Diana’s death forced British royals to overhaul image 

LONDON: Public anger at the monarchy following the death of Princess Diana marked a turning point for the royal family, forcing a revolution in its communications machine that helped revive the brand.

As mourners left thousands of bouquets of flowers at the gates of Buckingham Palace and nearby Kensington Palace, after Diana’s death on August 31, 1997, the royal family were nowhere to be seen.

Prince Charles, divorced from Diana, and his mother Queen Elizabeth II remained at their Scottish residence of Balmoral, saying nothing for days.

Despite the British public’s mounting anger at the royal response -- or lack thereof -- it was not until the day before Diana’s funeral that the queen finally broke her silence with a live broadcast to the nation.

The monarch’s distance from the public outpouring of grief for the woman dubbed the "people’s princess" by then prime minister Tony Blair caused resentment. Having been immersed in protocol and tradition for centuries, the royals quickly realised they were in urgent need of an image overhaul.