Did Princess Diana's Spirit Attend Prince Harry's Wedding?

Princess Diana's physical absence at her youngest son Prince Harry's wedding was compensated for by several tributes to the late princess. Harry ensured that his mother's side of the family was well-represented at the wedding by inviting the entire Spencer clan, including his aunts, uncle, cousins, and his uncle's wife. Lady Jane Fellowes, Diana's older sister, also gave a reading during the service at St. George's Chapel, which was decorated with white roses, Diana's favourite flower. Harry also included two diamonds from Diana's jewellery collection in Meghan's custom engagement ring.

Princess Diana's favourite flowers were used as decoration

Forget-me-nots are a somewhat unusual choice of favourite flower for a princess. They are usually planted as ground cover between other, more showy plants. However, they have become a favourite way for Harry and other members of his family to honour Princess Diana because of their associations with her childhood and her family, the Spencers.

On the 20th anniversary of Princess Diana's death in 2017, the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace was renamed the White Garden and planted with flowers in white and soft pastel colours. For the unveiling of a statue of Princess Diana on what would have been her 60th birthday, garden designer Pip Morrison planted over 4,000 flowers, including 100 forget-me-nots, to complement the statue.

Diana's siblings attended the wedding

Princess Diana's siblings, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, Lady Jane Fellowes, and Earl Charles Spencer, attended Prince Harry's wedding. Diana's older sisters, Sarah and Jane, have lived relatively private lives since Diana's death in 1997, but her younger brother, Charles, has been a vocal advocate for and protector of his sister's memory and legacy.

Harry invited "the entire Spencer clan" to his wedding, ensuring his mother's side of the family would be well represented. This included his uncle Earl Spencer, his two aunts, Lady Sarah and Lady Jane, and all of his cousins. Harry has always kept in close touch with his mother's family, and they have all met Meghan.

Diana's siblings played an important role in her life and continue to be involved with her sons. They joined Prince William and Prince Harry for the unveiling of an honorary statue of Diana on the grounds of Kensington Palace on what would have been her 60th birthday in July 2021. Jane Fellowes was also chosen by Harry to give the only reading at his wedding ceremony. She delivered a reading from the Song of Solomon, which emphasizes the strength and power of love.

Charles Spencer, who was only 58 years old at the time of Harry's wedding, is a journalist, broadcaster, and author. He has been married three times and has seven children. He lives at Althorp, the home that Diana and her siblings grew up in and the site of her final resting place.

Lady Sarah McCorquodale, 67 years old at the time of Harry's wedding, is Diana's older sister. She was known for having a bit of a promiscuous inclination and wasn't shy about sharing inside scoops as a member of the Royal Family with the press. Interestingly, she briefly dated King Charles before Princess Diana and introduced them to each other, commenting, "I introduced them. I'm Cupid."

Lady Jane Fellowes, 66 years old at the time of Harry's wedding, is Diana's other older sister. She attended Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding in 2011 and is the godmother of Prince William's daughter, Princess Charlotte. She married Robert Fellowes, Queen Elizabeth II's assistant private secretary, in 1978, and they have three children together: Laura, Alexander, and Eleanor Fellowes.

Harry included Diana's diamonds in Meghan's ring

Princess Diana's presence was felt at her youngest son's wedding to Meghan Markle in several ways. Prince Harry ensured his mother's side of the family was well-represented at the ceremony, inviting "the entire Spencer clan", including his aunts, uncle, cousins, and his uncle's wife. Harry's maternal aunt, Lady Jane Fellowes, gave the only reading at the ceremony, and the hymn "Guide Me, O Thy Great Redeemer", which was sung at Princess Diana's funeral in 1997, was also included in the service. Elton John, a good friend of Diana's who performed at her funeral, was also invited to the wedding.

Perhaps the most poignant inclusion of his mother at the wedding was Harry's decision to accent the centrepiece diamond of Meghan's engagement ring with two smaller stones from Princess Diana's collection. When proposing to Meghan, Harry was conscious of including a tribute to his mother. During their engagement interview, Harry said:

> "It is days like today when I really miss having her around and miss being able to share the happy news, but with the ring and with everything else that's going on, I'm sure she's with us, jumping up and down somewhere else."

Elton John, a friend of Diana's, was invited to the ceremony

Elton John, a close friend of Princess Diana, was invited to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding. John has had a long history with the royal family, particularly with Harry's late mother, Princess Diana. John and Diana first met in 1981 at Prince Andrew's birthday party at Windsor Castle, where they danced the Charleston together for 20 minutes.

John's friendship with Diana was not without its complexities. Six weeks before her death, the pair reconciled after a major falling out. John recounted that Diana was "a great friend to me. We had our fallings out, but we reconciled in the end".

John was invited to perform at the lunchtime reception hosted by the Queen. He sang "Your Song" at the reception, held at St George's Hall, Windsor Castle. In recognition of his close connection with Harry and his family, John's performance was described as "incredibly emotional".

John also attended the wedding ceremony, where he gave a special tribute to his late friend. He performed "Candle in the Wind", a song he had rewritten as a tribute to Diana after her death in 1997. The song, originally about Marilyn Monroe, was a No. 1 hit in the UK and won John a Grammy. Sales proceeds helped fund the Princess Diana Trust, administered through Kensington Palace.

John's attendance and performance at the wedding were particularly poignant, as he had also performed at Diana's funeral, which was held at the same venue, Westminster Abbey. John described performing at the funeral as "one of the most surreal things I have ever done".

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle expressed their gratitude to John for his friendship with Princess Diana. In a video message, Harry thanked John, saying, "Thank you for being the friend that you were for my mum".

The hymn Guide Me, O Thy Great Redeemer was sung at Princess Diana's funeral

Princess Diana's youngest son, Prince Harry, made sure to include his mother in his wedding to Meghan Markle. Harry invited all of his mother's siblings and extended family to the ceremony. The couple also paid tribute to Princess Diana by including her favourite flowers, white peonies and white garden roses, in an elaborate archway. Harry also handpicked flowers from Kensington Palace, including forget-me-nots, another of his mother's favourite flowers, to include in Markle's bouquet.

Harry also ensured that the hymn "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer", also known as "Bread of Heaven", was sung at the service. This hymn was also sung at Princess Diana's funeral in 1997. The lyrics of the hymn are as follows:

> Guide me, O thou great redeemer,

> Pilgrim through this barren land;

> I am weak, but thou art mighty,

> Hold me with thy powerful hand;

> Bread of heaven, bread of heaven

> Feed me till I want no more;

> Feed me till I want no more.

>

> Open now the crystal fountain

> Whence the healing stream doth flow;

> Let the fire and cloudy pillar

> Lead me all my journey through:

> Strong deliverer, strong deliverer;

> Be thou still my strength and shield;

> Be thou still my strength and shield.

>

> When I tread the verge of Jordan,

> Bid my anxious fears subside;

> Death of death, and hell's destruction

> Land me safe on Canaan's side:

> Songs of praises, songs of praises,

> I will ever give to thee;

> I will ever give to thee.

The hymn was written by William Williams Pantycelyn and set to the Welsh tune of Cwm Rhondda. It is a popular hymn for many different occasions and is often sung at military services, sporting events, and state funerals.

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