Princess Diana's Memorial, London

The disappointing memorial to Princess Diana
see all photos »

In March 2005 I visited some of London’s latest tourist attractions with my mum before taking her to see Phantom of the Opera for her birthday.

First stop was Kensington Gardens, where we hopped off the bus at the magnificent circular Royal Albert Hall where we were looking for Princess Diana’s Memorial. Across the road, and just inside Kensington Gardens, is the impressive monument to Prince Albert. He is seated under a canopy supported by pillars of grey and red granite, surrounded by intricately carved figures representing industrial arts and sciences, embossed with gold plating.

The disappointing oval shallow concrete ditch

Princess Diana at a memorial that would be more fitting
see all photos »

Walking along the pathways, I marvelled that no other major city-centre in the world has so many green open spaces. Following signposts and asking joggers and dog-walkers for directions, we eventually found Diana’s Memorial. It was not surprising that we almost missed it. All it is an oval shallow concrete ditch on a slope above the Serpentine. No wonder Diana's mother hated it, saying it lacked grandeur. The press have been calling it a storm-drain. The Queen's comment on the design was: "Creating a memorial to Diana has been no easy task. To present a likeness seemed at best unnecessary for someone whose image continues to exert such a fascination the world over. To find some other way to capture her spirit has been the challenge." After the gaudy but grand Albert Monument, Diana’s Memorial is extremely disappointing.

The memorial cost R40 million, going way over budget. Enclosed by a high fence, it has been closed since July last year after three accidents. Apparently with the water rushing and swirling in different directions across the granite - to reflect the turbulence and excitement of Diana's life - there were safety concerns. An estimated 5,000 people were walking through the site every hour.

Cities are defined by their buildings and it is no wonder that London is one of the world’s most popular cities, with 28 million visitors flocking here each year to see the wonderful mix of old and new.