Twenty years after the death of Princess Diana, we look at how there were direct local connections on that fateful day

It was the day Britain lost its selfproclaimed “queen of hearts” with the royal family later accused of ignoring the incredible outpouring of public grief that followed.

However, when Princess Diana died in the early hours of August 31 1997, a former Perth minister was left in no doubt about the shock afflicting members of the royal party when they attended a church service he led just hours later.

Former Perth North Church Minister the Rev Bob Sloan had only been minister at the Royals’ Crathie Kirk near Balmoral for 17 months at the time.

This son of a Baptist minister, born in Appin, Argyll, had spent 36 years in Perth – including 18 as North Church minister – and suddenly found himself at the centre of the biggest news story on the planet.

Twenty years on and Mr Sloan, now back in Perth as locum minister for Craigie and Moncreiffe Church, is reluctant to talk about the shock and sorrow ingrained on the faces of Princes William and Harry, plus their father Prince Charles, as they made their first public appearance at Crathie Church that morning just hours after Diana’s death.

Yet he says that to say people were upset was “an understatement”.

“It’s so long ago I’m hazy and hesitant to say anything,” revealed Mr Sloan in an interview with The Courier this week.

“But the congregation were shattered as were the royal family. “Everything went ahead as routine. “The boys were there. “I know there was criticism at the time for everything going ahead as planned. But that was how it was.

“Prayers were said for the family and we indicated that prayers would be said every Sunday, which they were.”

Courier assistant editor Chris Ferguson was among the reporters to arrive at Crathie that morning.

He too recalls how despite the bereavement, the family went ahead with weekly worship at the little church.

“At 11.29am the three-car royal convoy emerged from Balmoral Castle to drive several hundred yards to Crathie Kirk,” Chris said.

“Prince Andrew and the Queen Mother were in the first car. Next came Prince Charles with a son on either side. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were in the third car.

“The Queen was dressed in black and although she showed no emotion, she waved to the sparse, silent crowd.

“It was the grief-burdened face of Prince William which touched so many onlookers.

“He looked fresh from crying and his downtrodden expression was of one unable to come to terms with a numbing blow.”

Inside the church around 100 worshippers had gathered for morning service, led by visiting minister the Rev Adrian Varwell, accompanied by Mr Sloan, who later was overcome with emotion.

No direct mention of the tragedy was made during the service but in a prayer Mr Sloan said: “We remember all those that at this time need to know your presence, all those whose lives are darkened by tragedy and grief, who need to know more than human comfort and friendship.

“We pray for the Queen and her family, the Prince of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry. May they be aware of your love, may they be sure of your love.’’

Mr Varwell’s final prayer asked God to help those “who are grieving and whose hearts and lives are broken. Jesus shows there is still hope for tomorrow”.

The congregation rose to sing the national anthem and at that point Mr Sloan was overcome with emotion and stood with his head in his hands.

Someone else from Courier Country with a prominent connection to the death was Lord Airlie, then the Queen’s most senior aide and the owner of estates neighbouring her Balmoral retreat.

As Lord Chamberlain to the royal household at the time of Diana’s death he flew to help with the royal family’s arrangements when news of the crash in Paris broke.

In 2002, he admitted publicly for the first time during a TV documentary that Buckingham Palace blundered over its handling of the aftermath and that the Queen’s senior advisers badly misjudged the public mood.

It was the first time that the Palace – widely condemned for failing to lower the flag to half-mast after Diana’s death – had admitted that it was wrong.

“I think you know with the benefit of hindsight that could have been handled a little differently,” said Lord Airlie, who retired from the Palace top job months after the princess’s death.

“None of us is perfect. We can’t get it all right all of the time,” he added.

Lord Airlie, above, and the Rev Bob Sloan.