Greatest Scenes: Charles Spencer's Eulogy at Princess Diana's Funeral

At 5 years old, even I knew the significance of the funeral my mother woke me up to watch on September 6th.

The funeral of Princess Diana was one of the most watched events in world history, with a global audience of 2.5 billion. There were many moments during the funeral that were iconic and memorable. There was the image of Prince Charles, her sons William and Harry, her brother Charles Spencer, and Prince Philip walking behind the carriage carrying her body. There was Elton John, stoic in order to remain composed, singing for the first and only time Candle in the Wind 1997, which became the second best-selling song in the world.

But of all those moments, none was more emotional, stirring, chilling, and heartbreaking than the eulogy delivered by Charles Spencer, Diana's brother. His speech was both a tribute to the beloved princess and a thinly-veiled attack against the British Royal Family, who just days ago, refused to leave Balmoral to address the grievers, and the media who were blamed for her death. Nearly every line he spoke was quotable and truthful, whether he declared Diana the "most hunted person of the modern age" or explained that "she needed no royal title to continue to generate her particular brand of magic".

He asked those who tried to sanctify Diana not to, saying that doing so would limit her legacy. He described Diana as someone who was able to transcend race and class, while remaining British. He referenced rather bluntly Diana's battle with bulimia as an example of the vulnerability that allowed the world to connect with her. He criticized those who attempted to belittle the work she did. In an stinging attack against the royals, he promised William and Harry that he and their blood family would guide them in their lives.

When he ended the eulogy, the millions who lined the funeral route and watched the speech in Hyde Park applauded with such strength that mourners inside Westminster Abbey followed suit. With all of the comments, television specials, and tell-all books written about "The People's Princess", none will capture the essence of her like her brother's speech. No reports during that unprecedented week of mourning symbolized the feelings like her brother's speech.

Earl Spencer's eulogy, along with being one of the most memorable orations in history, was one of the most polarizing moments ever broadcast on television.