An Inclusive Litany

12/8/97

A press release from the National Enquirer, September, 1997:
We apologize for the Princess Diana Page One headline "Di Goes Sex Mad" that is still on the stands in some locations. This issue was locked up last week before her death and went on sale Friday 29 August 1997. It is currently being replaced as quickly as we are able with a special 72-page tribute issue: "A Farewell to the Princess We All Loved... Di—Her Final Hours."

Chef Peter Kay pens another tribute in the Walthamston, London, Yellow Advertiser, September 19, 1997:

Sadly, I never had the honor of meeting Diana, Princess of Wales. But I write this article with a deep, deep desire to honor her honesty, integrity, and dignity. I cooked for the then Her Royal Highness on two occasions, and would love to be able to say that she descended to the kitchens to thank me personally—but she didn't.

However, as I helped prepare food at these two functions, I worked alongside men and women who had almost daily contact with Her Royal Highness. It struck me then, and even more so today, that not one of these people had a bad word to say about her. On the contrary, they talked of her in terms of endearment. I am the same age as Diana, Princess of Wales. I too left school without any O-levels (unless you count a Grade 1 CSE in French). Although I have never suffered from any eating disorders, I identified totally with her feelings and emotions, her inner pain and what I saw as a deep desire to be loved. As the whole nation has shown, and continues to show, she will be greatly missed. This dish is in her honor.

SUPREME OF CHICKEN PRINCESS

Ingredients: 2 boneless chicken breasts, 2 tbs. plain flour, salt and freshly ground black pepper, 2 oz. butter, a tbs. of dry sherry or white wine, chicken stock, double cream, 1 punnet of baby asparagus, finely chopped tarragon...

Gently cook the breasts for four to five minutes each side...

Add the dry sherry, chicken stock, and cream, and simmer for five minutes...

Place the chicken on a plate, add the chopped tarragon to the sauce and coat the entire breast. Sprinkle the baby asparagus on top.

And since someone had to say it, it fell to Shelly Martin, writing in the State College, Pennsylvania, Centre Daily Times, September 25, 1997:
Who was this Diana, queen of our hearts? She became a fairy tale princess by kissing a frog who never turned into her Prince Charming. She struggled with depression, suicide, eating disorders and "low personal esteem." She navigated a difficult life that many ordinary people knew. Yet she was not ordinary. Diana had something special, mystical, magical and wonderful that genuinely touched people. Throngs of admirers brought flowers, wrote poetic verses, gathered in the streets and shared tears, as the whole world joined in mourning her passing. What inspired such an impassioned response from so many?

Diana exemplified "Karuna," the feminine divine: spirit of compassion, blessed mother nurturer, comforter and lover. For 20,000 years before God was father, the divine spirit was known as Great Mother, Goddess Diana. We remember this time without war, when both male and female were valued as equal, sexuality was accepted as a sacred gift, and the feminine spirit in all her mystery was revered and worshipped as divine. We recognize, deeply love and long for connection with the feminine divine.

When we saw Diana smile, coyly tip her head and reach out to touch the world's unloved, we saw "Karuna," the goddess Diana. And we felt something move inside ourselves in response to her—the divine spirit within each of us. For it is in our hearts that we know the truth: We have experienced the mystery of the feminine divine in our connection with this Diana, queen of our hearts! Blessed be!

And finally, Mary Tillotson interviews Ann Moore, president of People magazine, on "CNN & Company" two days after Princess Diana's death:

Tillotson:
How will [Princess Diana] long-term be remembered, do you think?
Moore:
I think long-term, she'll be remembered as one of the bigger risk-takers of our time.... And part of her appeal was not that she showed us being a fairy princess wasn't all that it [was] cracked up to be, but we admired the fact that she was way out there on the edge.
Tillotson:
And a survivor.
Moore:
She was a survivor, and we love that.