Elton John was originally scheduled to sing Your Song at Diana’s funeral
Sir Elton John was originally scheduled to perform “Your Song” instead of “Candle in the Wind” at Princess Diana’s September 6, 1997 funeral, according to revelations shared by the 9th Earl Spencer in his book Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, before Virgin Group founder Richard Branson and Westminster Abbey officials intervened to change the musical tribute.
In the days between Princess Diana’s death and her funeral on September 6, 1997, the planning of the church service faced pivots. While Elton John’s eventual performance of a reworked “Candle in the Wind” remains a memorable part of the funeral, drafts show that the pop star nearly played an entirely different track to honor the late royal.
The First Draft of the Order of Service
Writing in Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, Charles Spencer noted that the palace deliberately veered away from “the same ‘dusty old plan'” typically deployed for royal funerals, a decision driven by Diana’s “modern outlook.” This departure opened the door for a musical tribute from John, who had been a close friend of Diana’s despite a falling out the month prior to her death.
According to the first draft of the funeral’s Order of Service circulated on September 2, 1997, John was initially lined up to perform his hit “Your Song.” That trajectory shifted when Virgin Group founder Richard Branson intervened.
The Behind-the-Scenes Lyric Rewrite
Branson contacted John to propose an alteration to the musical program. As Earl Spencer detailed, Branson called the singer with a direct pitch: “How about rewriting ‘Candle in the Wind’ and I’ll try to get the archbishop to accept it into the funeral service?”
The proposal gained backing. The Organist and Master of the Choristers at Westminster Abbey threw support behind the idea, dispatching a fax to the palace that urged “boldness” and argued that the adjusted song “would add greatly to the inclusivity of what was going to be a service for the people.”
A Rapid Chain of Approvals
The operational pipeline moved across London and Windsor. Songwriter Bernie Taupin faxed the newly reworked lyrics to John in Windsor. From there, the text traveled to Richard Branson in London before arriving with Diana’s eldest sister Sarah, in Lincolnshire.
Sarah sent the document onward to Althorp, where Earl Spencer reviewed the text in his study. Spencer described his reaction as immediate approval, noting that he found the revised lyrics “so deeply moving” that he had to make a mental note during the funeral’s rehearsal to avoid listening to the performance too intently on the day of the service so he wouldn’t be overwhelmed before delivering his eulogy.
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