Holiday, everyday!

Sun Jul 1, 2007 1:20 PM EDT

By Paul Majendie and Mike Collett-White

LONDON (Reuters) – An international lineup of pop stars paid tribute to Princess Diana on Sunday at a memorial concert watched by her sons Princes William and Harry and a crowd of 60,000 at London’s Wembley Stadium.

Elton John, a good friend of the princess who sang at her funeral, kicked off the show with a rendition of “Your Song” in front of giant black and white photographs of Diana beamed on to the stage backdrop.

He was followed by veterans Duran Duran, younger acts The Feeling, Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas, Lily Allen and rapper Pharrell Williams and The English National Ballet, a favorite of Diana’s.

The princes organized the event to mark the 10th anniversary of their mother’s death and to celebrate her humanitarian work, which they felt had been forgotten amid negative press.

“After 10 years there’s been a rumbling of people bringing up the bad and over time people seem to forget or have forgotten all the amazing things she did,” William said before the gig, the proceeds of which go to charity.

Fans at the newly refurbished Wembley stadium agreed.

“I camped out in London for her funeral, so I really wanted to be here today. She was a caring person who always thought of others,” said Julie Rocks.

Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland called Diana a “great icon of giving,” while the princes praised their mother on what would have been her 46th birthday.

“This evening is about all that our mother loved in life — her music, her dance, her charities and her family and friends,” William, 25, said, to a standing ovation.

Harry, 22, paid tribute to his fellow soldiers serving in Iraq. The third in line to the throne had been due to be deployed in Basra this year, but military commanders decided against sending him there, deeming it too dangerous.

“I wish I was there with you. I’m sorry I can’t be … stay safe,” he said. 

SECURITY TIGHT

Security at the concert was heightened after two car bombs were found on Friday in central London and two suspects rammed a petrol-filled four-wheel-drive vehicle into Glasgow airport on Saturday in what police called a terrorist attack.

The six-hour show was broadcast to 145 countries and an estimated audience of 500 million people.

Diana’s death in a Paris car crash provoked an unprecedented outpouring of grief from the normally reserved British and some commentators feared the concert could strike a mawkish note.

“There might even be a danger of the whole event descending into a cringingly sentimental affair,” The Daily Telegraph said of preparations for the music and dance extravaganza.

The event also faced competition in a packed pop calendar with fans still scraping mud off after the rain-sodden Glastonbury Festival and Al Gore staging “Live Earth” concerts on July 7 around the world to highlight the climate crisis.

William’s ex-girlfriend Kate Middleton was in the audience, amid speculation in the British media that the couple, who split up in March, might have rekindled their relationship.

Harry was joined by his girlfriend Chelsy Davy, and also in the crowd was Diana’s brother Charles Spencer, who gave the oration at her funeral which included a bitter tirade against the media who followed her every move.

© Reuters 2007. All Rights Reserved.