Lingering Memories

Many Britons celebrated the memory of Diana, who was dubbed "the People's Princess" by Tony Blair. The former prime minister attended Friday's service along with Britain's current leader, Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and Blair's predecessor, John Major.

Many here believe that she was a much-needed shot of youth and glamour for the royal family and that she was treated badly by the royals during her marriage to and subsequent divorce from Charles.

A poll published Friday in the Daily Telegraph found that only 49 percent of Britons polled respect the royal family. Only 6 percent said their opinion of the royals had improved in the decade since Diana's death, while 25 percent said it had declined, the newspaper reported.

The poll, conducted by the firm YouGov, found that 89 percent remembered where they were when they heard of Diana's death.

The delicate nature of the royal family's relationship with Diana's memory surfaced this week in the decision by Camilla, Prince Charles's new wife, not to attend the ceremony.

Diana once complained about Camilla, Charles's longtime mistress, to a television interviewer, saying there were "three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded."

Although invited by William and Harry to attend the service, Camilla, now the Duchess of Cornwall, said she believed her presence would be distracting.

Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, and her sister, Sarah McCorquodale, attended the service and McCorquodale gave a reading. The guests also included more than 100 representatives of charities Diana was associated with, as well as the bridesmaids and page boys from her 1981 wedding to Charles.

One of the royals' leading detractors is Mohamed al-Fayed, father of Diana's boyfriend, Dodi al-Fayed, who also died in the crash. Fayed has consistently argued that the royal family was involved in the death of his son and Diana. Police investigators have concluded that the accident was caused by Diana's driver, Henri Paul, who was driving too fast after drinking.

A moment of silence in honor of Diana and Dodi Fayed was held Friday morning at Harrods department store, which is owned by Mohamed Fayed.

Many Britons found the public display of grief at Diana's death almost embarrassing. Critics here still find Diana's enduring legacy perplexing or even distasteful. Many found Diana to be tempestuous and immature and believe that her image, particularly in the United States, has been polished beyond reason.

Critics said that Friday's memorial service, along with a memorial concert July 1, Diana's birthday, was excessive and that Britain needed to move on.

"This bothers me -- it's all over the TV and newspapers, the 10th anniversary -- it's just not that important," said Dennis Walton, who was walking by Kensington Palace on Friday. "She was just another person, even though it was a tragic death."

Walton likened Diana's following to that of Elvis Presley. He said people who visit Graceland and promote Elvis's memory are, like Diana's legion of fans, trying to "live the moment forever."

But others outside Kensington Palace said the tributes to Diana have been deserved and appropriate.

"There was nobody like her, she was earthy and normal, but she had a magical quality," said Joanne Meritt, a real estate agent who came 30 miles from her home outside London to lay white lilies at the palace gate, just as she did 10 years ago.

Meritt said she is upset at critics who say the British overreacted to Diana's death. She said she came Friday in part to "show the establishment it was not mass hysteria 10 years ago."

During the service, Richard Chartres, the bishop of London, called for an end to divisiveness over Diana's memory.

"It is easy to lose the real person in the image, to insist that all is darkness or all is light," he said. "Still, 10 years after her tragic death, there are regular reports of 'fury' at this or that incident and the princess's memory is used for scoring points. Let it end here."