Lessons from a Community's Response to the Death of Diana, Princess of Wales

Abstract

The death of Diana, Princess of Wales, resulted in an international phenomenon of grief rarely seen. In South Australia, research was undertaken on one aspect of public grief that has received little study-the impact of such an event on the utilization of grief support and counseling services. A survey of 65 community service organizations revealed a pattern of increased service requests in the three weeks following Diana's death, particularly among grief-related organizations. The study identified persons who appeared more vulnerable to this public loss event, how community members tried to cope with their grief, strategies used by community organizations to assist, the impact on helpers, and suggestions for improved responses to future public loss events. The findings of this study are seen as important in helping service providers and community leaders to prepare for reactions to other public loss events.The death of Diana, Princess of Wales, on August 31, 1997, resulted in a series of events that, from a loss and grief perspective, are rarely seen on a global basis.