I have. 

[gigpusher]

On 7/20/2020 at 12:41 AM, Zoo Music Girl said:

Who remembers where they were on 911 though? I was in Argos with my mum buying kitchen stuff before I started uni that year. Wandered over to the TVs to see what everyone was looking at. They still thought it was an accident at that point so it wasn't until we got home that we found out more.

9/11 was a much more interesting story for me as I was actually staying in a hotel opposite Buckingham Palace and was down there because I was doing a benefits fair at Citigroup. We all got evacuated from Citi's offices and went back to our hotel to collect our bags. Because it was right opposite Buckingham Palace it was full of American tourists trying to see if they could stay because flights were being cancelled. I remember the most cockney doorman you could imagine telling us what had happened and I vividly remember that he only had 3 fingers on one hand. Lots of army vehicles were rushing to Buckingham Palace and I was thinking fuck I feel like I'm in a scene from a future Hollywood blockbuster. All the way home (London to Manchester) my colleagues and I were gathered around my mobile phone trying to get an idea of what was going on from my husband who was one of the only ones who had a job where he had internet access as well. It was all utterly surreal. 

[Padjeq]

I was 13 and came downstairs early, ready to be taken to Drayton Manor by my older sister and her boyfriend. My ma was watching the tele and told me Di had died. She also said Drayton Manor might be closed as they were likely to be big royalists(...?). So she phoned them, which took an age, but they said they were open, which was good cuz no way was I missing a day out on the rides. Other than a trip to the pictures, I never got anywhere else on the summer breaks. Listening to BRMB on the way there was a vibe. It rained a lot too.

I was old enough to not be swayed much other than the initial shock that comes whenever a young celebrity goes, but also to properly acknowledge the country losing their collective minds over it. They made me sign a special book when we got back to school for The Queen of Hearts Princess Di in Heaven to read - AND they made us have a Di Memorial Mass in the school hall. That school loved a mass.

[metallimuse]

My overriding memory of it, as some has said, is that the TV schedule was taken over by the coverage.

I was only young at the time so I didn't really grasp the magnitude of the event.

But that day will live on for me as the day that R9, Ronaldo, made his debut for Inter Milan against Brescia. He couldn't get on the scoresheet and instead Alvaro Recoba came on as a sub, I think on his debut as well, and got 2 goals to win the game 2-1 for Inter.

Recoba became the go to player for a lot of Champ Man players back in the day off the back of that 1 game 😄

I miss the days of Football Italia on ch4.

[moz4pm]

I was laid on front room floor reading The Sun when I was 11, I looked up at the TV and saw the breaking news announced. Called my mum into room and remember how shocked we both were.

[viberunner]

The Netherlands accounts for both of these moments in time for me.

Diana, was holidaying in Amsterdam.

911, was working in The Hague. I didn't believe the official story at the time and I don't believe it now. The work of spooks.