"Princess Diana is a role model for me"
It is August 31st, the day on which the world turns back for a moment to 1997: 20 years ago the "Queen of Hearts", Lady Diana, died. The world is losing a princess, a mother, an idol. Diana delighted millions with her warm and open manner - and the enthusiasm continues to this day.
On the 20th anniversary of her death, people around the world remember the royal star. Countless documentaries and media reports take you back to the Paris night in which Diana died after a tragic car accident. It's the night when the headlines roll over.
Our newspaper goes on a journey through time with passers-by in Weinheim: Who knows to this day where they heard the terrible news of the death of the princess? Anne Gorath (37), Weinheim: I found out about Diana's death at home. At that time I was still living in Fürth. And it already bothered me.
If someone dies in an accident, it's always tragic, of course - and a famous princess too. It was bad to see the pictures in front of the tunnel. Basically, I don't follow the stories about the royals that extreme - neither then as a 17-year-old nor today.
But we were in Heidelberg, for example, when Prince William and Kate were there to visit. And their children are only a little older than ours, so you can sometimes draw parallels. Nina Holzmann (35), Weinheim: When Diana died, I was still very young myself. I found out about that in the media.
I was in training at the time. And I was really shocked. That was just a charismatic and great woman. Diana is already a role model for me. I was particularly fascinated by the fact that she later emancipated herself. She was rather shy in her marriage to Prince Charles, but then she blossomed. I still read the gossip newspapers. Today I am following Mary of Denmark, for example. And of course William and Kate.
They are basically the successors of Charles and Diana. And I think they do a lot better than their predecessors. At least as far as the love thing is concerned. Markus Schmitt (43), Wald-Michelbach: Yes, I still remember exactly where I found out about Diana's death. Back then I stayed with a friend. And then the next morning I heard it on the radio. But it didn't really affect me.
I wasn't particularly interested in the Royals or England at the time. Only afterwards did I really realize what kind of celebrity it was who died there. Kim Sauerbier (20), Fürth: In the year Diana died, I was just born. So I can't even remember it. But my mom once told me that she was invited to brunch the morning after Diana's death. And because she didn't listen to the radio in the car, she only found out about death there.
And this shock news was of course the main topic at the breakfast table. Especially since only women were invited. Even then, my mother couldn't quite understand how you could get involved. But today, of course, I still know who Diana was and that she inspired so many people. And I mean, who would not like to be a little girl?
