Grave robbers ‘targeted Diana’s tomb four times’
Grave robbers have targeted the tomb of Diana, Princess of Wales, four times in the two decades since her death, her brother has revealed. Earl Spencer said the family had “seen off ” the four attempts at her final resting place at Althorp Park, adding: “There are some odd people out there.”
GRAVE robbers have targeted the Princess of Wales’s tomb four times in the two decades since her death, her brother has revealed.
Earl Spencer said her final resting place on an island at Althorp Park, her family seat, had been deemed the “safest” place for her as public scrutiny became intense following her death. He said: “There was such a whipped-up feeling of emotion everywhere that I was very worried about where we could safely bury her. We’ve had four attempted breakins towards her body in the past 20 years. I’m very glad we’ve seen them all off.”
While he did not indicate what the trespassers’ motivations were, he said: “There are some odd people out there and keeping her right here is the safest place.”
In 2000, detectives uncovered an anarchist plot to vandalise Diana’s grave and the Princess of Wales Memorial Garden at Kensington Palace in London. Sergeant Sam Dobbs, from Northamptonshire Police, would not confirm whether officers had dealt with trespassers at Althorp but said officers worked “closely” with the estate “to advise on security”.
Speaking to the Today programme on BBC radio 4, Earl Spencer also claimed Buckingham Palace had “lied” to him over the decision to have Prince William and Prince Harry walk behind their mother’s coffin.
The earl said he had been a “passionate advocate” against the decision, saying it was “bizarre” and “cruel” to make her young sons walk in the procession, watched by millions.
The earl, who was made a guardian of his nephews by Diana, said he told palace officials of his objection, adding: “Eventually I was lied to and told they [the princes] wanted to do it, which of course they didn’t but I didn’t realise that.”
William, now the Duke of Cambridge, was 15 and Harry 12 when their mother was killed in a car crash in Paris on Aug 31 1997.
Harry has only recently spoken about his mother’s funeral, saying: “I don’t think any child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances. I don’t think it would happen today.” Earl Spencer told the BBC the funeral was a “harrowing” experience that he still has nightmares about. Discussing the critical remarks in his eulogy, which many believe were directed at the Royal Family, he said: “I believe that every word I said was true and it was important for me to be honest.”
Asked if the Queen or anyone else said anything to him about his speech, he replied: “Somebody I know very well said to her, ‘What do you think?’ and she said, ‘He had every right to say whatever he felt, it was his sister’s funeral.’ So that’s all.”