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Princess Diana’s star-studded funeral: From Nicole Kidman to Tom Cruise, all the celebrities who said their final goodbyes

Princess Diana's star-studded funeral: From Nicole Kidman to Tom Cruise, all the celebrities who said their final goodbyes
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Princess Diana's funeral 20 years ago was one of the biggest televised events to date, with more than 750million pairs of eyes watching it around the globe.

Her death at the age of 36 on August 31 1997 caused a ripple of grief and disbelief across the world, especially as it emerged she'd died in a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris, alongside her lover Dodi Fayed and her driver, Henri Paul.

As the country reeled from her shocking death, officials turned their heads to the pressing need for a send-off fit for a royal - even if she was no longer technically part of the royal family thanks to her divorce from Prince Charles.

Her funeral, held on September 6 1997 at Westminster Abbey, was watched by thousands of mourners who lined the streets between Kensington Palace and Parliament to throw flowers on her cortege and weep as her casket passed on a gun carriage pulled by The Queen's Welsh Guards on horseback.

Two thousand people attended the actual funeral service inside the Abbey, including many of her famous personal friends, who she had met during the course of her charity work with AIDs, landmines and cancer organisations.

Her close friend Elton John paid tribute during the ceremony by playing his own version of Candle In The Wind - the hit single he'd originally sung about Marilyn Monroe, but rewrote the lyrics to dedicate to Diana.

He was joined by partner David Furniss, who echoed Elton's choice of funeral outfit with his own dark suit.

Among the other celebrities were Diana's good friend George Michael.

The late George, who died on Christmas Day 2016, had been a shoulder to cry on when Diana was going through her divorce - something she described as "grim" in an answer machine message to the Fast Love singer.

"Not a very loving, compassionate family, this one I'm leaving," she had added in reference to the Royals.

And it wasn't just British celebrities representing Diana's star power.

Hollywood A-listers Nicole Kidman and her then husband Tom Cruise joined the congregation paying their respects to the princess, along with legendary film director Stephen Spielberg.

They appeared downcast as they chatted with Spielberg outside the Abbey ahead of the service, with Nicole wearing a black cloche hat.

Iconic Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti, who also counted Diana among his personal friends, arrived with his companion Nicoletta Mantovani, while Cliff Richard - a friend to the Royals - also came to say his final goodbye.

Other famous faces in the crowd included then Prime Minister Tony Blair, who gave the touching eulogy, and his wife Cherie Blair.

And a youthful Hillary Clinton, wife of serving American president Bill Clinton, was photographed looking at the floral tributes left outside the church.

Queen Elizabeth, who had faced widespread criticism for her businesslike demeanour in the days after Diana's death, also attended the funeral, having stood outside the gates of Buckingham Palace as the cortege passed and, in a rare step, bowed her head in tribute.

Diana, 7 Days airs Sunday 27 August at 7.30pm on BBC1

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