Royals remember Diana 10 years after her death

LONDON, Aug 31 (Reuters) Mourners gathered in Paris and London today to mark the tenth anniversary of the death of Princess Diana, revered by many around the world and the enduring object of fascination at home.

Flowers, photographs and messages were attached to the gates of Kensington Palace, her London residence, overnight, although in far fewer numbers than a decade ago, when a vast outpouring of grief stunned the nation almost as much as her death.

In Paris, where she died in a high-speed car crash alongside her lover, Dodi al-Fayed, a number of mourners gathered and left flowers at the tunnel where the fatal incident occurred.

A memorial service, attended by Queen Elizabeth, Diana's ex-husband, Prince Charles, her two sons, Princes William and Harry, and other royals and celebrities including pop star Elton John, will take place at midday (1630 IST) at a chapel near Buckingham Palace.

Prince Charles' second wife, Camilla, with whom he had an affair while still married to Diana and whom Diana referred to as ''The Rotweiller'', will not be attending the service to avoid controversy, although she was invited.

Diana's former butler, Paul Burrell, was not invited. The Times newspaper said about 250 seats in the chapel, which can hold 700, would be empty, even if they would likely be filled many times over by mourning members of the public.

Diana, 36 when she died in the early hours of Aug. 31, 1997, is still remembered as the ''People's Princess'' in Britain and elsewhere, and revered by millions of people who never met her.

She was once the most photographed woman in the world.

At the memorial service, Rowan Williams, the spiritual leader of the Anglican Church, will give thanks for ''the memories of her that we treasure still''.

Ten years after her death, Princess Diana remains the subject of constant discussion and debate, as well as controversy and speculation, especially over what might have happened had she lived and how exactly she came to die.

In her lifetime, she was regarded as a breath of fresh air in what was seen as a hide-bound and stuffy royal family. In the wake of her death, many commentators mused about how long the royal family might endure without her, but 10 years on it appears to be as solid an institution in Britain as ever.

''TOO MUCH WEEPING'' Today's service, which will be broadcast live on TV and shown around the world, will feature readings by William and Harry, just 15 and 12 when their mother died, as well as Diana's sister, Lady Sarah McCorquodale.

''The service is going to include both sides of the family, our mother's side and our father's side -- everyone getting together,'' Prince Harry said in a recent interview.

''It should be a good occasion and lots of loud hymns. It should be a very sort of simple and nice service.'' Among the absentees will be Dodi's father, Egyptian-born Mohammed al-Fayed. Al-Fayed, owner of the luxury London store Harrods, accuses Britain's royal family of ordering the couple's murder to prevent them from marrying.

Despite comprehensive police inquiries ruling out foul play, many Britons share al-Fayed's suspicions that the deaths were not an accident. He has waged a decade-long battle to bring his grievances to light, but largely to no avail.

However, an official inquest into the deaths will begin on October 2, once again propelling Diana back into the headlines.

In a sign that perhaps, with hindsight, Britons feel that they may have overdone the grieving over Diana's death, a survey conducted by Sky News on Friday showed that 55 per cent of people thought the mourning had been excessive.

REUTERS KK PM1455