A time capsule that the Princess of Wales buried in 1991 at the Great Ormand Street Hospital (GOSH) in London was opened Aug. 27, and its contents represent a throwback to the early '90s.
Among the items uncovered were Kylie Minogue's Rhythm of Love album from 1990, a Casio pocket TV, a passport, a copy of the Sunday Times newspaper from the date of the time capsule's burial and a photo of Diana, among other mementos, per NBC News. While some of the artifacts had water damage, photos taken of their retrieval show that they're largely intact after nearly 35 years.
In the early ‘90s, the late British royal—who became president of GOSH in 1989 and visited the hospital several times before her death in 1997—helped two kids who won a competition run by British children's TV show Blue Peter pick the items included in the time capsule.
The lead-encased wooden box was originally buried as part of the foundation for the hospital's Variety Club Building, which eventually opened in 1994. While it was intended to remain sealed for centuries, officials dug it up prematurely ahead of the construction of a new children's cancer center.
Interestingly, Diana's 1991 time capsule burial bore striking resemblance to that of Alexandra of Denmark—a former Princess of Wales and later Queen Consort—from 1872, which was included as part of the hospital's original foundation—though Alexandra's was never uncovered.
The time capsule isn't the only relic from Diana's past that has been unearthed recently, either.
Her brother, Charles Spencer, shared a throwback photo of him and his late sister as children last month.
“A long ago summer, by the swimming pool at our childhood home, Park House, Sandringham,” Charles, 61, wrote on his Instagram post, which sees the Spencer siblings posed in their bathing suits. “Diana and I both proudly showing off our swimming badges (sewn onto our swimming costumes).”
“These were awarded (sparingly) by Mrs. Lansdowne, a fairly terrifying but very gifted swimming instructor, who came to stay each year,” he explained. “We were never out of that pool.”
Among the items uncovered were Kylie Minogue's Rhythm of Love album from 1990, a Casio pocket TV, a passport, a copy of the Sunday Times newspaper from the date of the time capsule's burial and a photo of Diana, among other mementos, per NBC News. While some of the artifacts had water damage, photos taken of their retrieval show that they're largely intact after nearly 35 years.
In the early ‘90s, the late British royal—who became president of GOSH in 1989 and visited the hospital several times before her death in 1997—helped two kids who won a competition run by British children's TV show Blue Peter pick the items included in the time capsule.
The lead-encased wooden box was originally buried as part of the foundation for the hospital's Variety Club Building, which eventually opened in 1994. While it was intended to remain sealed for centuries, officials dug it up prematurely ahead of the construction of a new children's cancer center.
Interestingly, Diana's 1991 time capsule burial bore striking resemblance to that of Alexandra of Denmark—a former Princess of Wales and later Queen Consort—from 1872, which was included as part of the hospital's original foundation—though Alexandra's was never uncovered.
The time capsule isn't the only relic from Diana's past that has been unearthed recently, either.
Her brother, Charles Spencer, shared a throwback photo of him and his late sister as children last month.
“A long ago summer, by the swimming pool at our childhood home, Park House, Sandringham,” Charles, 61, wrote on his Instagram post, which sees the Spencer siblings posed in their bathing suits. “Diana and I both proudly showing off our swimming badges (sewn onto our swimming costumes).”
“These were awarded (sparingly) by Mrs. Lansdowne, a fairly terrifying but very gifted swimming instructor, who came to stay each year,” he explained. “We were never out of that pool.”
