When Diana, Princess of Wales, tragically passed away in a car accident in Paris on August 31, 1997, the world mourned deeply — and few felt that loss more personally than her close friend, Elton John.
Shortly after her passing, Richard Branson reached out to Elton with an idea. He had noticed that many mourners signing the Book of Condolence at St James’s Palace were quoting Elton’s song Candle in the Wind. Originally written with Bernie Taupin as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe in 1973, the song had long been a reflection on the fleeting nature of fame and life. Branson suggested rewriting it in Diana’s honor.
Elton immediately contacted Bernie Taupin, and together they reimagined the song with new, heartfelt lyrics — opening with the now-iconic lines:
“Goodbye England’s rose, may you ever grow in our hearts…”
On September 6, 1997, inside Westminster Abbey, Elton John performed Candle in the Wind 1997 as a touching farewell to his friend. Alongside Earl Spencer’s moving eulogy, this moment became one of the most powerful and unforgettable parts of Diana’s funeral.
Just a week later, the studio version of the song, produced by George Martin of Beatles fame, was released. The public response was overwhelming — selling 658,000 copies on its first day and over 1.5 million in its first week in the UK alone. Globally, it went on to sell 33 million copies, becoming the second best-selling single of all time after Bing Crosby’s White Christmas. Every penny earned was donated to Diana’s charities.
Elton made a vow to never perform this version again unless requested by Diana’s sons, William or Harry — a promise he has kept, even declining to sing it at the 2007 Concert for Diana.
Interestingly, documents released in 2021 revealed that Buckingham Palace initially worried the song might be “too sentimental” for the funeral. Westminster Abbey even had a saxophonist on standby in case Elton was unable to perform. But the Spencer family and Dean of Westminster, Dr. Wesley Carr, strongly supported Elton’s inclusion, insisting that his music, which Diana loved, would be the perfect tribute.
Bernie Taupin has since shared that the original Candle in the Wind was never meant solely for Marilyn Monroe — it was about how society immortalizes those whose lives end too soon. Diana’s story, like the song itself, became a timeless reminder of how love and loss can inspire something beautiful.
From that day forward, Candle in the Wind 1997 has been forever intertwined with the memory of Princess Diana — a song born from grief, transformed into a global expression of love, and remembered as one of the most moving farewells ever performed.