Diana service will be marked by the absence of 'controversial' figures

[Shinobi]

Friday August 31 2007

THE most poignant sight at today's service to mark the tenth anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, will be empty seats.

Princes William and Harry chose the Guards' Chapel at Wellington Barracks, close to Buckingham Palace, because it is the closest thing to a mother church for their regiment, the Household Cavalry. It can hold a congregation of 700, but only about 450 seats will be filled.

Most prominent among the missing will be the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker Bowles, who will spend the day with members of her family at Raymill House, Wiltshire, the marital home she held on to after her divorce, before flying off with friends -- but without her husband, Prince Charles -- on a holiday in the Mediterranean.

Princes William and Harry had invited her to the service, but she bridled at the pressure to attend and announced she would not be there.

The duchess never wanted to feel that her presence would be inappropriate and finally made up her mind when a number of other guests said they would return their invitations if she turned up.

Three former close members of the Princess's staff have been blacklisted from the invitation list, drawn up by the princes and their aunt and uncle, Earl Spencer and Lady Sarah McCorquodale.

Paul Burrell, her butler, Patrick Jephson, her private secretary, and Ken Wharfe, her police protection officer, have all blotted their copybooks by publishing memoirs of their time at Kensington Palace.

Of the former aides who wrote books, Mr Burrell has come in for particular criticism from the princes who accused him of "cold and overt betrayal."

Mr Burrell will be the US today, remembering his former employer in private.

http://www.independent.ie/world-news/diana...es-1068875.html