Classic Albums: Queen - The Making of 'A Night at the Opera' Page #2

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on permanent standby

in case I should kick the bucket.

No, Mummy, he can't.

This isn't a matter of state.

What are you talking about?

Diana is not one of the royal family.

She's not an HRH.

- It's a private matter.

- She's mother to your grandchildren.

What is happening now?

I don't know. I can't hear.

Everyone's shouting.

- Thanks for coming in.

- The ambassador from Paris.

Good evening, sir.

Yes?

I've just spoken

to our ambassador in Paris, ma'am.

I'm afraid it's not good news.

No!

No...

No. No. No.

No.

Diana, Princess of Wales, has died

after a car crash in Paris.

The French government announced

her death this morning.

- What have I got on this week?

- Writing your conference speeches.

Well, let's cancel everything else.

This is going to be massive.

'Her death was confirmed

by the French... '

- I'll make a statement in the morning.

- I've started coming up with ideas.

- She's only been dead an hour.

- Would you prefer I didn't?

Try and be very brave.

It's Mummy. She's dead.

They're going to go back to sleep.

Try, anyway.

My private secretary's office have

found a travel agency in New York

that will sell me a flight to Paris

with an hour's stopover in Manchester.

Perhaps you might consider

if it's an extravagance

to bring back the mother of the future

king of England in one of our planes.

All right. Of course.

John, I don't want the boys

to see the news and get upset.

Take the radio from the bedroom

and the TV from the nursery.

Yes, ma'am.

- Well, well, well.

- Yes.

Are you all right?

Your sister called, from Tuscany.

I hope you told her

to cut her holiday short.

- I did.

- I can't imagine she was pleased.

- That's putting it mildly.

- What did she say?

Something about Diana being more

annoying dead than alive.

Never let the boys hear you talk

like that.

Of course.

Something to help you go down?

No, I think I'll write my diary

a little longer.

Fine. I'm going to bed.

'We've heard nothing official

from the palace.

'We don't know when we'll get

any statements from the palace

'or when the royal family are due.'

That's how she will remain,

in our minds, our hearts, forever.

- OK? Got it.

- 'Where will you do it? '

- At the church, on the way in.

- I'll organise it.

'Viscount Althorp, Diana's brother... '

Hang on. I want to watch this.

'This is not a time

for recriminations, but for sadness.

'However, I would say I always believed

the press would kill her in the end.

'Not even I imagined they would take

such a direct hand in her death

'as seems to be the case.

'It would appear that every proprietor

and editor of every publication

'that paid for intrusive photographs

of her has blood on his hands today.'

Not the press, mate.

You've got the wrong villain.

Tony...

- Oh. Got to go.

- You about to speak to the Queen?

- Yeah.

- Ask her if she greased the brakes.

Now, now.

Thanks.

- Hello?

- 'Putting you through.'

Oh... Right, OK.

- Is the Prince of Wales with the boys?

- Yes, ma'am.

- Good. And he's going to Paris?

- Yes.

I'm sorry to disturb, ma'am...

Ma'am...

...but I have the Prime Minister

for you, from his constituency.

Lucky you.

Thank you, Robin.

I'll take it in the study.

- 'Your Majesty.'

- Prime Minister.

May I say how very sorry I am.

The thoughts and prayers of my family

are with you at this terrible time,

and with the princes in particular.

Thank you.

'Is it your intention to make

some kind of appearance or statement? '

No. No, certainly not.

No-one in the royal family will speak

publicly. This is a private matter.

We would appreciate it

if it could be respected as such.

I see.

I don't suppose

anyone's thought about the funeral.

We've spoken with the Spencer family,

and it is their express wish

that this should be a private funeral

with a memorial service to follow.

Right.

As Diana was no longer

a member of the royal family,

we must respect their wishes.

I see.

'You don't feel that in view

of her high profile and popularity,'

it might be an idea to pay tribute

to her life and achievements,

or even just to her as a mother?

Well, as I said,

it's her family's wish.

And the public, ma'am,

the British people?

'You don't think

that might be denying them a chance... '

A chance to what?

'To share in the grief? '

This is a family funeral, Mr Blair,

not a fairground attraction.

I think the Princess has already paid

a high enough price

for exposure to the press, don't you?

If there's nothing else,

the children have to be looked after.

Of course. Goodbye, Your Maj...

Her instinct is to do nothing,

say nothing,

and give her a private funeral.

Are you surprised? She hated her guts.

I think it's a mistake.

They screwed up her life.

I hope they don't screw up her death.

Where can I get a black tie?

Oh, the chaplain called.

He asked if he should make

any changes in the service,

any special mention of Diana.

What did you say?

- I told him not to change a thing.

- Quite right.

The less attention drawn to it,

the better, for the boys.

Yes.

We should find some company

for them, some young people.

I'll take them for a long walk

up Craggy Head.

Yes, but no guns, Philip. It is Sunday.

We're going, I believe, to Sedgefield,

the Prime Minister's constituency,

where he is about to make a statement.

'Yes, the Prime Minister coming now

with his wife, Cherie.'

Yeah, well, apart from that?

He's on. Alastair, he's on! Come on!

'Though her own life

was often sadly touched by tragedy,

'she touched the lives of so many others'

in Britain and throughout the worid...

...with joy and with comfort.

'The people everywhere,

not just here in Britain, everywhere,

'they kept faith with Princess Diana.

'They liked her. They loved her.

'They regarded her as one of the people.

'She was the people's princess...

'... and that's how she will... stay,

'how she will remain...

'... in our hearts

and in our memories... forever.'

A bit over the top, don't you think?

'The Prime Minister, paying

his tribute to the Princess of Wales.'

The people of Britain, he said,

kept faith with Princess Diana.

They loved her.

She was the people's princess.

- Do we have the Royal Standard?

- Yes, sir.

- And flowers?

- Yes, sir.

If we left it to the royal undertakers,

they'd bring her back in a crate.

Hello?

'This is Lord Airlie.

May I speak to the Prime Minister? '

One moment, please.

Lord Airlie.

The Lord Chamberlain

in charge of the funeral.

You're meeting him at the airport.

- Lord Airlie.

- Good afternoon, Prime Minister.

It's my job to organise

all the ceremonial events.

There's no precedent

for the funeral of an ex-HRH.

Perhaps we should plan

for any contingency.

I propose a meeting tomorrow morning

at Buckingham Palace,

'officials from all three palaces,

representatives of the Spencer family,'

the emergency services

and your people.

Absolutely. Of course.

Precedent?

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