This
Australian holiday is in honor of the late Princess Diana, who died
in a tragic auto accident on this date in 1997. She was a good person
who worked for international charities, and there was extensive
mourning all over the world when she died. I remember being in Paris
in 1999, at a memorial for Diana near the tunnel where she died, and even though it was
almost two years later, there were tons of flowers and stuffed
animals and other offerings at the site.
So...Diana
was English, Princess of Wales (basically, Great Britain or United
Kingdom), and she died in France. Why is her death commemorated with
white roses in Australia?
Australia
is part of the Commonwealth of Nations. That means that, although
Australia is a wholly separate and independent nation from the U.K.,
the British royalty serves as its royalty, too. In other words, Queen
Elizabeth II is not just the Queen of England, she is the Queen of
Australia, too. Therefore, Princess Di (as she was often called) was
a princess of Australia.
(Other
Commonwealth realms include Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand, and Papua
New Guinea. There are 16 Commonwealth realms in all.)
Princess
Diana was widely thought of as classy and fashionable, caring and
kind. She once said, “Being a princess isn't all it's cracked up to
be.” Indeed, her days as a princess were not happy, and her fame
likely brought her more problems than joys. On the other hand, of
course she adored her two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry!
Also
on this date:
