Princess Diana's Funeral Part 21: The Bells and The Applause

[snazzzzz]

Will never forget the peal of those bells, the sound of them was other-worldly like nothing Id ever heard before, intensely moving....

[BIGTAM60]

i was in buckingham palace that day as a guardsman was very weird nobody believed it everyone was crying at the gates on guard mount i saw the boxer prince nassem bringing flowers up 2 the gates crying when i was collecting the bandstands

[Brenda2OOO]

The bells are wonderful. They are almost alive.

[Carminaburana1000]

Diana Prinzessin der Herzen.Du warst ein wunderbarer Mensch.Ich werde Dich nie vergessen!

[2468HOTROD]

I hope, when Prince William becomes King, that he will have Diana's remains moved to a more prominent place which she surely deserves.

[pennylaneable]

@2468HOTROD I don't think that will ever happen!

[jonsabine29]

R.I.P Tom Fleming

[djchash]

Im from Turkey but no matter who im. We do like Princess Diana and still i cant believe Princess Diana death and i cant believe it was a accident :( we do love Princess Diana and always we will you remember you Princess Diana :( :( :(

You will be my our Princess gd bless.

[tacorontian]

ding dong dang dung deng

ding dong dang dung deng

so british bells song

lovely

[Kr8mer]

the producer shouldve told the presenter to STFU and not talk over the bells and the applause.

[tribecatom]

As I say below, in 1997, most people would have been very sad at this moment and it was comforting to hear Tom Fleming's (who's voice is familiar to British TV audiences on state occasions) warm words. You should get the CD of the fineral if you want to hear it without commentary.

Personally, as I've said before, I think what he had to say was very poignant and touching and a fitting tribute to Diana.

[szqsk8]

The announcer of this is very annoying.  why must he talk over the music, the choir and the bells? He should have shut the heck up!

[tribecatom]

@szqsk8 other ppl have commented on this over the two and a half years or so. My own thoughts are that when this was being broadcast live in 1997, many people watching would have been very upset and I think the words Tom Fleming spoke were very touching and would have provided some comfort to those who were crying. For myself, I was totally devastated at this moment and I think it was better to hear someone's voice than the bells and solemn organ music on their own.

[Squall1981]

I can remember hearing the bells live in 1997 on tv. I'll never forget.

[Squall1981]

I shall never forget those bells as long as I live. I heard them live on tv in 1997. I visited Westminster Abbey just months ago. This is now the first time I've heard them in 12 years. True to memory.

[Mugsysam]

@Squall1981 So well said about the bells....I thought the same exact thing when I saw this again for the first time in a long time....I will never forget those bells for as long as I live....for whatever reason, and not that we all didn't know this before, but it to me solidified how big of a loss Diana was to the entire world......That is what I can remember thinking when I heard the bells ring that day....makes me cry even now all these years later.....

[moosen27]

Does anybody know what the song on the organ is at the end?

RIP PRINCESS DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES, QUEEN OF HEARTS

[1BODGER95]

J.S. Bach's Prelude in C Minor BWV 546, which was requested by Diana's mother.

[Mugsysam]

Song for Athene by Sir John Tavener

[danielorganist]

Prelude in C Minor by J S Bach (BWV 546)

Hope this helps

[LilithaVArukoto]

William will be Successor to the throne. It is His Destiny to Ascend the Throne After Elizabeth II Passes.

[zeppelinfanful]

Bless her soul

[rshakira1]

I never forgot those bells and I think never will. Makes me want to cry everytime I hear them. May she rest in peace and may she illuminates her sons from heaven.

[coppersmiths]

Yes - the peal of bells is half - muffled. this is a funerary tradition, the bells in this world reflected in the next.

[virtualstrangers60]

It was the most spectacular thing I've ever seen, ever. Never forgotten it.

[LauraBellringer]

beautiful half muffled bells :), RIP diana

[2468HOTROD]

You rest in peace, Diana. Charles will never be King. Your son William will suceed his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

[aeronuk1]

How do you know that?

If the Queen dies before Charles (which is likely) then he automaticly becomes king.

[coppersmiths]

no he won't

[jaslynk]

i felt sad for her....

[johncarter239]

I had a lump in my throat during Tom Flemings moving tribute, and the final fairwell to Lady Diana Spencer, as she is taken to her final resting place.

God bless you

[paolocabling]

why is the flag not in half-mast?

[cborchar]

Love these bells. Would like this more without the narriator.

[g1a1r1y3]

There was an album published of the funeral that has the entire service without any narration. This includes Tavener's piece and the bells, which go on for many minutes afterward.

[warehambears13]

I think these bells are a great mark of respect for the life of Diana. Not scary at all.

[tribecatom]

Quite right, what's scary about some church bells?

[antonjon1]

There is quite a haunting sound about them though when they are sounded like that, quite eerie, sends shivers down the spine..

[asopaso07]

The bells are really scary.

I love Princess Diana and may she rest in peace but I dont like this music.

Scares me...

[warszawianka]

Ringing half muffled bells for mourning or funerals is a long-standing tradition in English bell ringing.

[charleneki]

@asopaso07

For more on change ringing, see Dorothy Sayers murder mystery story The Nine Tailors.

[aeronuk1]

Doe's anyone else find it distastefull to hear applause at a funeral? I couldn't comprehend it.

[saintswhiz]

They were paying their respects to her, applauding her well-lived life and saying thank-you for all she did, kind of like when people applaud when an athlete gets injured. They are not happy that he is injured, they are supporting him and telling him he played well. I actually find the applause to be quite moving, though I can see how you may think it to be too happy for such a somber event.

RIP Princess Diana, from across the pond.

[williebrisco]

this video is terrifying = 5 stars!

[oohyllab]

What do you mean by that, kind of gothic ish looking?? I remember watching the whole thing getting up extra early to do so. It was really something. I've never forgotten it. Actually I didn't watch much of her wedding, but this was unbelievable.

[pulvaris]

I know the bit I find Terrifying is actually the clash between the begining of the Organ Voluntary, the Bells, and the fact that the Cortege passes through the Great West Doors and into the outside world. Remember the last scene of the video before was the catafalgue pausing before the door, the light silhouetting the Dean infront of it, perfectly choreographed to reach the exit at the climax of Taveners music. :) Course I can only speak for myself lol

[charleneki]

@williebrisco I think the whole service was arranged with purpose to terrify us people in a way to help us ... Diana's well lived life, well loved by all these people, has lessons to tell. Most important I get from this service is where we all are bound. Terrifying indeed, but there is reassurance there, too. A life that touched many; I never was that interested in her until I saw how we all responded to her death.

[sebnem22]

The Queen of Human Hearts...

[roryfixkar]

Does anyone know the name of the piece that the commentator was reading?

[camilomarmolejo]

se nos ha ido una REINA desde colombia

la admiro tanto

es una princesa

en todos los sentidos

sigues viva

por siempre

mi idolo y ser humano ejemplar

one love ♥♥♥ diana forever....rip

[1BODGER95]

J.S. Bach's Prelude in C Minor BWV 546

[oakberry61woohalol]

I was only 2 when she died R.I.P Di you were our princess and shall always be our princess in our hearts . The paprazzi R @**!# holes bothering our princess like that until she crashed her car.

[oakberry61woohalol]

I was only 2 when diana died. she was our princess and shall always remain our princess I BLAME THE PAPARAZZI!

[synergygirl]

R.I.P Princess Diana...gone but NEVER FORGOTTEN..you will always live on in our hearts

[loopylou007]

I still watch this after all this time and cry for Diana. She will never be forgotten.

[1BODGER95]

WHITECHAPEL

[donpazer]

szqsk8, people in Europe DO NOT regularly or routinely CLAP at Funerals. THIS WAS NO ORDINARY funeral , or had you forgotten. When the public burst out in applause after Diana's brother's speech, that was the FIRST TIME EVER in the hundreds of years history of the Abbey that there was ever applause. This funeral cannot EVER be compared to ANY other funeral in our time.

[jeffrags2]

Up to that point, there was never a funeral like that one, and it would not be topped until Pope John Paul II died. But the senselessness of Diana's death lent to the proceedings a certain pungency the late pontiff's service naturally lacked. She died young and unexpectedly. He expectedly died in old age and after years of Parkinson's Disease.

[hellonusganteng]

The flag given back to the Royal Family bcs that's a Queen Flag. Not only British have a custom for clapping after funerals. Italian have a same custom. After the Requiem Mass of Pope John Paul II all the people at St. Peter's Square applaud to the coffin.

[OrontesRM]

true, here people applauded at some funerals of famous people,it's a 'recent' thing but I have to say I don't like it...

well, I think it isn't offensive, neither

[szqsk8]

What was done with flag covering her coffin? Was it given to the Spencer family or given back to the Royal Family?  Why do people in Europe clap at funerals? Someone did that here in the US at a funeral I attended and everyone turned around with a look of horror on their faces!

[tribecatom]

If you read the description, it was the first time there had been applause at a British funeral and it's kind of become custom in this country to applaud at the funerals of public figures since then. It stands as testimony to the remarkable person Diana was. I'm not sure if people clap at funerals in other European countries.

[Grmario85]

well that is because Americans are not famous for their elegant culture. Is there a greater most respectable,honourable way to leave the world than when you are applauded by thousands. Right for Kings and Popes, Princesses as sweet as her.

[Audinos]

American culture was more "elegant" before the liberal/libertine Baby Boomer types rejected culture and reduced everything to the casual level.

[SiouxPianist]

that applause...says it all

[TillyWolves]

You cant take it away from us, we Brits do a good ceremony....

Those bells sound haunting on half muffled...

[Mugsysam]

Oh My God you are right, the bells did sound like they were crying and crying and crying!

[tribecatom]

The applause is a good counter-point to the bells; they always stuck me as sounding as though they were crying. :'-(

[tribecatom]

Well at least you're not saying it was because the French doctors didn't do it like the Americans and I'm thankful for that.

[Holtbru]

As I remember it, they rang out for 3 solid hours after the service.....

[Holtbru]

I have this service on CD.....I always have LOVED playing back the recording of the Bells at the end.....Bright Sounding Bells followed by the muffled sound of those same Bells...I really LOVE IT.....

BRUCE

[ReadingBulldog]

I'm sure there was song sung in latin towards the end of the service..Sort of like chanting..All I can remember is the word 'requiem'..Anybody know what it is called..? Thanks..

[airdriver]

Nancy Reagan had the bells at the National Cathedral ring the same way at the end of President Reagan's funeral.

[pescepattate]

Yes you are correct the voice over is annoying it should have paused for at least 3 min for the public to reflect on their thoughts

[tribecatom]

It, and everything else, had just paused for one minute for the public to reflect on their thoughts (amoung other things).

The commentary was appropriate and touching.

[tommo01]

Fantastic bells - just spoilt by the commentry and applause in this clip.

[tribecatom]

I don't think it spoils it at all.

[stryker4511]

Well atleast John Madde wasn't commenting this funeral.

[tribecatom]

I don't think there's any recorded case of the Royal Family being investigated for wrong-doing, so I think it's a non-issue. Allegations are being made in an obsessive manner by one person about them and they don't stand up to even the flimsiest evidential test.

[tribecatom]

Well I'm not sure about that. An official investigation found the Met Police guilty of putting the public at risk today.

It's not a matter of the ramifications of the outcome of any investigation, it's a matter of common sense. The Coroner mentioned it in his opening statement to the inquest that the most obvious thing that tells you it wasn't a murder as there was no way of controlling which way the car crashed or the speed Henri Paul was driving at.

[stryker4511]

Sad. God save the Queen.

[BrynMawrYamBag]

Who cares...she should have been home with her ugly ass kids instead of tooling around Paris with a "Westernized" Muslim Diaperhead. I do not get the mindless adoration people have for this slag. I have known MANY better people then her who have died but actually did make a difference in the world. This is Bollocks!!!

[Big19Ben86]

Don't mention that bullshit above. Just a stupid yank's note!

[tribecatom]

Hear! Hear!

[2468HOTROD]

You could be right. I've always thought that the American CIA could have had a hand in her death. The US and England are close allies and the Royal Family were not highly favorable while Diana was alive. She had to go so things could turn back in their favor. Think about it!

[tribecatom]

Definitely not right. The Metropolitan police spent three years investigating it and it's been conclusively proven that she wasn't murdered. I intend to make a video on my thoughts about this in the near future

[airdriver]

Nancy Reagan must have loved the sounds of Westminster's Bells ringing because the bells at the National Cathedral put out the same notes at the end of Ronald Reagan's funeral.

[calarch78]

It's called change ringing. It's common at the conclusion of religious services. For funerals, the bells are half muffled, allowing them to sound for only one half of their rotation.

[rabyhook]

The eerie sound of these bells never left me in this memory. There was something about how thw bells never calles for a wedding, but funural. Still they chime for a relief after the tens funural.

[stryker4511]

My comment a month ago. Please be thankful for those around you. Family and friends. Love them as they will love you in return.

[tribecatom]

This is old news. It's already been investigated and it's nonsense.

[stryker4511]

These bells made me think of the worse for those I love.

[tribecatom]

There's no evidence to suggest that, only the incessant, puffed-up rambling of Mohammed Fayed, and plenty of evidence to suggest it was an accident.

[scorpio888]

I wasn't referring to the conspiracy theories one way or the others.

Cheers.

[tribecatom]

I was replying to the comment below yours.

[scorpio888]

Except that you incorporated the "incessant, puffed-up" description in your response.

[tribecatom]

I thought it was a good twist of phrase.

[scorpio888]

Thank you. You're very sweet.

[scorpio888]

Only the moment is ruined by the narrator's incessant, puffed-up rambling.

[tribecatom]

I disagree. I think what Tom Fleming said was very touching and he did a superb job of commentating. Fleming is rarely seen and he made fewer mistakes that David Dimbleby who's never off the telly.

[jfppjfpp]

Yes, he did!

[Nonniegirl4Ever]

This scene I remember the most, the bells playing outside Westminster Abbey. Thanks for the upload.

[jfppjfpp]

We love you and miss you so very, very much.

[editorgay]

Ten years later and watchig ths reminds me of the terrible loss we the liing have experienced. Diana was an inspiration to all of us to never forget those who suffer, who are in pain, and who know cruel discrimination. In that message and countless others SHE LIVES STILL.

[BritanniaRules]

They can't be ringing Stedman Cinques, since the Abbey has only 10 bells! If it is Stedman, it must be Caters.

[houseofloy]

I remember the day my mum called me to tell me that the princess had died, I thought she was playing a cruel joke, but when there was silence on the phone I realised she wasn't

[SubaruB4RSK]

I'm with stryker4511 the sound of the bells still haunts me.. and the fact that 10 years later I can still remember the sound of it..

[duncanthegreathall]

they rang a quater peal, which would have lasted around an hour as westminster abbeys heaviest bell is 3 tons, they are ringing Stedman Cinques. They have also been muffled at one stroke to give an eerie feel.

[ProfMoose]

The Abbey tenor is actually 1.5tons. They're ringing Stedman Caters.

There is something about the Abbey bells that always makes me stop and listen. Not often you hear half-muffled ringing to that standard.

[tompw3141]

Did they get the peal? My memory is that it was miscalled (easily done)

[BritanniaRules]

It was a quarter peal attempt of Stedman Caters, and was lost because it was miscalled by the Abbey's ringing master, David Hilling. Most unfortunate, but at least most people didn't notice, because the cameras had moved on from the Abbey by the time it all fired out.

[1BODGER95]

Thank goodness for that. It would have sounded terrible on camera, especially with them being half muffled!

[jeffrags2]

Stedman Caters - and yes, as I understand it it was mis-called. :-) It was a quarter-peal as I recall, and it lasted for about an hour. It was followed by a four-bell quick thing that lasted a very short duration.

[stryker4511]

I remember this. I am from Denver Colorado. The bells sent a tingle up my back. I remember the sounds of them going over and over again.

[irkibby]

Court appeal sahould read Quarter Peal

very good though

[tribecatom]

Thanks for that. I suppose I should know more about bell ringing, living next to a Cathedral and all!

[city3f39]

Thanks! I am a funeral director and that is how ALL funerals should be done!

[mehalfdutch]

Is it me or does David Dimbleby sound like his voice is cracking?

Very moving.

R.I.P Princess Diana

[kataisa2]

Thank you for putting the entire Diana funeral up. I was looking for these videos. Good timing.

[stillgotit01]

I'm proud of William and Harry for doing the upcoming concert. Diana will never be forgotten, she's part of History now but her legacy and charity work goes on. May God bless all who are left behind to carry on in her behalf as best they can.