I'm 15 and was 3 years old when Diana died. I get so touched when I think of Diana, And Elton John and his song is amazing. RIP Diana, if you saw your son get married today, you would be so proud. But I'm sure you were watching, we love you! <3
I have to say...I was home alone watching Diana's funeral crying and when Earl Spencer did his tribute I clapped after he finished cause what he said was so right.
He may be a douche bag with regard to his personal life in how he treated his wife; similar circumstances were after all suffered by his sister, and at certain points I felt like the speech was more about making a point than personal anguish mourning he felt for his sister BUT I cant judge him, he lost his sister and he expresses his anger at the Windsor's & media and personal guilt rather powerfully in this speech; its the words everyone was thinking in their hearts I think, well I know I was.
i will not comment about his relationship with his sister but he said something which is very true"diana didnt need any royal title to hold her magic on people"
I dont care what the world has to say for her, but i would like to say that she was a most lovable person on earth, and this is the best tribute any one can give. It brings tears in my eyes till today, thinking of the horibal news.
He said what so many people had been thinking and it was said from the hart you can tell that by the amotion in his voice as he reads. most brothers and sisters have their dissagrements in life doesnt mean the didnt love each other.
I don't care what Earl Spencer did later in life or before. He paid tribute to his sister on this day most important and I hope those young men heard him and understood. I will not judge a brother who lost his sister.
A lot can be said about Earl Spencer's personal life and what sort of man he is. A lot can also be said about his relationship with Diana as well. But what it all comes down to is this: He lost his sister in that car crash. Whether they got along or not, that had to hurt. This was a very powerful and moving eulogy to Diana.
i hate when people comment on stuff they obviously dont know anything about. how can anbody but diana know what happened in her life or why. we cant place any blame because no body knows the entire story not even her children, so chill
One must question the decision to invite Elton John to "sing" at the funeral. Who made the appalling decision to include him?
It saddens me that the glorious history of Westminster Abbey will be forever tainted by the sight, and sound, of a fat chap in a ginger wig wailing incoherently. Dreadful.
yes a really good speech - and sometimes there is a lot of hypocrisy in the world, but I think what he said was really heart-felt at the time. But you do get the impression that actually were they that close? I think he probably respected her, but I feel like he was just in to making a statement, rather than standing by his sis.
Whatever people's opinion of her brother, Earl Spencer gave a lovely speech. For those who condemn him for not being there for his sister when she needed him, maybe part of the reason that the speech was so heartfelt and emotional is that he was being torn up inside with grief and guilt because he's now thinking, "What if I had helped her when she asked me? Would things have still turned out the same way?" Whatever his reasoning, one can't deny the beauty of his speech or the emotion in it.
I cried like hell when I read that Diana's mother said that Diana's funeral was the proudest moment of her life. She said it was odd, but that her daughters were rock solid in her readings and her son gave the ultimate tribute of brotherly love.
I think anyone would feel that way at that moment, truly one of the most memorable speeches ever for all those who saw it.
They're clapping because his speech was perfect. He said what all of England felt. Diana was Princess of the Hearts even if she was no longer the Princess of Wales
people who could of helped her be her death should of helped her . but like wat i read about her brother was so shocking .i dont know how he can say that or he feel so un happy at he dint do any thing wen the most lovely woman as diana princess of wales. hope he feeles so gulity of wat he and every 1 who never helped her. diana was anisperation and brought 2 lovley sons william and harry. I cant wait 2 c william as king 1 day soon
Eloquence can be impressive and inspiring and this speech is wonderful! The crazy and ridiculous thing in all this is, as far as I'm concerned, the undiluted, undifferenciated, self-indulgent and preposterous common hathred towards the Queen, Charles, Margareth & Phillip at that time! It was amazing, how much passion a emotionally constipated country could express all! No understanding whatsoever! Today we know better and, above all, we became more calm and objective on this matter! Diana RIP
Lord Spencer had reason to regret and to feel guilty for not helping Diana when she most needed a refuge at Althorp, their hulking, baronal home. He spit anger, but also spoke some truth. A few hundreds of years ago he would have been hauled off the the Tower of London for what he said. But he said it, and the bits of truth resonated with the masses outside the Abbey and all through London who were drawn there that day to honor the best in Diana.... The monarchy listened and responded.
Diana's brother said it all so eloquently. His speech moves me today just as much as it did when he presented it at her funeral all those years ago. Such grief was felt the world over. It was painfully sad to watch Diana's funeral and to know she was truly gone from us. I can't help but despise Prince Charles and his whore, Cowmilla for the suffering they caused Diana!
Lord Spencer is a selfish creep, but he rose to this occasion. He struck one more blow for his sister, made the Queen squirm one more time, and made a number of promises regarding William and Harry which he never kept.
Although I am German, I will always remember that day! A t this time I was in position of JAP on the old "Sky Princess" ( a British cruise ship) and when I came into the pursers office and saw all the girls crying and the guys with a frozen look on their faces, I knew something most terrible had happened - and indeed it had.
Diana, The Princess of Wales will always have a place in my heart.
Me and a mate stayed outside the Abbey all night for Diana's funeral, and were among those who started the applause outside when her brother finished his tribute to her. It was so sad but a beautiful service for her.....something i'll never forget. R.I.P. to a truly amazing and extraordinary young woman.
A moving eulogy for his sister, yes. One of the most memorable public speeches of the 1990s and possibly of the whole of the twentieth century.......Hardly!
Camilla Parker-Bowles wins out in the end....by LIVING !! What I dont get is, ALL the haggy ugly women of the world should LOVE Camilla, the underdog, not the beautiful Diana. Here is one case where beauty didn;'t win out !!!
Please...shows some respect to Diana and her legacy worldwide. Look at some of the comments, people have posted on here from all over the world with good things to say.
I remeber this. I was 7 years old, and it was all you'd hear about. I'm sure most people were indifferent - yet this crazed mob outside the palace seemed to be taking over.
Earl Spencer's speach was so moving, there were a couple parts of it that I can take note of:
1. When he said that "Genuine goodness is threatening to those at the opposite end of the moral spectrum", That has been proven true such as the case of Michael Jackson and others who have gone through what Diana went through.
2. When he pledged to have William and Harry experience as many different aspects of life as possible. I'd want my children to do the same.
Earl Spencer's words ring true of Michael Jackson ... why did people smear Michael Jackson's good intentions ... & he like Princess Diana left their own countries cos their countries betrayed & forsoke their precious subject a human being only wanted to love & be loved.
I sure felt sorry for Michael Jackson as a child but I found that I could not like him as an adult,he was a damaged adult because of the abuse he received as a child.
your disgusting and completely wrong and have no heart. Everyone cared about her causes and what she did for everyone, she was a saint and a very strong woman. Just because your immature or bored dont spew your hate over here.
To listen to this speach at the time probably did make some sense - to listen to it now is however, actually a little sad. Sometimes some things are perhaps better left unsaid. There was so much pain - what a tragic waste of a life. What bitterness. What a terrible loss. I hope Earl Spencer has let go of some of that sadness and bitterness, for his own sake if no one elses. I wonder just what William and Harry made of it then and would make of it now
I met her briefly, she was Real and Human, natural and had some perceived faults and yet she was the MOST Beautiful in all aspects of humanity! Thank you for keeping her in our thoughts.. if only she was 'kept alive'... Thank you for this!
the Earl is actually featuring in a program this year called the speaker. hes ment to be teaching teenagers how to write and read a good speech and i think they win something at the end for the best speaker
when i hear this speech i can't imagine how hard it must have been for a brother to stand up and talk about his sister without breaking down.
he did diana proud with all he said, his attack at the royals was perfectly placed and well said we all think the same way about the way they treated diana.
i was 14 when diana died and her brothers speech is the one thing about her funeral that i always remember.
i bet she was looking down at him with pride... well said earl spencer i appauld you.
I liked Diana alot, but I was very angry when I heard she wasn't wearing a seat belt. She was a sweet, inexperienced, naive girl marrying into a stiff family with a selfish, self-centered man as a partner. I can't imagine the stress she experienced in that atmosphere. May she rest in peace.
R.I.P. Diana.......For all Prince Charles good qualities, I can never forgive him for what he did to Diana...If he did not love her, he should not have married her.
I was outside the palace as a young 11 year old and saw her on the way back from St, Pauls, on her way into the palace, what a wonderful young beautiful girl
This may be one of the greatest speeches ever given in the English language. No great issues at stake, simply remembrance of things passed and an acknowledgement of a personality misunderstood by many.
I found the Candle in the Wind reworking to be absolutely dreadful. In life, Diana had a sense of humour about herself and to strip her of her poignant, open humanity and make her some kind of celestial saint was nothing short of insulting. Diana was down with the people, not walking green hills with robes billowing. If he had sung about her sitting in the dirt with a tramp, that would have made more sense... because she would have done, you know.
And after that big and hollow pledge champaign Charlie Spencer was never heared of again.
What an unworhty spectacle !
A wigged sodomnite singing a reversed yarn about a suicidal Hollywood actress, followed by a speech radiating with resentment and hatred.
Poor boys, who had to sit through this !
Their grandmother was absolutely right that this funeral should have been a private affair. But she had to give in to the pressure of the same tabloid people who actually murdered Diana.
what you've all forgotten was that Earl Spencer didn't help his sister when she needed it? He was a hypocrit! She wanted to leave Kensington Palace and he said she could go home. She was extatic and she was all packed when he told her he'd changed his mind and she couldn't come back after all! that is not the attributes of a loving borther. we also forget he turned up at Diana's funeral with HIS mistress.
Yes and he treated his wife who, like Diana, had an eating disorder pretty badly. It was in late 97 that he was up before the divorce court in South Africa having to answer claims that he had a string of mistresses while his wife had anorexia.
@tribecatom at the end of the day that was still his sister and he knew more about how she was feeling about those royals more than any of us can understand!!! it must be awful to see your sister so unhappy and not being able to do anything about it i can totally understand that he is having a pop at the royal family he was the only one of us who had the balls to say it!!
@huwwilson650 None of that surprises me. The nobility of England in general has the morals of an alley cat. If you are offended by it, remember that all the Puritans left England and came to the United States. There are no Puritans in England. Spencer himself is descended from an illegitimate line of King Charles II.
@huwwilson650 He refused her Garden House on the Althorp estate because it was impossible to secure the estate to the press at the time on the Spencer funds or Diana's settlement (remember Althorp makes about a bajillion times what it did before Diana's death.)
He also offered her any number of other Spencer properties, but since this was one of the only times she was refused something material, it was a significant fight. It wasn't like he refused to allow her to visit her childhood home. .
@huwwilson650 Spencer can do as he wishes, his mind, his change, his right to privacy, guaranteed to be taken away from him, all day every day. The mistress bit is just stupidity, on your behalf. What century and planet do you inhabit?
it may not have been world shattering or history changing
but that is honestly one of the most beautiful speeches i have ever heard. What a brave thing to do. Forget all the titles and hes just her brother ... a brother who has lost his sister.
at the end of that speech you could just hear all the emotions building up in Charles, when he says the word 'never' i always get a lump in my throat. there will never be a speech like that in history ever again, just as there will never be a Diana like Diana in history ever again.
very touching. may the royal family be ashamed of themselves, especially charles and camilla. some very wise digs within his speech, which the queen isn't happy about - she didn't clap at the end. such a disgrace to our country. how dare they take Diana's royal title, she did more for this country than the queen ever did or will. and never will camilla replace Diana, ever.
that song, as beautiful as it is and so very appropriate, is a song i can NEVER listen to, i even had to skip through here, even when the radio plays the Marylin version i quickly turn the station, but what a tribute to Diana!
Totally agree -- one of THE most remarkable and moving speeches (tribute) ever. None of the royals bunched together could fill her shoes, she was loved and revered the world over.
@andyuk7 - boll*cks. He's a hypocrite. Prince Charles was attacked for being unfaithful with Camilla but Charles Spencer ended up cheating on his own wife. He referred to Di's sons' "blood" family (i.e. him) - who the hell did he think Prince Charles and the Queen were? After all the fuss died down he hardly had anything to do with the boys. It's sad when someone dies prematurely but the fact is the Queen is worth 10 Dianas. . I found the "mourning" over her death nauseatingly self-indulgent.
Didn't anyone ever read PBurrell's "Royal Duty" What about when "brother" here told her yes she could come and stay at Althorp, then, "changed" his mind. or at the very end when he switched coffin covers so she would be buried in the Spencer flag— maybe he wanted to put the Windsor royal in his "museum"
Did anyone read in "Royal Duty" how her family treated her. How her mother, brother and sister (Sarah) treated her. How they took the royal cover (excuse me for being ignorant what the proper name is!) and substituted it with the Spencer one when the coffin arrived at Althorp to be buried in? I don't know them, but if even a tiny bit is true this "brother" is a phoney
The massive applause occured NOT after Elton's song, but after her brother's speech (eulogy). I remember it like it was yesterday. I felt SO, SO sad for those 2 boys!
May the British press be kept from destorying Harry and William. The press seems not to have learned a thing. Now Autum Phillips is not good enough for Peter Phillips! How dare you stuck up Brits! By the way you no longer rule the waves and there is no empire! Get over yourselves.
this euology never fails to make me teary, specially at the end when the earl spencer can't help his voice and sounds so extremely sad. he really loved his sister.
this video didn't show the enormous applause that followed elton john's amazing song. It was supposedly the first occasion in history when there was applause within the abbey. An amazing moment in history. Also another odd fact, it remains today the most viewed tv programme ever. An estimated 2 BILLION watched crowed arounf tvs worldwide! That was on top of the millions which lined the streets of london to watch the procession
um, children here in america (at least not where i'm from) are forced to say the "pledge of allegiance". it's said at other functions such as baseball games but not in schools that i'm aware of....why insult america?
He said what we all thought hence the rapturous spontaneous applause never before heard at a state funeral that the royals had to endure that and its applause meant the whole place agreed with him and the royals should have been ahamed as they had no right to be present,only the boys and Prince Charles to comfort them as their Dad.
Duke of Edinburgh walking behind her with the boys made me feel sick, he hated her what on earth was THAT about??
He said what we were all thinking hence the massive applause, that the royal family had to sit and endure it AND the applause for it only serves them right for being present at a funeral they had no place to be at.
William and Harry were the only ones who should have been there, with their Dad to comfort them but watching the Duke of Edinburgh walk behind her with the boys sickened me, what was THAT about?
of course they had a place at the funeral, regardless of what we see splashed by the media thats only a small portion of a story you and i know nothing of. i feel a little sorry for the royal family that they were so out of touch they didn't realise how loved she was by the public and how, rather the trying to contain her they should have encouraged
Earl isn't commonly used as a man's first name in this country. When one refers to this man as "Earl Spencer", it is expected people will realise this is his title and not his name. I was never implying that his first name was Earl, if you read the description you'll see that I refer to him as Charles.
tribecatom, yes. I'm not from the UK but knew that; it's a no brainer. I hate these idiots who don't know their stuff and/or don't even bother to read the full comment/s, yet come up with smart ass remarks thinking they have scored points. His final response is also a bit of a smart ass one with no apology given, even though you clearly showed him up.
The most beautiful and heartbreakingly devastating eulogy I've ever heard. The last part was the hardest to bear but is the most hauntingly powerful, even Earl Spencer was struggling very hard not to break down into tears, as evidenced by the trembling of his voice. I was moved into tears.
one of the best eulogies i have ever heard. the last part of the eulogy was heartbreakingly devastating, this was the moment when earl spencer was slowly breaking/tearing apart (it can be heard through his voice), but he tried his best to control his emotions and not to break down. that moment moved me to tears.
fred - you obviously know more about your right of free sppeech than you do about the concept of intelligent speech. I am embarassed to admit that you and I live in the same country
Superiority has never, isn't, and will never be something that disturbs an englishman.
America is a nation filled with people who encourage and celebrate the notion that their forefathers foresake the country they were born in. A country full of splitters.
I am an American, In all due respect your wrong. I love my country,as you love yours. Our country has its faults, as does yours. But we do not forsake our forefathers. Washington, Franklin, were some of the greatest men in out history.
Yeah but you see, There is no such thing as an American, I am British and from Britain, You are a freeman of the United States, There is a difference, Thats why the United States needed to force children to say the pledge of allegiance every day at school, Where as here, We British don't need to be taught patriotism. Karaokeboy is basically saying you are Traitors, A country full of immigrants with no real patriotism or soul.
Yes, the United States is a country of immigrants, but that's our beauty. Our patriotism and soul lies in the diversity of our people and their universal hope in working hard for their family's future. Immigrants come to the USA because they know that they won't be treated or viewed like second rate human beings. Instead, they will actually get a chance to soar. When you have many religions, cultures, and languages interacting daily, you can really see the value of human tolerance and connection
Just like Elton John, Earl Spencer demonstrated the typical strength of Brits: complete composure under pressure. Magnificent eulogy that was well deserved!
:((((
Maussiiiiable 10 months ago
LOVE LOVE LOVE all the applause at the end of his EXCELLENT speech !!!
donpazer 10 months ago 14
Loved the eulogy....breath-taking....thank you to Diana's brother. Diana was truly honoured.
ec2356 10 months ago 6
I remember this as a child...i cried and cried..to many of us she was simply Diana : Princess of Hearts,The Peoples Princess.
cheerbozz 10 months ago 6
I'm 15 and was 3 years old when Diana died. I get so touched when I think of Diana, And Elton John and his song is amazing. RIP Diana, if you saw your son get married today, you would be so proud. But I'm sure you were watching, we love you! <3
beaubeaute09 10 months ago 10
What a speech
chocolatelove23fj 10 months ago
:(
meowthecath 10 months ago
Just take this away, if nothing else: "Genuine goodness is threatening to those at the opposite end of the moral spectrum."
verbaud 10 months ago 8
I have to say...I was home alone watching Diana's funeral crying and when Earl Spencer did his tribute I clapped after he finished cause what he said was so right.
JuJuMJFan4life 10 months ago 8
He may be a douche bag with regard to his personal life in how he treated his wife; similar circumstances were after all suffered by his sister, and at certain points I felt like the speech was more about making a point than personal anguish mourning he felt for his sister BUT I cant judge him, he lost his sister and he expresses his anger at the Windsor's & media and personal guilt rather powerfully in this speech; its the words everyone was thinking in their hearts I think, well I know I was.
wickandde 10 months ago
i will not comment about his relationship with his sister but he said something which is very true"diana didnt need any royal title to hold her magic on people"
lubnahassan 10 months ago 2
I dont care what the world has to say for her, but i would like to say that she was a most lovable person on earth, and this is the best tribute any one can give. It brings tears in my eyes till today, thinking of the horibal news.
pranavkurlap 10 months ago
He said what so many people had been thinking and it was said from the hart you can tell that by the amotion in his voice as he reads. most brothers and sisters have their dissagrements in life doesnt mean the didnt love each other.
steph5379 10 months ago
I don't care what Earl Spencer did later in life or before. He paid tribute to his sister on this day most important and I hope those young men heard him and understood. I will not judge a brother who lost his sister.
AliceMarr 1 year ago 89
A lot can be said about Earl Spencer's personal life and what sort of man he is. A lot can also be said about his relationship with Diana as well. But what it all comes down to is this: He lost his sister in that car crash. Whether they got along or not, that had to hurt. This was a very powerful and moving eulogy to Diana.
airdriver 1 year ago 23
i hate when people comment on stuff they obviously dont know anything about. how can anbody but diana know what happened in her life or why. we cant place any blame because no body knows the entire story not even her children, so chill
AnnaBxox24 1 year ago 5
One must question the decision to invite Elton John to "sing" at the funeral. Who made the appalling decision to include him?
It saddens me that the glorious history of Westminster Abbey will be forever tainted by the sight, and sound, of a fat chap in a ginger wig wailing incoherently. Dreadful.
CubbieCohen 1 year ago
God how embarrassing a speech!!! what a prat!!
jemlucy 1 year ago
Shut up self-indulgent bore! you don't sound like you loved your sister - just loving the limelight!
jemlucy 1 year ago
yes a really good speech - and sometimes there is a lot of hypocrisy in the world, but I think what he said was really heart-felt at the time. But you do get the impression that actually were they that close? I think he probably respected her, but I feel like he was just in to making a statement, rather than standing by his sis.
jemlucy 1 year ago
Whatever people's opinion of her brother, Earl Spencer gave a lovely speech. For those who condemn him for not being there for his sister when she needed him, maybe part of the reason that the speech was so heartfelt and emotional is that he was being torn up inside with grief and guilt because he's now thinking, "What if I had helped her when she asked me? Would things have still turned out the same way?" Whatever his reasoning, one can't deny the beauty of his speech or the emotion in it.
ajjt2008mhs 1 year ago 14
he just had to thank god didnt he.......why?
Slacktoo 1 year ago
Were both Diana's parents dead at this point? I don't recall her mum being mentioned or seen on this day.
BadGirlOfAutism 1 year ago
@BadGirlOfAutism You see her mum at the beginning and end of the service (Parts 12 and 21). She died in 2004.
tribecatom 1 year ago
you see her mum at the beginning and end of the service (parts 12 and 21). She died in 2004.
You see her step-mum, Raine, in part 5. She's still alive however.
tribecatom 1 year ago 3
I cried like hell when I read that Diana's mother said that Diana's funeral was the proudest moment of her life. She said it was odd, but that her daughters were rock solid in her readings and her son gave the ultimate tribute of brotherly love.
I think anyone would feel that way at that moment, truly one of the most memorable speeches ever for all those who saw it.
counterhon 1 year ago
I love the thinly veiled jabs at the royal family. They deserved alot worse.
jamieroko 1 year ago 13
They're clapping because his speech was perfect. He said what all of England felt. Diana was Princess of the Hearts even if she was no longer the Princess of Wales
eddiebelldell 1 year ago
people who could of helped her be her death should of helped her . but like wat i read about her brother was so shocking .i dont know how he can say that or he feel so un happy at he dint do any thing wen the most lovely woman as diana princess of wales. hope he feeles so gulity of wat he and every 1 who never helped her. diana was anisperation and brought 2 lovley sons william and harry. I cant wait 2 c william as king 1 day soon
TheMackem22 1 year ago
7:28 so damn true.
warpfield98 1 year ago
Eloquence can be impressive and inspiring and this speech is wonderful! The crazy and ridiculous thing in all this is, as far as I'm concerned, the undiluted, undifferenciated, self-indulgent and preposterous common hathred towards the Queen, Charles, Margareth & Phillip at that time! It was amazing, how much passion a emotionally constipated country could express all! No understanding whatsoever! Today we know better and, above all, we became more calm and objective on this matter! Diana RIP
Rotebuehl1 1 year ago
Lord Spencer had reason to regret and to feel guilty for not helping Diana when she most needed a refuge at Althorp, their hulking, baronal home. He spit anger, but also spoke some truth. A few hundreds of years ago he would have been hauled off the the Tower of London for what he said. But he said it, and the bits of truth resonated with the masses outside the Abbey and all through London who were drawn there that day to honor the best in Diana.... The monarchy listened and responded.
ja3399 1 year ago
@ rest
MummyUSAandUK 1 year ago
@Christbc1 You're welcome!
tribecatom 1 year ago
Diana's brother said it all so eloquently. His speech moves me today just as much as it did when he presented it at her funeral all those years ago. Such grief was felt the world over. It was painfully sad to watch Diana's funeral and to know she was truly gone from us. I can't help but despise Prince Charles and his whore, Cowmilla for the suffering they caused Diana!
2079423644 1 year ago 15
Lord Spencer is a selfish creep, but he rose to this occasion. He struck one more blow for his sister, made the Queen squirm one more time, and made a number of promises regarding William and Harry which he never kept.
The nation's love for Diana continues.
mc0558 1 year ago 5
I really do love Charles the earl spencer speach. Poor Diana was a victim
RIP Diana
TheNaomiengland 1 year ago 3
And after this performance exit and never to be heared of again.
helmuthoorn 1 year ago 6
I don't understand why they applaud afterward... It's a funeral
cruelintention6 1 year ago
RIP England's Rose, you were an angel, a real people person, you'll always be are Queen and will never be forgotten, the best go first x
djnomisdaboss 2 years ago 5
I agree with everything he said.
Julesa4111 2 years ago 7
I watched her funeral from start to finish, several hours as I recall.
A young child gave her the greatest accolade I've ever heard - he said "Well Done".
One couldn't ask for more.
Kayenne54 2 years ago 5
Although I am German, I will always remember that day! A t this time I was in position of JAP on the old "Sky Princess" ( a British cruise ship) and when I came into the pursers office and saw all the girls crying and the guys with a frozen look on their faces, I knew something most terrible had happened - and indeed it had.
Diana, The Princess of Wales will always have a place in my heart.
gassington 2 years ago 5
great speach!
fanisbros 2 years ago 3
The Pen is mightier than the Sword
expostfactum 2 years ago 14
i honestly think that's my favourite speech of all time earl spencer did a great job that day and it has gone down in history as a great speech
shw500 2 years ago 82
Me and a mate stayed outside the Abbey all night for Diana's funeral, and were among those who started the applause outside when her brother finished his tribute to her. It was so sad but a beautiful service for her.....something i'll never forget. R.I.P. to a truly amazing and extraordinary young woman.
solidse20 2 years ago 11
I Love you diana you truly did so much, you gave all you could do. you did well in doing good, and you will never be forgotten
sharonasass 2 years ago 7
A moving eulogy for his sister, yes. One of the most memorable public speeches of the 1990s and possibly of the whole of the twentieth century.......Hardly!
rwalden2007 2 years ago
@rwalden2007
you could hear the emothion in his voice towards the end , he did quite well not to break down.
adamturner123 2 years ago 15
Camilla Parker-Bowles wins out in the end....by LIVING !! What I dont get is, ALL the haggy ugly women of the world should LOVE Camilla, the underdog, not the beautiful Diana. Here is one case where beauty didn;'t win out !!!
getchasumm 2 years ago
This man should be our prime minister,
TAYKATE14 2 years ago 5
Amazing how nobody could have enough respect to say something decent about Diana. Shame on everyone.
freespirit875z 2 years ago 4
which line is from the bible?
UhhDurr92 2 years ago
I cried 13 years ago. I cried again re-watching this.
All the horrible comments I have read, let Diana rest. Cherish her memory.
This is not a forum for being ugly with comments.
cecilpickardbrown 2 years ago 6
It's Sept 2009 Did Earl Spencer follow thru on his promises to his nephews?
09SABBAS 2 years ago
What utter shit.People crying over a good time girl.Dear o dear
sirjohnfrench 2 years ago
Loved his speech and the use of that particular line from the bible
Janvierireland 2 years ago 3
The Spencers were royal toadies for literally HUNDREDS of years.
Please, they very easily tossed their own family members away in order to suck up to the Royals. They were a VERY dysfunctional family.
I have no sympathy for the family. They knew the score, and just when it didn't go their way, THEN they complained?
Please...............
ArtsyFartsyGal 2 years ago
Please...shows some respect to Diana and her legacy worldwide. Look at some of the comments, people have posted on here from all over the world with good things to say.
shiptrumpetguy11 2 years ago 10
I remeber this. I was 7 years old, and it was all you'd hear about. I'm sure most people were indifferent - yet this crazed mob outside the palace seemed to be taking over.
MarxBakuninMe 2 years ago
Earl Spencer's speach was so moving, there were a couple parts of it that I can take note of:
1. When he said that "Genuine goodness is threatening to those at the opposite end of the moral spectrum", That has been proven true such as the case of Michael Jackson and others who have gone through what Diana went through.
2. When he pledged to have William and Harry experience as many different aspects of life as possible. I'd want my children to do the same.
owenpeterson 2 years ago 13
The last sentence of this speech really gets to me. What a beautiful tribute.
sweetaspie89 2 years ago 3
Truth, compassion, and love... A beautiful and moving speech.
petalovespongy 2 years ago 3
that was beautiful.. and he is sooo right.. i think he has shown a lot of courage here but also a lot of love for her sister..
xNinchenx1991 2 years ago 3
Earl Spencer's words ring true of Michael Jackson ... why did people smear Michael Jackson's good intentions ... & he like Princess Diana left their own countries cos their countries betrayed & forsoke their precious subject a human being only wanted to love & be loved.
belovedsugarplum 2 years ago 5
I sure felt sorry for Michael Jackson as a child but I found that I could not like him as an adult,he was a damaged adult because of the abuse he received as a child.
Janvierireland 2 years ago
Comment removed
JoeGallaher 2 years ago
beautiful!
smellslikedinner 2 years ago 9
We love you Diana!!
Leon9121 2 years ago 13
People enjoyed mourning her, nobody gave a shit about the causes she left behind.
AdArmand 2 years ago
Bit crass swearing on a video of a funeral. You're wrong as well. Google theworkcontinues and you'll find the website of her memorial fund.
tribecatom 2 years ago 56
your disgusting and completely wrong and have no heart. Everyone cared about her causes and what she did for everyone, she was a saint and a very strong woman. Just because your immature or bored dont spew your hate over here.
latinahoney123 2 years ago 9
She couldn't have been a saint because:
1) For one, she wasn't Catholic, but some of her ancestors were
2) she was hardly the angel of popular imagination.
ArtsyFartsyGal 2 years ago
We weren't discussing whether or not she was a saint.
shiptrumpetguy11 2 years ago
you are horrible.
augustbluesky 2 years ago
Truley, no good deed go unpunished!
macrent2 2 years ago
To listen to this speach at the time probably did make some sense - to listen to it now is however, actually a little sad. Sometimes some things are perhaps better left unsaid. There was so much pain - what a tragic waste of a life. What bitterness. What a terrible loss. I hope Earl Spencer has let go of some of that sadness and bitterness, for his own sake if no one elses. I wonder just what William and Harry made of it then and would make of it now
MARKBPHARM 2 years ago 6
You are correct, but it's still so heartbreakingly true.
robynsegg 2 years ago 2
she died for no reason
billarzd 2 years ago 2
hes lied and his talk has no heart, it should come from him directly , not a note written by his friend, he has no live in this talk.
diana will come back throw her and our dreams
billarzd 2 years ago
It's the most heart-felt, honest, considered tribute I've ever heard. Perfect in every way. Earl Spencer is a hero.
jacko1972 2 years ago 5
I admire Earl Spencer.
.......rather, all of the speakers, family members. Their composure is remarkable.
R.I.P Diana.
tchrdiaz 2 years ago 10
beautiful speech
roseandjackalways 2 years ago 5
I met her briefly, she was Real and Human, natural and had some perceived faults and yet she was the MOST Beautiful in all aspects of humanity! Thank you for keeping her in our thoughts.. if only she was 'kept alive'... Thank you for this!
Jacqui
jaxter51 2 years ago 6
one of the most devastating tributes i have ever seen...
tashkenty 2 years ago 7
As a brother of a sister that made me an uncle..I really feel the pain of the notion...his words mean next to nothing to those kids in reflection.
Piggreenbag 3 years ago 2
the Earl is actually featuring in a program this year called the speaker. hes ment to be teaching teenagers how to write and read a good speech and i think they win something at the end for the best speaker
xbritishgirlx 3 years ago
when i hear this speech i can't imagine how hard it must have been for a brother to stand up and talk about his sister without breaking down.
he did diana proud with all he said, his attack at the royals was perfectly placed and well said we all think the same way about the way they treated diana.
i was 14 when diana died and her brothers speech is the one thing about her funeral that i always remember.
i bet she was looking down at him with pride... well said earl spencer i appauld you.
itsmezobo 3 years ago 10
I liked Diana alot, but I was very angry when I heard she wasn't wearing a seat belt. She was a sweet, inexperienced, naive girl marrying into a stiff family with a selfish, self-centered man as a partner. I can't imagine the stress she experienced in that atmosphere. May she rest in peace.
marym499 3 years ago 7
R.I.P. Diana.......For all Prince Charles good qualities, I can never forgive him for what he did to Diana...If he did not love her, he should not have married her.
northwest500 3 years ago 14
I was outside the palace as a young 11 year old and saw her on the way back from St, Pauls, on her way into the palace, what a wonderful young beautiful girl
dannypearse 3 years ago
This may be one of the greatest speeches ever given in the English language. No great issues at stake, simply remembrance of things passed and an acknowledgement of a personality misunderstood by many.
zeekwolfe 3 years ago 14
I found the Candle in the Wind reworking to be absolutely dreadful. In life, Diana had a sense of humour about herself and to strip her of her poignant, open humanity and make her some kind of celestial saint was nothing short of insulting. Diana was down with the people, not walking green hills with robes billowing. If he had sung about her sitting in the dirt with a tramp, that would have made more sense... because she would have done, you know.
AdArmand 3 years ago
And after that big and hollow pledge champaign Charlie Spencer was never heared of again.
What an unworhty spectacle !
A wigged sodomnite singing a reversed yarn about a suicidal Hollywood actress, followed by a speech radiating with resentment and hatred.
Poor boys, who had to sit through this !
Their grandmother was absolutely right that this funeral should have been a private affair. But she had to give in to the pressure of the same tabloid people who actually murdered Diana.
Horrible !
helmuthoorn 3 years ago
what the hell do you know about it? Nothing. None of us know.
Valexandre 3 years ago 2
This comment is true.
budvarbottle 3 years ago
Your well entitled to your own opinion, freedom of speech, but you can take it and shove it where the sun doesn't shine.
MikeyL 3 years ago
The Earl of Spencer had the courage to say what was in the public's heart. A very good eulogy to his sister, whom we all loved dearly.
joycieee333 3 years ago 89
helmuthoorn u nutter thats exactly the sort of biggoted fascism she made an efffort tp fight against against throughout her life
Londonguy028 3 years ago 7
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!!
Arsenal2247 3 years ago
what you've all forgotten was that Earl Spencer didn't help his sister when she needed it? He was a hypocrit! She wanted to leave Kensington Palace and he said she could go home. She was extatic and she was all packed when he told her he'd changed his mind and she couldn't come back after all! that is not the attributes of a loving borther. we also forget he turned up at Diana's funeral with HIS mistress.
huwwilson650 3 years ago 19
Yes and he treated his wife who, like Diana, had an eating disorder pretty badly. It was in late 97 that he was up before the divorce court in South Africa having to answer claims that he had a string of mistresses while his wife had anorexia.
tribecatom 3 years ago 11
@tribecatom at the end of the day that was still his sister and he knew more about how she was feeling about those royals more than any of us can understand!!! it must be awful to see your sister so unhappy and not being able to do anything about it i can totally understand that he is having a pop at the royal family he was the only one of us who had the balls to say it!!
zoepowell100 1 year ago 3
@huwwilson650 None of that surprises me. The nobility of England in general has the morals of an alley cat. If you are offended by it, remember that all the Puritans left England and came to the United States. There are no Puritans in England. Spencer himself is descended from an illegitimate line of King Charles II.
mindspring57 1 year ago
@huwwilson650 and how do you know this all?are you a friend of the family?or did you "hear say".
man do you know at all what your talking about?
read lots of tabloid do you?
ThePeeterd 1 year ago
@huwwilson650 He refused her Garden House on the Althorp estate because it was impossible to secure the estate to the press at the time on the Spencer funds or Diana's settlement (remember Althorp makes about a bajillion times what it did before Diana's death.)
He also offered her any number of other Spencer properties, but since this was one of the only times she was refused something material, it was a significant fight. It wasn't like he refused to allow her to visit her childhood home. .
counterhon 1 year ago
@huwwilson650 Spencer can do as he wishes, his mind, his change, his right to privacy, guaranteed to be taken away from him, all day every day. The mistress bit is just stupidity, on your behalf. What century and planet do you inhabit?
davidoffon 1 year ago
it may not have been world shattering or history changing
but that is honestly one of the most beautiful speeches i have ever heard. What a brave thing to do. Forget all the titles and hes just her brother ... a brother who has lost his sister.
i cry every time :(
silverstreak999 3 years ago 2
You really think he wrote that speach himself? Not a chance!
BillyAvesFellaC08 3 years ago
This speech is so cleverly made to attack the media/royal family
supawilly 3 years ago 9
The most fitting tribute to a women so so missed. Parker Bowles is not in her "shoes" ... well planned eh!
pammy122 3 years ago 2
at the end of that speech you could just hear all the emotions building up in Charles, when he says the word 'never' i always get a lump in my throat. there will never be a speech like that in history ever again, just as there will never be a Diana like Diana in history ever again.
salacious999 3 years ago
It's not Charles, it's her Brother Earl Spencer, Charles could never and would never be allowed to make such a euology
iollo 3 years ago
Earl Spencer's name is Charles. The tabloid press nicknamed him 'Champagne Charlie' in the 80s.
tribecatom 3 years ago
What a great speech! No way in hell will Charles funeal or his mistress ever match this. The Queen Mother's played second fiddle to Diana's
regnarts79 3 years ago 4
very touching. may the royal family be ashamed of themselves, especially charles and camilla. some very wise digs within his speech, which the queen isn't happy about - she didn't clap at the end. such a disgrace to our country. how dare they take Diana's royal title, she did more for this country than the queen ever did or will. and never will camilla replace Diana, ever.
sju547 3 years ago 10
that song, as beautiful as it is and so very appropriate, is a song i can NEVER listen to, i even had to skip through here, even when the radio plays the Marylin version i quickly turn the station, but what a tribute to Diana!
charmed4sure16 3 years ago 2
So sad
luxort23 3 years ago
Totally agree -- one of THE most remarkable and moving speeches (tribute) ever. None of the royals bunched together could fill her shoes, she was loved and revered the world over.
locajoka22 3 years ago 6
What ever your views on this, Charles Spencer or Diana, this has got to be one of THE speeches of the century !!
andyuk7 3 years ago 61
I see it as the speech of a brother standing up for his sister. Good for him and good for her that she had him. And he delivered it very well.
But this is not one of the great speeches of the century.
mc0558 3 years ago 15
Forgot century, this is one of the most greatest speeches of history.
Evilgidgit 3 years ago 9
@andyuk7 - boll*cks. He's a hypocrite. Prince Charles was attacked for being unfaithful with Camilla but Charles Spencer ended up cheating on his own wife. He referred to Di's sons' "blood" family (i.e. him) - who the hell did he think Prince Charles and the Queen were? After all the fuss died down he hardly had anything to do with the boys. It's sad when someone dies prematurely but the fact is the Queen is worth 10 Dianas. . I found the "mourning" over her death nauseatingly self-indulgent.
adamswampy 1 year ago
@andyuk7 - amen!!!
NativeMoon 1 year ago
Didn't anyone ever read PBurrell's "Royal Duty" What about when "brother" here told her yes she could come and stay at Althorp, then, "changed" his mind. or at the very end when he switched coffin covers so she would be buried in the Spencer flag— maybe he wanted to put the Windsor royal in his "museum"
zurichstudios 3 years ago
Did anyone read in "Royal Duty" how her family treated her. How her mother, brother and sister (Sarah) treated her. How they took the royal cover (excuse me for being ignorant what the proper name is!) and substituted it with the Spencer one when the coffin arrived at Althorp to be buried in? I don't know them, but if even a tiny bit is true this "brother" is a phoney
zurichstudios 3 years ago
Well done, Earl Spencer.
cMarie101st 3 years ago 7
The massive applause occured NOT after Elton's song, but after her brother's speech (eulogy). I remember it like it was yesterday. I felt SO, SO sad for those 2 boys!
It was a sad, sad, awful accident. RIP Diana!
donpazer 3 years ago 12
One of the best read speeches ever read at any Funeral..Just amazing..
scruffy9 3 years ago 18
Prince Phillip should have been driving the car. The Pompous Fool! He is a disgrace to all humanity!
iwalked22 3 years ago 6
I don't think he's that bad.
tribecatom 3 years ago
May the British press be kept from destorying Harry and William. The press seems not to have learned a thing. Now Autum Phillips is not good enough for Peter Phillips! How dare you stuck up Brits! By the way you no longer rule the waves and there is no empire! Get over yourselves.
kyldy 3 years ago
did you see that wanker wearing a bright yellow outfit near the end? how awful
muffinsofleinster 3 years ago
this euology never fails to make me teary, specially at the end when the earl spencer can't help his voice and sounds so extremely sad. he really loved his sister.
babyxpebbles 3 years ago 7
this video didn't show the enormous applause that followed elton john's amazing song. It was supposedly the first occasion in history when there was applause within the abbey. An amazing moment in history. Also another odd fact, it remains today the most viewed tv programme ever. An estimated 2 BILLION watched crowed arounf tvs worldwide! That was on top of the millions which lined the streets of london to watch the procession
yellowbucket 3 years ago
um, children here in america (at least not where i'm from) are forced to say the "pledge of allegiance". it's said at other functions such as baseball games but not in schools that i'm aware of....why insult america?
octgirl62 3 years ago 2
He said what we all thought hence the rapturous spontaneous applause never before heard at a state funeral that the royals had to endure that and its applause meant the whole place agreed with him and the royals should have been ahamed as they had no right to be present,only the boys and Prince Charles to comfort them as their Dad.
Duke of Edinburgh walking behind her with the boys made me feel sick, he hated her what on earth was THAT about??
YewandeRae 3 years ago
He said what we were all thinking hence the massive applause, that the royal family had to sit and endure it AND the applause for it only serves them right for being present at a funeral they had no place to be at.
William and Harry were the only ones who should have been there, with their Dad to comfort them but watching the Duke of Edinburgh walk behind her with the boys sickened me, what was THAT about?
YewandeRae 3 years ago
of course they had a place at the funeral, regardless of what we see splashed by the media thats only a small portion of a story you and i know nothing of. i feel a little sorry for the royal family that they were so out of touch they didn't realise how loved she was by the public and how, rather the trying to contain her they should have encouraged
jo4578e 3 years ago
Im way welived and in ways we live, there is mankind in every solul, but the human has it's regrets, thy we live! RIP DIANA
jiwantoor 4 years ago
We miss you Diana, and we'll never forget you.
rossieden 4 years ago 10
he eulogized her very well
garycalgary 4 years ago 2
eltons toupee was a bit rubbish, like a pile of dead moles. diana was the greatest mummy.
deborahhanrahan 4 years ago
lmfao hahahaha
lauraslaughterscxnts 4 years ago
Diana's brother's first name is Charles, not Earl! When his father died, Charles became Earl Spencer.Earl is his title.
janecny315 4 years ago
Earl isn't commonly used as a man's first name in this country. When one refers to this man as "Earl Spencer", it is expected people will realise this is his title and not his name. I was never implying that his first name was Earl, if you read the description you'll see that I refer to him as Charles.
Anything else you'd like to point out?
tribecatom 4 years ago
tribecatom, yes. I'm not from the UK but knew that; it's a no brainer. I hate these idiots who don't know their stuff and/or don't even bother to read the full comment/s, yet come up with smart ass remarks thinking they have scored points. His final response is also a bit of a smart ass one with no apology given, even though you clearly showed him up.
Ruoktoday1 4 years ago 2
No,at this time I do not.But, who knows, I could in the future.
janecny315 4 years ago
The poem was read by her sister Sarah if you look under poems on google it is referenced there
wassupanddown 4 years ago 2
me too..i was moved to tears by earl spencer's last words.truly,diana's memory will not be extinguished forever,irreplaceable.
mamajovz 4 years ago 6
The most beautiful and heartbreakingly devastating eulogy I've ever heard. The last part was the hardest to bear but is the most hauntingly powerful, even Earl Spencer was struggling very hard not to break down into tears, as evidenced by the trembling of his voice. I was moved into tears.
tashkenty 4 years ago 10
one of the best eulogies i have ever heard. the last part of the eulogy was heartbreakingly devastating, this was the moment when earl spencer was slowly breaking/tearing apart (it can be heard through his voice), but he tried his best to control his emotions and not to break down. that moment moved me to tears.
tashkenty 4 years ago 8
With a laugh that bent her double...
SomewhatDissimilar 4 years ago
diana still lives on in our hearts and souls.............and probably allways will
iantrekman 4 years ago 5
Earl Spencer = Poetry!!!
kindu2006 4 years ago 12
And just like many another englishman, Johnel83 you demonstrate the pompous superiority complex of the British with every word.
fred84399 4 years ago
fred - you obviously know more about your right of free sppeech than you do about the concept of intelligent speech. I am embarassed to admit that you and I live in the same country
dialdui 4 years ago 5
Superiority has never, isn't, and will never be something that disturbs an englishman.
America is a nation filled with people who encourage and celebrate the notion that their forefathers foresake the country they were born in. A country full of splitters.
karaokeboy1 4 years ago
I am an American, In all due respect your wrong. I love my country,as you love yours. Our country has its faults, as does yours. But we do not forsake our forefathers. Washington, Franklin, were some of the greatest men in out history.
bigcarguy69 4 years ago
Yeah but you see, There is no such thing as an American, I am British and from Britain, You are a freeman of the United States, There is a difference, Thats why the United States needed to force children to say the pledge of allegiance every day at school, Where as here, We British don't need to be taught patriotism. Karaokeboy is basically saying you are Traitors, A country full of immigrants with no real patriotism or soul.
valeloyal23 4 years ago
Yes, the United States is a country of immigrants, but that's our beauty. Our patriotism and soul lies in the diversity of our people and their universal hope in working hard for their family's future. Immigrants come to the USA because they know that they won't be treated or viewed like second rate human beings. Instead, they will actually get a chance to soar. When you have many religions, cultures, and languages interacting daily, you can really see the value of human tolerance and connection
Narutostar1 3 years ago 4
That's part of being British! And, that is a rich notion coming from you (assuming you are American) !
billy961 3 years ago
Just like Elton John, Earl Spencer demonstrated the typical strength of Brits: complete composure under pressure. Magnificent eulogy that was well deserved!
Johnel83 4 years ago 3
Monkey - need no title for magic is at |2:57
zapzapza 4 years ago