We couldn’t believe we were about to see a bona fide princess up close. Lady Diana was making her way out of London’s royal performance of “Romeo and Juliet” when we found ourselves planted ten feet from where she would walk.
Daughters Julia and Linnea, desperate to meet her, were listening carefully to a bobby’s instructions: “If you shout at Her Royal Highness,” he said, “don’t use her name. You must address her as ‘ma’m’. Nothing else is acceptable.”
Wanting to be accepted, the girls were rehearsing their shout-out when Diana suddenly appeared. For an instant they were speechless as hundreds of flashbulbs popped, making her sparkle like the star she was.
As the bobby predicted, she scanned the barricaded crowd, including two adorable little girls within six feet of her. But when her gaze swept toward us, our daughters wildly waved their bouquet like a road crew flagging down traffic. “Ma’m! Ma’m!” they screamed. “Over here! We’re from America! We love you!”
Diana graciously acknowledged the crowd’s applause and then abruptly made a beeline for us. As she arrived in her sparkling black evening gown, our girls reached out to touch her, and she reciprocated. Linnea put a camera directly in Diana’s face (taking this photo) as Julia presented their bouquet.
The princess talked with them for several minutes as if they’d been the only ones waiting for her, after which she wished them well and said goodbye, heading for her Jaguar. She talked to no one else. As she slid into the back seat, she gently placed our wilting flowers next to her.
Mary leaned over and said, “Our humble bouquet is going to Buckingham Palace.”
As soon as the princess had pulled away, the crowd dispersed, and bobbies disassembled the barricades. But though the moment had passed, our girls held tightly to their celebrity high. Literally skipping toward our hotel, Linnea agreed with Julia who said: “If God killed me right now, I’d feel like my life was complete!”
* * * * * * * * * *
Another globally-known “celebrity” who even trumps Diana is Jesus. As he performed miracles, his disciples wondered why he shunned recognition by cautioning everyone to keep quiet about him. “Why don’t you pursue fame?” they said. “Show the world what you can do!”
But Jesus refused, saying his time to be famous hadn’t yet come.
He meant that it wasn’t quite time for him to die for mankind’s sins. After his death he would, indeed, become globally famous, and he was eager for that because it would help his plan of salvation become available to everyone.
Occasionally we all brush up against fame as our girls did with Diana. Both Julia and Linnea, now deeply rooted in love for the Lord, look back and laugh at going gaga over the princess. They know, as all of us should, there’s only one Person who deserves such hero-worship, and that’s our Lord. Putting anyone else on a pedestal of adoration only leads to disappointment.
In the long run, Jesus will be the only royalty that really matters.
Jesus said, “It is the one who is least among you all, who is the greatest.” (Luke 9:48)
What a delightful treat our heavenly Father gave all of you! I believe that is one of the many ways that He delights in giving us the desires of our hearts. His timing is perfect. Thanks for sharing such a fun story and good analogy of it Margaret.
Ha ha! Such a fun memory. There we were in our ratty tourist t-shirts and shorts, meeting the princess. =)
Who took the photo from the back?
I was able to shake Nancy Reagan’s hand once – it is an amazing experience to meet another human being who is so large on the world stage. But, you are right – it all pales into comparison, indeed, is counted for naught, when we meet Jesus. We need to “keep Eternity’s values in view” even as we go about our business in this world.
Wow!! Great memories. That sure was a once in a lifetime experience!! Thanks for the walk down memory lane. 🙂 I think we need to repeat that trip with our next generation of little girls. Miss you!