A time capsule that Princess Diana buried in London in 1991 has been unearthed, 34 years later, on Wednesday, August 27.The late royal buried a capsule of ’90s items in a wall at the Great Ormond Street Hospital.Diana’s capsule was opened early as the hospital prepares for new construction.
Princess Diana’s time capsule from 1991 has been unearthed, 34 years later—and its contents confirm that the late royal really was the people’s princess. On Wednesday, August 27, the capsule—which Diana buried six years before her death in a wall at the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London—was opened, serving up some major ‘90s nostalgia.
According to NBC News, the capsule is a treasure trove of mementos that provide a snapshot of the decade, including an early, battery-operated pocket TV (a predecessor to modern-day smartphones) as well as a solar-powered calculator. A copy of The Times newspaper the day the capsule was buried, a photo of Princess Diana, a sheet of recycled paper, and a European passport were also included.
A CD of Kylie Minogue’s Rhythm of Love album, which was released in 1990, also was in the capsule, along with some British coins, five tree seeds, and a snowflake hologram. The capsule wasn’t set to be excavated for hundreds of years, but it got an early open date due to the hospital’s construction on a new children’s cancer center.
Princess Diana opening a new unit at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.
Getty Images
While it’s tempting to think that Princess Diana was listening to “What Do I Have To Do” in her spare time, the royal didn’t choose the memorabilia by herself. The late royal and president of the hospital helped two kids who’d won a competition put on by British children’s TV show Blue Peter come up with a list of things that best represented life in the ‘90s.
Princess Diana laying ceremonial foundation stone at a London hospital in 1990.
Getty Images
Princess in Diana in 1990.
Getty Images
Today, Princess Diana remains a timeless style and beauty icon—and her legacy has been carried on by daughter-in-laws Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, who are both fond of raiding the late royal’s jewelry vault. The Princess of Wales inherited her mother-in-law’s iconic sapphire and diamond engagement ring, while the Duchess of Sussex has been spotted regularly donning priceless heirloom pieces from the late royal.