The 29th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death is approaching on August 31, and Queen Elizabeth's reaction was one of the most criticized aspects of the days following the royal's tragic car crash. The late Queen was staying at Balmoral with Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Prince Harry and Prince William, and her absence in London was not well received by the public or the press. But another decision she made also raised eyebrows, as author Gyles Brandreth wrote in his biography of Queen Elizabeth.
Brandreth, who is a longtime friend of the Royal Family, details the late Queen’s response to Diana’s death in his book Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait. The Royal Standard at Balmoral had not been lowered to half-mast after Princess Diana was killed in a Paris car accident, causing “an outcry in the press.”
Queen Elizabeth, however, didn’t understand why people were so upset, because it came down to a simple matter of royal protocol. The Royal Standard, it turns out, is never flown at half-mast.
“The Queen was hurt and angered by the criticism—and she was not often given to anger,” Brandreth wrote. “She felt it showed a lack of understanding of history and tradition.”
The media and the public also focused on the fact that there wasn’t a half-mast flag at Buckingham Palace in honor of Diana, but again, that was explained by royal tradition. “The flagpole at Buckingham Palace was bare because flags are only flown over a royal residence when the sovereign is in residence,” Brandreth explained.
Although Queen Elizabeth “could see no reason to break with precedent,” the immense public pressure caused her to make a rare pivot.
“After several days, against her better judgement, she was persuaded to change her mind and allow a compromise: the Union flag—not the Royal Standard—was flown at half-mast over Buckingham Palace,” Brandreth wrote.
Interestingly, the late Queen's choice started a trend. Ever since, the Union Jack has flown above Buckingham Palace whenever the sovereign isn't in residence.
