The Royal Family has rallied around the Duchess of Cornwall and moved to quell criticism of her presence at a memorial service next weekend for the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
A note from Clarence House was as polite as Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, probably felt shecould be - but the message was blunt: the two princes want me there, now leave me alone.
While most correspondence from members of the public to royals is batted away with a simple acknowledgment, the duchess clearly felt Margaret Funnell deserved a more considered response when she was asked to explain why she had put the service as a date in her diary.
The duchess wrote back to say she had been asked to attend by Princes William and Harry, who have organised the service. It is now likely that she will take a front-row seat in the Guards' Chapel in London to mark the 10th anniversary of Princess Diana's death.
The letter, revealed yesterday, dates from January. It shows concern over who should attend has rumbled on all year. As one of the founders of Diana Circle UK, a group campaigning to "keep Princess Diana's memory alive", Funnell said: "I find it reprehensible that the woman who caused Diana so much pain and torment should be present at her memorial service.
"I suspect protocol dictated that William and Harry had to invite her - but she is the last person that should be there."
Princess Diana's death in a car crash in Paris in August 1997, sparked a national outpouring of grief. However, the memorial service will be a more select affair, with only 500 guests. Adding to the controversy surrounding the guest list are those who believe they have been excluded from the event because of their closeness to the princess after her divorce - Patrick Jephson, a former private secretary; bodyguard Ken Wharfe; and Paul Burrell, the butler who wrote a newspaper column and books about the princess.
