Diana, Princess of Wales, was remembered Friday for her "unrivalled love of life, laughter, fun and folly" at a service in London marking the 10th anniversary of her death.

Prince Harry and Prince William, right, greet guests as they arrive for the service remembering their mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, at the Guards' Chapel in London on Friday.
(Lewis Whyld/The Associated Press)

About 100 members of the British Royal Family attended a traditional, religious hour-long ceremony at the Guards' Chapel, near Buckingham Palace, organized by Diana's sons, princes William and Harry.

Queen Elizabeth, dressed in dark purple, arrived with Prince Philip to cheers from the hundreds of admirers gathered outside the chapel.

The Queen and Philip met briefly with the princes and their father Prince Charles before they entered the chapel to the processional Londonderry Air, commonly known as Danny Boy. 

"We are gathered here to remember with love and gratitude Diana, Princess of Wales," Rev. Patrick Irwin said to open the service.

Prince William read an excerpt from St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians for his mother, and Diana's sister, Sarah McCorquodale, also did a reading.

Lady Jane Fellowes, Diana's sister, arrives for the service at the Guards' Chapel, in London.
(Lewis Whyld/Associated Press)

Prince Harry offered a very personal reading, saying that he and William could separate their lives in two parts, the time they had their mother and the 10 years since her death. He said losing a parent was "indescribably shocking and sad."

"When she was alive, we completely took for granted her unrivalled love of life, laughter, fun and folly," Harry said, adding he and William thought of Diana every day.

"She was our guardian, friend and protector … simply the best mother in the world."

"She made us and so many other people happy," Harry said. She was "fun-loving, generous, down to earth and entirely genuine."

The crowds gathered outside the ceremony heard the service on speakers and greeted Harry's comments with applause and tears.

The Bishop of London, Richard John Carew Chartres, remembered Diana for her charity work and her "natural gifts of beauty, empathy and powerful intuition." He said it was time to let go of the controversy surrounding her death.

"Still, 10 years after her tragic death, there are regular reports of 'fury' at this or that incident, and the princess's memory is used for scoring points. Let it end here," he said. "Let this service mark the point at which we let her rest in peace and dwell on her memory with thanksgiving and compassion."

The ceremony featured some of Diana's favourite hymns and classical music, including the closing hymn I Vow to Thee, My Country, which was sung at Diana's 1981 wedding to Prince Charles and at her funeral.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip leave the Guards' Chapel after attending the memorial service.
(Sang Tan/Associated Press)

Diana, 36, her companion Dodi Fayed, 42, and chauffeur Henri Paul were killed when their Mercedes crashed in the Pont d'Alma tunnel in Paris on Aug. 31, 1997 while being pursued by photographers.

Bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones was seriously injured. Her death sparked an outpouring of grief and tributes throughout the world.

Approximately 500 mourners attended Friday's service, one of many events honouring the princess that day.

Many royal cousins were in the congregation, as was Diana's brother Earl Spencer and Prince Charles's siblings, Prince Edward and Princess Anne — who reportedly didn't intend to come.

Other guests included Elton John, who performed a reworked version of his song Candle in the Wind at Diana's funeral, Canadian musician Bryan Adams, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and former prime ministers Tony Blair and John Major.

Blair coined the phrase "the People's Princess" on the morning of Diana's death.

More than 110 representatives of charities and other organizations which Diana supported, along with the princess's 12 godchildren and all of the bridesmaids and page boys who participated in her wedding, joined the ceremony as well.  

Not in attendance

The princes' stepmother, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, did not attend the ceremony.

From left, pop icon Elton John, his partner David Furnish and Camilla Fayed, sister of Dodi Fayed, arrive for the service at the Guards' Chapel.
(Lewis Whyld/Associated Press)

Camilla originally accepted the invitation, but in a statement earlier this week she said her attendance "could divert attention from the purpose of the occasion." She is considered by many to be a major factor in the breakup of the marriage of Diana and Charles.

Missing from the guest list were Paul Burrell, Diana's former butler, and Patrick Jephson, her former secretary, who both wrote tell-all books about the princess after her death.

Mohamed al Fayed, the father of Dodi Fayed who has accused Prince Philip of plotting to kill the pair, was also not invited. He observed his own two minutes of silence at Harrods, his department store.

His daughter, Camilla al Fayed, attended the official service.

The Royal Family had refrained from any public remembrance of the anniversary of the princess's death, but this year, William and Harry took the lead in organizing the memorial service as well as a rock concert on Diana's birthday, July 1.

Mementoes left

Admirers of Diana will continue memorials throughout the day.

Many tied flowers, cards and photos to the gates of Kensington Palace, her former home in London, and left mementoes near the Paris tunnel where she was killed.

Susan Chickowski, from Saskatchewan, was in London for the memorials.

"I saved up my money to be here today," the 38-year-old florist said. "When she passed away, I felt like I'd lost my best friend."

"She's been such a big part of my life," Chickowski said. "Now it's time to move on, 10 years on, for myself personally."

With files from the Associated Press and Canadian Press