Concert for Diana
Concert for Diana was a benefit concert held at the then newly built Wembley Stadium in London, United Kingdom in honour of Diana, Princess of Wales, on 1 July 2007, which would have been her 46th birthday. 31 August that year brought the 10th anniversary of her death. The concert was hosted by Diana's sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, who helped to organise many of the world's most famous entertainers and singers to perform. Proceeds from the concert went to Diana's charities, as well as to charities of which William and Harry are patrons.[1]
Not to be confused with Diana, Princess of Wales Tribute Concert.Concert for Diana
1 July 2007
www.concertfordiana.com (Archived)
The concert was broadcast in 140 different countries across the world[2] with an estimated potential audience of 500 million.[3] In December 2006, 22,500 tickets were made available for purchase for the concert, selling out in just 17 minutes.[2] 63,000 people turned out to Wembley Stadium to watch the performances to commemorate Diana.[2][4][5] At the end of the performances, a video montage of Diana as a child was presented, accompanied by the Queen song "These Are the Days of Our Lives".[6]
The concert started at 16:00 BST and finished at approximately 22:15 BST – there were two short intermissions during the concert.[7] A 2-Disc DVD set of the full concert was released on 5 November 2007. A Blu-ray high definition release of the full concert and documentary was released in November 2008.
Diana's former husband King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) was not among the spectators. Together with the Queen, then Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his predecessor Tony Blair, he was among the guests at the memorial service on 31 August 2007 in the Guards Chapel.[12]
Ricky Gervais[edit]
As with many live televised events, the Concert for Diana had a few technical problems, the most infamous of which occurred during comedian Ricky Gervais's monologue, before Elton John's musical finale. As a planned seven-minute routine became twelve minutes, viewers saw a nervous Gervais being forced to fill time, as a stagehand held up signs saying 'two minutes', then 'one minute'. Gervais performed a rendition of a song that David Bowie performed on his show Extras before finally being told to 'throw to the BBC' and presenters Claudia Winkleman and Jamie Theakston. During the extended piece, he performed his iconic "dance" from The Office.
Charities[edit]
All net proceeds from the Concert went to the charities chosen by Princes William and Harry.[19] These charities include Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, Centrepoint and Sentebale, a charity founded in April 2006, by Prince Harry and Lesotho's Prince Seeiso. It helps vulnerable children and young people in Lesotho – particularly those orphaned as a result of AIDS.[20]
During the airing of the concert, Diana was hailed for her generous charity work with the Chain of Hope, Luton Indoor Bowling Club, and British Deaf Association charities. She was also celebrated for her work with the British Red Cross in helping get the word out on land mines in Angola.