candles
Mourning continues for Diana

Queen to Address the Nation

The Queen is to address the nation on Friday evening following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

The broadcast, from the Palace, comes amid criticism that the Royal Family is remote from public grief over Diana's death.

In a change of plan, the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, will now fly to London on Friday morning from Balmoral in Scotland.

In a rare public statement, the Queen's press secretary, Geoffrey Crawford, said the Royal Family had been hurt by suggestions they were indifferent to the country's sorrow at the Princess's tragic death.

crawford
Geoffrey Crawford: Rare tv appearance
 
RealAudio
The Queen's statement read by her Press Secretary
Dur: 0'25"
Mr Crawford said the Queen was helping Prince William, 15, and 12-year-old Prince Harry to come to terms with the loss of their mother and prepare themselves for her funeral on Saturday.

"The Royal Family have been hurt by suggestions that they are indifferent to the country's sorrow at the tragic death of the Princess of Wales," he said.

"The Princess was a much loved national figure, but she was also a mother whose sons miss her deeply. Prince William and Prince Harry themselves want to be with their father and grandparents at this time in the quiet haven of Balmoral," continued Mr Crawford.

"As their grandmother, the Queen is helping the princes to come to terms with their loss as they prepare themselves for the public ordeal of mourning their mother with the nation on Saturday," he added.

Mr Crawford took the unusual, although not unprecedented, step of reading the statement to TV cameras.

Originally the Queen and other senior members of the Royal Family planned to return to London overnight on Friday, by Royal Train, to arrive in the capital on Saturday morning for the Westminster Abbey funeral service.

The Prince of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry are on their way to London from Balmoral and will mourn at Diana's coffin in the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace.

Prince Edward was the first senior member of the Royal family to return to the capital and join the massive public mourning for Diana.

On Thursday, he went to St James's Palace to sign the book of condolence in memory of his former sister-in-law.