Diana's former chef says her grave is being neglected

PrincessOfPeace · August 17, 2014, 04:05:33 AM

Another former employee of Diana's flapping his gums.

QuotePRINCESS Diana's former chef has accused her brother Earl Spencer of "neglecting" her final resting place on an island at his Althorp estate.

Darren McGrady, a favourite of Diana who has also cooked for the Queen, has posted several pictures of the island with strongly worded comments.

On August 14 one tweet, accompanied by a picture, read: ''Sad to see Earl Spencer@AlthorpEstate has neglected Diana's resting place."

On August 13 he implored in a tweet: ''PLEASE tidy up the vegetation on the island @AlthorpEstate."

The pictures on his twitter page show that the pond around the island has a lot of algae, making it look quite dark.

A closer look at the memorial standing on the edge of the island shows that moss has formed in some areas on the stonework and a brick base can now be seen because vegetation has been cut away.

More: Diana's former chef says her grave is being neglected | Royal | News | Daily Express

Curryong · August 17, 2014, 04:24:07 AM

That is sad. There are probably not many gardeners working at Althorp any more and I guess visitor numbers are down. It needs a working party of volunteers to get stuck into it! Of course, it has been said that Diana isn't on the island but in the crypt of the local church with her Spencer grandmother.

Jmax2 · August 17, 2014, 01:42:57 PM

This guy's just a publicity hound. If you've read his tweets you'd know that he also claims to be responsible for the plastic water bottle in the downton abbey promo shot. Lakes get moss on them from time to time, especially small man-made lakes like this one. It happens. The island itself looks exactly as it has in every other picture I've ever seen of it. This is one picture from one day. Other tourists have been to the house with no complaints.

PrincessOfPeace · August 17, 2014, 04:15:10 PM

He just happens to mention he has a cookery book out

sandy · August 17, 2014, 05:05:28 PM

Maybe the grave is neglected.

HistoryGirl · August 17, 2014, 05:08:03 PM

There go those tacky servants again....

sandy · August 17, 2014, 06:28:23 PM

So any comments from William and Harry?

TLLK · August 17, 2014, 07:05:21 PM

Quote from: Jmax2 on August 17, 2014, 01:42:57 PM
This guy's just a publicity hound. If you've read his tweets you'd know that he also claims to be responsible for the plastic water bottle in the downton abbey promo shot. Lakes get moss on them from time to time, especially small man-made lakes like this one. It happens. The island itself looks exactly as it has in every other picture I've ever seen of it. This is one picture from one day. Other tourists have been to the house with no complaints.

I agree that the summer heat will cause the spread from the algae bloom. Perhaps the gardeners/estate workers would also like to avoid using harsh chemicals to treat the issue as well.
The estate has made a statement and IMO that is enough to show that they are aware of the issue.

Canuck · August 17, 2014, 07:22:53 PM

Quote from: sandy on August 17, 2014, 06:28:23 PM
So any comments from William and Harry?

I wouldn't expect any. Even if the grave has gotten a little overgrown, I don't think they would want to criticize their uncle publicly over it or give any more attention to the comments by getting involved.

sandy · August 17, 2014, 07:24:31 PM

They are her next of kin actually. I doubt they'd speak out against their uncle but as her next of kin they could look in on the grave from time to time.

Limabeany · August 17, 2014, 09:14:54 PM

I agree with Sandy, W&H should have made sure her grave was and is taken care of.

SophieChloe · August 17, 2014, 09:30:28 PM

Agreed. Very sad.

cinrit · August 17, 2014, 09:41:19 PM

The property where Diana is interred doesn't belong to William and Harry. Would they legally be able to hire someone to care for it? Even if they asked permission from Charles Spencer, would he be agreeable to having someone on his property that he didn't personally hire or know?

Cindy

Canuck · August 17, 2014, 09:43:50 PM

Well, I don't actually think it looks uncared-for. Ponds get algae in the summer, the Spencers said that they had been working on eradicating it.

But unless the grave was horribly neglected, then no, I wouldn't expect Will or Harry to get involved. Earl Spencer has a whole staff caring for the property, and he is, after all, the one who insisted Diana be buried there (so presumably he was happy to take on responsibility for keeping up the grave). I don't think he would take very kindly to criticism from his nephews on the issue, and unless there was a really serious problem with the caretaking, I don't think the boys would want to fight about it.

SophieChloe · August 17, 2014, 09:46:04 PM

I understand what you are saying Canuck. However, Diana was their Mother and they should make damn sure her final resting place is always well cared for.

sandy · August 17, 2014, 09:55:15 PM

I agree SophieChloe. They are Diana's next of kin not her brother. They should care.

KaTerina Montague · August 17, 2014, 11:06:51 PM

Who says there is even a problem? One person looking for publicity?

sandy · August 17, 2014, 11:38:12 PM

Quote from: cinrit on August 17, 2014, 09:41:19 PM
The property where Diana is interred doesn't belong to William and Harry. Would they legally be able to hire someone to care for it? Even if they asked permission from Charles Spencer, would he be agreeable to having someone on his property that he didn't personally hire or know?

Cindy

She's their mother. Of course they would have a say in what happens.

cinrit · August 17, 2014, 11:53:23 PM

^^ Of course they should, but I was curious about legalities.

Cindy

Canuck · August 18, 2014, 12:06:28 AM

Legally, they have no say. It's Charles Spencer's property, Will and Harry don't have any right to do anything with it, whether or not their mother is buried there.

As Diana's sons it might be possible for them to petition for her body to be reinterred elsewhere, but since she's currently on her brother's property with the consent of the rest of the family (including, at the time, Will and Harry), I think it would be pretty difficult to convince a court to agree to that. And I really don't think they would want to do that anyway, imagine the circus that would accompany a legal fight to move Diana's remains... :hide:

sandy · August 18, 2014, 12:18:47 AM

Let's just say that Charles Spencer tells his nephews they have no rights and can't do a thing. If this got out, Charles Spencer would be heavily criticized for being "heartless." Would he think legally blocking them (from getting some people to do some work on the grave) worth his name being dragged through the media mud? I doubt it.

I doubt Diana's body will ever be moved. If it ever happens it could come when William is King but at this point I doubt he'd have the body moved.

Trudie · August 18, 2014, 12:59:45 AM

Quote from: Canuck on August 18, 2014, 12:06:28 AM
Legally, they have no say. It's Charles Spencer's property, Will and Harry don't have any right to do anything with it, whether or not their mother is buried there.

As Diana's sons it might be possible for them to petition for her body to be reinterred elsewhere, but since she's currently on her brother's property with the consent of the rest of the family (including, at the time, Will and Harry), I think it would be pretty difficult to convince a court to agree to that. And I really don't think they would want to do that anyway, imagine the circus that would accompany a legal fight to move Diana's remains... :hide:

Diana is buried there because at the time of her death the RF insisted that Diana was the Spencers problem and wanted her to have a small funeral till the public outcry that demanded more. At the time of her death William was 15 and Harry 12 did you really think they were consulted on arrangements?

wannable · August 18, 2014, 03:11:14 AM

It looks fine to me, actually he has ridiculed himself by posting his anger via twitter.

He could have written a private message, letter, and he would probably have received the summer pond algae and blanket weed reply.

Or a bit of internet research...

Eri · August 18, 2014, 07:53:03 AM

When I visited my aunt at the cemetery I was shocked at the state of some graves especially the ones who had died before the 20's life goes on people don't spend their time obsessing about graves ...

cinrit · August 18, 2014, 10:24:19 AM

Quote from: Trudie on August 18, 2014, 12:59:45 AM
Diana is buried there because at the time of her death the RF insisted that Diana was the Spencers problem and wanted her to have a small funeral till the public outcry that demanded more. At the time of her death William was 15 and Harry 12 did you really think they were consulted on arrangements?

They are her sons. I would hope they were consulted, no matter their ages.

Cindy