The Spectator’s Notes | 27 July 2017

The pre-commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales is already in full swing. She is a subject on which it is hard to get the balance right. Her impact was remarkable and her death tragic. On the other hand, the picture of the loving, giving saint which has been getting a new lick of paint these last weeks is hard to recognise. I remember being in the Daily Telegraph newsroom on the frantic night before the funeral. We had a special supplement to get out and a demented press conference by Mohamed Al Fayed to report. Suddenly someone on the picture desk looked up from tapping his computer and shouted out: ‘Oh Jesus. Now f***ing Mother Teresa’s dead!’ I’m sorry to say that we all burst out laughing under the strain. We had to scurry round looking for pictures of the future real saint with her friend Diana.